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How Many Times Can You Fail Your CDL Test in Illinois?

27 Feb, 2024
27 Feb, 2024
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What happens if you fail your CDL test 3 times in Illinois?

Even if you feel ready to get your commercial driver’s license, you probably still want to know, “How many times can you fail the CDL test?”

First, let us remind you that the commercial driver’s license exam consists of three parts: the pre-trip test, the basic skills test, and the road test. Some of these components may seem familiar to you from when you were taking or passed your state driver’s license exam. However, if you are planning to take these exams for the first time, you may benefit from reading our article https://startcdl.com/blog/how-many-questions-is-the-cdl-permit-testThere you can find information about the tests themselves and the number of questions in each test

Illinois is a large state with a well-developed transportation infrastructure and industry, which is what attracts people who want to work in the trucking industry. That’s why many people choose it for their CDL because of the availability of testing centers and a strong truck driving training infrastructure

Where to take the CDL test in Illinois

In Illinois, taking Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) tests is usually conducted at special test centers run by the Illinois Secretary of State (SOS). You should contact your local SOS office or visit the official website https://www.ilsos.gov/ for up-to-date information on CDL test locations and procedures

There you can also find a section related to CDL, which provides information about the necessary tests, requirements and addresses of test centers. Also, we recommend using the online service to sign up for the tests. This way you will save a lot of time and will not have to wait in line for a long time

How many mistakes are allowed on the Illinois driving permit test?

The passing score on the Illinois driving permit test is 80 percent. To successfully pass the test, a candidate must correctly answer at least 28 out of 35 questions. The test is fairly simple and includes basic knowledge on driving. You have 3 attempts to successfully pass this exam. If you do manage to fail the CDL exam 3 times in a row, you must wait 30 days for the next attempt after the failed attempts. In case of three more failures, the waiting period increases to 90 days. Please note that laws and restrictions vary from state to state. We recommend that you check with your local DMV office for up-to-date information or visit the official Illinois DMV webpage https://www.dmvusa.com/statelink.php?id=197

How many mistakes are allowed on driving test in Illinois?

The driving exam has the same restrictions and rules as the test. Let’s take a closer look at a situation where you are unlucky enough to fail your CDL test 3 times

  • Paying the test-taking service (approximately $24) required by Section 6-118 IVC Illinois Vehicle Code, you become eligible for three attempts to take the written and/or road tests within one year, beginning on the date of the first attempt
  • If you fail the written and/or road tests after the third attempt, you will be ineligible to retest for 30 days
  • After this period has passed, you write an application to retake the test. A CLP or CDL candidate who reapplies after the 30-day waiting period is again given three attempts to successfully pass the written and/or road tests
  • Failure to pass the written and/or road tests will result in a 90-day waiting period
  • A CLP or CDL applicant who reapplies after the 90-day waiting period is given three attempts to successfully pass the written and/or road tests. In the event of failure to pass the written and/or road tests, the waiting period is one year from the date of the first failure

What to do after you fail the CDL exam 3 times?

If you fail your first attempt to pass the test, you may be allowed to take the written and/or road tests a second time after failing on the same day during regular business hours at the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). However, if the candidate demonstrates a threat to public safety during the first attempt to pass the test, a second attempt on the same day will not be allowed. This decision is at the discretion of the DMV officer A candidate is not permitted to make a third attempt to take the road test on the same day that the previous attempt was unsuccessful

So what do you do if you fail your CDL test 3 times in Illinois? If you do not pass the written and/or road tests after your third attempt, you will be ineligible to retest for 30 days. Once that time period has passed, you may reapply to take the test and make another attempt to successfully pass the tests. You will still be allowed 3 attempts before the next restriction. If you fail, we strongly recommend that you practice for the free tests, either by contacting instructors at a driving school to improve your driving skills or to get a better understanding of the tests themselves. You can do this on our website https://startcdl.com/quiz-landing. If you need additional help, our managers will contact you and answer any questions you may have

If an applicant fails the road test six times, the applicant will not be allowed to take the road test a seventh time until a medical opinion form completed in accordance with IVC Sections 6-103(8) and 6-109(b) is submitted to the Department. The candidate is exempt from the requirement to file a medical report if a favorable medical report has been filed with the Department within the previous 90 days

A CDL candidate without a visa may be allowed to take the written or road test a second time after failing it on the same day during normal business hours at the Driver Service Center if the Center Manager determines that sufficient staff and time are available

In conclusion

In this article, we broke down that there is no strict limit on the number of times you can attempt to retake your driver’s license test. In Illinois, there are certain waiting periods for multiple unsuccessful test retakes, but after a certain amount of time, you can reapply and attempt the test again

Driving skills training: if problems arise while driving, you may want to consider additional lessons with an instructor to improve your driving skills

Do not attempt the test again without preparation, as this does not guarantee a successful pass. Make sure that you are prepared and confident in your knowledge and skills and make an appointment to retake the test. Stay calm and remember that failure is part of the learning process

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Writen by Max Smith

Max is an editor, translator, and driver from Ukraine, with over 15 years of driving experience.

Regularly collaborating with our experts, he prepares materials for drivers

that can be useful for improving qualifications.

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