Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
The Road to Reinstatement Isn’t Automatic—Especially After a Second DUI
If you’ve been convicted of a second DUI in Illinois, your driving privileges are no longer merely suspended—they are revoked. This distinction matters. A suspension has an end date. A revocation doesn’t. In Chicago and throughout Cook County, as well as in DuPage, Will, and Lake Counties, a second DUI means facing a minimum five-year revocation if your first offense occurred within the past 20 years.
Reinstating your license after a second DUI conviction is a complicated and time-consuming process that requires formal hearings with the Illinois Secretary of State. It’s not enough to wait out the revocation period. You must prove rehabilitation, demonstrate you’re no longer a risk to public safety, and comply with stringent documentation and treatment requirements.
