Illinois motorcycle permit test numbers to know
Distances, speeds, limits, fines and deadlines are the questions people miss most, because they have to be memorized. Here are 20 Illinois numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.
Numbers quiz
8 questions a round from the 8 number questions in our Illinois bank. Questions you miss come back more often in later rounds.
Free and unlimited. Your answers count toward your readiness and mistake review.
Numbers flashcards
8 cards: the question on the front, the number and its source on the back. Swipe right if you knew it.
Each deck starts with 20 free cards. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again.
See 3 of the cards
Alcohol & drugs
On a long trip, how often should you stop and get off the motorcycle to fight fatigue?
At least every two hours
Riding is more tiring than driving a car, and fatigue affects your control. Stop and get off the motorcycle at least every two hours, and dress for the weather since wind, cold and rain tire you quickly.
Distances & following gaps
You are stopped on your motorcycle at a red light that does not detect you and never turns green. What does Illinois law allow?
Proceed with caution after waiting a reasonable time of at least 120 seconds
Motorcycles can be too light to trip some traffic-light sensors. Illinois lets a rider proceed through a red light that fails to change within a reasonable time of not less than 120 seconds, but you must still yield and go only when it is safe.
Ages, permits & the test
Who may supervise a rider holding an Illinois Class M instruction permit?
A licensed motorcycle operator age 21 or older with at least one year of experience
Your supervisor must be a licensed motorcycle operator who is at least 21 and has at least one year of driving experience.
Every Illinois motorcycle number, by topic
Official Illinois laws come first in each group, then the numbers from our handbook questions. Tap a source to read the exact words it comes from.
Alcohol & drugs
7 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 0.08% | Legal BAC limit for adult drivers | ilga.govQuotethe alcohol concentration in the person's blood, other bodily substance, or breath is 0.08 or more based on the definition of blood and breath units in Section 11-501.2 |
| 0% | BAC limit for underage drivers | ilga.govQuoteif the person submits to the test or tests provided in paragraph (a) of this Section and the alcohol concentration in the person's blood, other bodily substance, or breath is greater than 0.00 and less than 0.08, a suspension of the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle |
| 0.04% | BAC limit in a commercial vehicle | ilga.govQuoteOperating a commercial motor vehicle while the alcohol concentration of the person's blood, breath, other bodily substance, or urine is at least 0.04 |
| one year | Drunk driving (DUI)Conviction brings mandatory license revocation, with no reinstatement application for at least one year | ilga.govQuotethe person may make application for a license (A) after the expiration of one year from the effective date of the revocation |
| 6-month | Drunk driving (DUI)Failing a chemical test (0.08+) as a first offender also brings a 6-month statutory summary suspension | ilga.govQuotesix months from the effective date of the statutory summary suspension imposed following the person's submission to a chemical test which disclosed an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more |
| 12 months | Drunk driving (DUI)Refusing a chemical test brings an automatic statutory summary suspension of 12 months for a first offender | ilga.govQuotetwelve months from the effective date of the statutory summary suspension for a refusal or failure to complete a test or tests to determine the alcohol, other drug, or intoxicating compound concentration under Section 11-501.1 |
| two hours | On a long trip, how often should you stop and get off the motorcycle to fight fatigue?Answer: At least every two hours | Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, page 39QuoteTake frequent rest breaks — Stop and get off the motorcycle at least every two hours. |
Distances & following gaps
3 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 120 seconds | You are stopped on your motorcycle at a red light that does not detect you and never turns green. What does Illinois law allow?Answer: Proceed with caution after waiting a reasonable time of at least 120 seconds | Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, page 5QuoteMotorcycles may proceed through a red light that fails to change to a green light within a reasonable period of time, not less than 120 seconds. |
| Three seconds | What is the minimum following distance the manual recommends behind the vehicle ahead in normal conditions?Answer: Three seconds | Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, page 14QuoteA three-second following distance leaves a minimum amount of space to stop or swerve if the driver ahead stops suddenly. |
| One second | In a staggered group formation, where does the second rider ride?Answer: One second behind the leader, in the right side of the lane | Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, page 35QuoteThe leader rides in the left side of the lane, while the second rider stays one second behind in the right side of the lane. |
Ages, permits & the test
9 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $10 | Fee | ilsos.govQuoteInstruction Permit (Class M and L) $10 |
| 24 months, ages 16-17 | Motorcycle permit24 months for ages 16-17 | ilga.govQuoteA 24 month instruction permit for a motorcycle other than a motor driven cycle may be issued to a person 16 or 17 years of age in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Section 6-103 |
| 12 months | Motorcycle permit12 months for 18 and older | ilga.govQuoteA 12 month instruction permit for a motor driven cycle or motorcycle may be issued to a person 18 years of age or more, and entitles the holder to drive upon the highways during daylight under the direct supervision |
| age 21, one year | Motorcycle permitDaylight only, under direct supervision of a licensed motorcycle operator age 21+ with at least one year of driving experience (same or greater classification for adult permits) | ilga.govQuoteentitles a holder to drive upon the highways during daylight under the direct supervision of a licensed motorcycle operator 21 years of age or older who has at least one year of driving experience. |
| under 18 | Motorcycle permitRequired for applicants under 18 (IDOT-approved motorcycle training course, plus driver education) | ilga.govQuoteA 12 month instruction permit for a motor driven cycle or motorcycle may be issued to a person 18 years of age or more, and entitles the holder to drive upon the highways during daylight under the direct supervision |
| 17-year, 24-month | Motorcycle permit16- and 17-year-olds get a 24-month permit only after driver education and an IDOT-approved motorcycle training course | ilga.govQuoteA 24 month instruction permit for a motorcycle other than a motor driven cycle may be issued to a person 16 or 17 years of age in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Section 6-103 |
| age 21, one year | Who may supervise a rider holding an Illinois Class M instruction permit?Answer: A licensed motorcycle operator age 21 or older with at least one year of experience | Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, page 4Quoteunder the direct supervision of a licensed motorcycle operator age 21 or older with at least one year of driving experience. |
| 12 months | Under Illinois law, how long is the instruction permit issued to a motorcycle applicant age 18 or older?Answer: 12 months | Illinois Secretary of State, Driver Services Department websiteQuote2. A 12 month instruction permit for a motor driven cycle or motorcycle may be issued to a person 18 years of age or more |
| at least 45 | You need to cross a pavement seam that runs parallel to your path. How should you cross it?Answer: Move away from it, then cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees | Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, page 29Quotemove far enough away from tracks, ruts, or pavement seams to cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees. Then, make a quick, sharp turn. |
Time limits & deadlines
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| six months | The manual warns borrowers and new riders that more than half of all crashes involve riders with how much experience?Answer: Less than six months | Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, page 8QuoteMore than half of all crashes occur by motorcycle riders with less than six months of experience. |
Memory tips
How to study them (our advice, not official rules):
- Learn the number with its unit and its place. “15 feet from a hydrant” sticks; “15” on its own gets mixed up with 15 mph.
- Say the answer before you look. Recalling the number yourself is harder than spotting it among four options, and it is what makes it stick.
- Come back to the ones you miss. The quiz above brings missed questions back more often. Short rounds over several days beat one long session.
Questions about the numbers
What numbers do I need to know for the Illinois motorcycle permit test?
Mostly distances (how close you may park to a hydrant or crosswalk, when to signal, when to dim your high beams), speed limits, blood-alcohol limits, and the ages, hours and deadlines for your permit and license. This page lists 20 of them for Illinois, each with its source.
Why focus on numbers?
A California DMV study of its own knowledge test found that many of the hardest questions “are numerical and have correct answers that must be learned by rote memorization.” Numbers are easy to mix up under pressure, so they are worth drilling on their own.
Where do these numbers come from?
Each one is quoted from the Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, Illinois statutes or SOS pages. Our build checks that every number on this page appears word for word in the quote it cites.
Is the numbers drill free?
Yes. The table and the numbers quiz are free and unlimited, and so are the first 20 flashcards.