Illinois Secretary Of State Driver's Service Facilities Reopening In June

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Illinois Secretary of State's office will reopen driver services facilities next week, although for the first two months they are open, the offices will focus on serving only new drivers, those with expired licenses or ID cards, and vehicle transactions.

More than 700,000 driver's licenses and ID cards, and more than 1.9 million vehicle registrations are currently expired in Illinois, more than two months after Gov. JB Pritzker issued a statewide stay-at-home order.

Starting next week, all Illinois Secretary of State offices will reopen for business -- except for the driver's service facilities at the Thompson Center and 69 W. Washington St. -- with protective measures in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The two driver's service centers in downtown Chicago will not reopen for another month, as they are located in buildings that will remain closed until July 1.

For the first two months they are open, through July 31, facilities will be open only for new drivers, people with expired driver's licenses and ID cards, and for vehicle transactions such as license plate stickers and vehicle titles.

Starting June 1, driver's services facilities in Chicago will be open Mondays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Starting June 2, driver's services facilities in suburban Chicago will be open Tuesdays through Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Starting June 1, the driver's services facility on Dirksen Parkway in Springfield will be open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Starting June 2, other driver's services facilities outside the Chicago metropolitan area will be open Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesdays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

At all facilities, Secretary of State employees and customers will be required to wear masks, unless they have a medical condition prohibiting them from doing so. Plastic dividers also have been installed at all work stations, and tape has been placed on the floors to mark off six-foot intervals to allow for customers to observe required social distancing.

For drivers who require a road test for their license, state employees conducting the test will wear a mask and face shield while inside the vehicle, and customers will be required to wear masks if they are medically able to do so, due to the close proximity to each other. Disposable plastic also will be used to cover vehicle seats during road tests. That plastic will be immediately discarded at the end of the road test.

The Secretary of State's office is encouraging people to use online services at cyberdriveillinois.com to renew vehicle stickers from home. Many Illinois residents also can renew their ID card or driver's license online. People also can obtain a duplicate license or ID card, or abstract of their driving record online.

To renew your driver's license online,  you must have received a Safe Driver Renewal form in the mail.

The state has extended the expiration dates for driver's licenses, ID cards, and vehicle registrations by at least 90 days after the stay-at-home order ends. The federal government also has extended the deadline by one year until Oct. 1, 2021. A REAL ID is required by Oct. 1, 2021, for domestic air travel or to enter military bases or other secure federal facilities if you do not have a passport.