Appointments will be required at many Illinois Secretary of State facilities in the Chicago area for multiple transactions, including Illinois driver's license and state ID card services, beginning in September.
It's part of the plan to address "heavy customer volume" at facilities because of the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White said.
"Appointments will be required for customers applying for or renewing REAL IDs, standard driver’s licenses and ID cards, and for behind-the-wheel road tests at these facilities," White's office said.
Beginning the first week of September, customers must make an appointment to visit these three Driver Services facilities: Chicago North, 5401 N. Elston Ave., on Sept. 1; Chicago West, 5301 W. Lexington St., on Sept. 2; and Chicago South, 9901 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, on Sept. 3.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
White said facilities in Lake Zurich, Melrose Park, Midlothian and Woodstock transitioned to appointment facilities early this year.
Additional Chicago-area facilities will require appointments, as well:
Sept. 1
Chicago North
5401 N. Elston Ave., Chicago, IL 60630
Sept. 2
Chicago West
5301 W. Lexington St., Chicago, IL 60644
Sept. 3
Chicago South
9901 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Chicago, IL 60628
Sept. 7
Bridgeview
7358 W. 87th St., Bridgeview, IL 60455
Schaumburg
1227 E. Golf Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173
Sept. 8
Des Plaines
1470 Lee St., Des Plaines, IL 60018
Lombard
837 S. Westmore B27, Lombard, IL 60148
Sept. 9
Naperville
931 W. 75th St., Ste. 161, Naperville, IL 60565
Waukegan
617 S. Green Bay Rd., Waukegan, IL 60085
Sept. 10
Aurora
339 E. Indian Trail, Aurora, IL 60505
Joliet
201 S. Joyce Rd., Joliet, Il 60435
Plano
236 Mitchell Dr., Plano, IL 60545
Local
During this phase of the program, customers can make an appointment up to 10 days in advance at www.cyberdriveillinois.com or by calling the appointment helpline at 844-817-4649.
All 16 facilities will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
"Secretary White emphasized that seniors, persons with disabilities and expectant mothers will be served as walk-ins at all 16 of the designated appointment facilities," White's office said.
Some facilities, including those in rural Illinois facilities, will not require appointments. Others will remain accessible to walk-in customers, including Deerfield, Elgin, Chicago Central (James R. Thompson Center) and the temporary facility at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights.
Over the next six months, White also will expand remote renewal so approximately 1 million more people can renew their driver's licenses and ID cards online, by phone or by mail. Those who qualify for the program will get a letter in the mail starting in September, he said.
"During the pandemic, my office has continued to serve the public, including face-to-face transactions, in a safe and responsible manner,” White said in a statement. "Throughout this time, we also greatly expanded online services. This next step will allow many more people to renew their driver’s licenses or ID cards remotely instead of visiting a Driver Services facility."
