Secretary of State Jesse White asked that I respond to your e-mail.
For the past two years, the Secretary of State's Office has been reviewing the Driver's License requirements, statistics and possibilities for fraud. In light of the study and in the wake of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, an applicant for an Illinois Driver's License (and/or
a State of Illinois Identification Card) must possess a valid social security number. The Statute (625 ILS 5/6-106} requires that every application shall state the name, social security number, zip code, date of birth, sex and resident address of the applicant. The applicant must also sign the application with an affirmation that all the information is correct. Also, the Office of the Secretary of State is not issuing any form of letter to the Social Security Administration for driver licensing purposes. Our identification policy is rigidly enforced to prevent fraud and identity theft. The Secretary of State's Office is currently reviewing the Attorney General's Opinion regarding the requirement of a Social Security number for the issuance of a driver's license. If there is any change to existing procedures, the change will require amendment of the Administrative Rules.
You may wish to contact your local elected officials regarding this matter. However, visitors to this country who possess a valid driver's license from their home country may drive in Illinois for the duration of their visit on their home jurisdiction's driver's license. The time period is not limited so long as the driver's license remains current and valid and provided the vehicle is of the same classification as the vehicle the visitor intends to drive.
If you should have any further questions regarding this or any other matters relating to an Illinois Driver's License, an Illinois State Identification Card, our Driver Facilities or other services and programs please refer to our web site at
www.cyberdriveillinois.com, or you may call (800)252-2904 for further assistance.
