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How to become a truck driver in Illinois
In Illinois the Secretary of State issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: you must be 18 (21 for interstate or passengers), hold a DOT medical certificate, and complete federal Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Illinois earned a median $60,320 a year in May 2025 ($29.00 an hour).
Truck driver licensing in Illinois
The licensing authority is Illinois Secretary of State. The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) | Hold a valid Illinois base license, prove legal presence, self-certify your medical status, and pass the CDL knowledge tests. Hold the CLP at least 14 days before the skills test; it is valid one year. | — | CDL knowledge tests (general, combination, air brake, endorsements) | $50 |
| Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT, federal) | Since February 7, 2022, first-time Class A or B CDL applicants (and Class B holders upgrading to Class A) must complete the training with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before the skills test. | — | — | not published |
| Class A CDL | After 14 days on the CLP and completing ELDT, pass the skills and drive test (pre-trip inspection, basic control, road test) in a representative Class A vehicle. The published CDL fee is $60 (renewal or transfer); a driver who holds an Illinois non-CDL license pays $50 to add a CLP. | — | CDL skills test | not published |
Reciprocity. A valid out-of-state CDL of the same classification is exempt from the Illinois knowledge and skills tests (except hazmat) unless the driver is 75 or older.
Renewal. Every 4 years (the DOT medical certificate renews separately).
Licensing sources: Illinois SOS Commercial Driver's License (retrieved 2026-09-16) · FMCSA ELDT Applicability (retrieved 2026-09-16) · 49 CFR 383.25 (commercial learner's permit) (retrieved 2026-09-23) · 49 CFR 383.23 (commercial driver's license required) (retrieved 2026-09-23) · Illinois Secretary of State: basic fees (retrieved 2026-09-24). Requirements change; confirm with Illinois Secretary of State before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as a truck driver in Illinois?
In Illinois the Secretary of State issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: you must be 18 (21 for interstate or passengers), hold a DOT medical certificate, and complete federal Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test.
What does it cost to get licensed as a truck driver in Illinois?
The published fee in the table above is $50. Read each tier's requirements for any exam or license-issue fee charged on top.
How long does it take to become a truck driver in Illinois?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do truck drivers make in Illinois?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Illinois earned a median $60,320 a year in May 2025, $29.00 an hour. That median is 3% above the national figure of $58,640, and Illinois ranks 15 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice truck drivers make in Illinois?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in Illinois under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 246 apprentices started, at a median $15.00 an hour across the 246 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $20.08 an hour at completion (52 completers with an exit wage DOL counts). Wages are in that year's dollars.
What truck drivers earn in Illinois
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Illinois earned a median $60,320 a year in May 2025, $29.00 an hour. 84,200 people held the job, 13.8 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 3% above the national figure of $58,640, and Illinois ranks 15 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Illinois
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $19.09 | $39,710 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.34 | $48,550 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $29.00 | $60,320 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $36.35 | $75,600 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $41.49 | $86,300 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $30.01 | $62,430 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in Illinois
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN employs the most truck drivers of the 8 metro areas based in Illinois that BLS publishes, 62,210, at a median $62,300 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 62,210 | $62,300 | $41,300 | $88,230 |
| Peoria, IL | 1,760 | $49,610 | $39,610 | $77,520 |
| Rockford, IL | 1,690 | $59,900 | $38,660 | $88,590 |
| Bloomington, IL | 1,070 | $54,610 | $35,290 | $79,450 |
| Decatur, IL | 990 | $59,100 | $34,910 | $97,090 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 840 | $56,270 | $38,130 | $80,560 |
| Kankakee, IL | 760 | $46,750 | $33,770 | $76,780 |
| Springfield, IL | 750 | $50,350 | $40,150 | $79,810 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown. Listed under another state but reaching into Illinois: St. Louis, MO-IL, Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL and Paducah, KY-IL.
Illinois against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Vermont | $60,830 | 3,560 |
| 13 | Utah | $60,620 | 25,060 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $60,490 | 15,740 |
| 15 | Illinois | $60,320 | 84,200 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $60,310 | 6,050 |
| 17 | Indiana | $60,290 | 59,090 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $60,280 | 6,960 |
The complete ranking is on the Truck drivers (CDL) page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $60,320 | $58,640 |
| Median hourly | $29.00 | $28.19 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $39,710 | $40,140 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $86,300 | $79,380 |
| Employed | 84,200 | 2,062,040 |
Apprenticeships in Illinois
U.S. Department of Labor records list 226 registered apprentices active in Illinois in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 246 apprentices started, at a median $15.00 an hour across the 246 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $20.08 an hour at completion (52 completers with an exit wage DOL counts).
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Illinois
Electricians ($99,560) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($99,950) · HVAC technicians ($77,410) · Welders ($51,320) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($108,120) · Elevator installers ($133,690) · Ironworkers ($101,850) · Sheet metal workers ($86,630) · Carpenters ($79,000) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($89,980) · Auto service technicians ($49,170) · Diesel mechanics ($64,340) · Heavy equipment operators ($97,740) · Machinists ($58,520)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Illinois.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.