Challenging a Driver's License Suspension

If you have been notified that your driver's license is being suspended for unpaid parking violations you have two options:

 1) You may pay the violations and the suspension fee in full.  This payment must be made to the City of Chicago Department of Finance.  To inquire as to the amount due you may contact the Department of Finance in person, at one of their payment centers, or by phone at 312.744.PARK (7275).

 Or,

 2) You may challenge the suspension of your driver's license.  Pursuant to City of Chicago Municipal Code Section 9-100-130(c), you may challenge the validity of the certified report sent to the Secretary of State requesting that your license be suspended.  You must file this challenge within 21 days of the date of the notice sent to you by the Secretary of State. 

The challenge must be in writing and include any documents that you wish the Department of Administrative Hearings to consider.  However, please be aware that the only acceptable defenses are:

You were not the owner or lessee of the vehicle or vehicles which received ten or more parking or compliance violation notices or five or more automated red light violations on the date or dates such notices were issued

Or:

You have already paid the fine and penalty for the ten or more violations or five or more automated red light violations indicated on the report.

Or:

You did not receive notice of the impending suspension of your driver's license.  The City is required to send notice to the address the cited vehicle was registered at according to the Secretary of State. Illinois law requires that you notify the Secretary of State within ten days of any change of address. (625 ILCS 5/3-416)

This challenge can be mailed to:

City of Chicago

Department of Administrative Hearings

Vehicle Hearings Division/DLS

740 North  Sedgwick Street , 2nd Floor

Chicago, Illinois 60654