Illinois driver services facilities to close for two weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19

[December 30, 2021]  By Greg Bishop

(The Center Square) – Illinois driver services facilities will be closed for two weeks to try to slow the spread of COVID-19 after the start of the year.

Because of increased cases, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has announced the state’s driver services facilities will be closed for the first two weeks of the new year.

“After careful consideration and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to close all Driver Services facilities beginning Jan. 3, 2022, through Jan. 17, 2022, due to the spike in COVID-19 cases,” White said. “The health and safety of employees and the public remains paramount, and face-to-face transactions potentially increase the further spread of the virus.”

Offices were already scheduled to be closed for the New Year holiday.

A line of people wait to enter the driver services facility in Schaumburg on Saturday, June 19, 2021.

By Brett Rowland | The Center Square

The public is encouraged to visit ILSOS.gov for services that are available online. Such services remaining open and available online are renewing license plate stickers, renewing a driver’s license or ID car for qualified individuals, getting a duplicate ID, getting a driver record abstract, or filing business services documents.

For those qualified to renew IDs online, White’s office estimates that will eliminate the need for about 1 million people from having to visit a facility.

“Our goal is to safely reopen all offices and Driver Services facilities on January 18 for face-to-face transactions,” White said.

Several weeks ago, the agency extended the expiration dates for expired driver’s licenses and ID cards to March 31, 2022.