Full Teen Programs

30

30 Hours of Classroom & 8 Hours of Driving Lessons
Fresh Green Light is now Safe Start Driver's Ed - Click Below to Register

30-Hour Course divided into 15 two-hour classes. Private Driving Lessons conducted in six 80-minute sessions with home or school pick-up and drop-off. Fulfills the Illinois DMV requirement for licensing.

30

30 Hours of Classroom & 12 Hours of Driving Lessons
Fresh Green Light is now Safe Start Driver's Ed - Click Below to Register

30-Hour Course divided into 15 two-hour classes. Private Driving Lessons conducted in nine 80-minute sessions with home or school pick-up and drop-off. Fulfills the Illinois DMV requirement for licensing.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS:

Fresh Green Light Permit Test Prep Kit

Permit-Test Prep Kit

Road Test With Fresh Green Light

Road Test with Fresh Green Light

Driving School Parent Class

Parent Coaching Session

Road Test With Fresh Green Light

Road Test with Fresh Green Light

Adult Programs

4

4 Hours of Driving Lessons

DRIVING LESSONS
Fresh Green Light is now Safe Start Driver's Ed - Click Below to Register

We provide private, one-on-one driving instruction in our late-model sedans. This package consists of three (3) 80 minutes drives with pick-up and drop-off at home, school or work in our service area.

8

8 Hours of Driving Lessons

DRIVING LESSONS


We provide private, one-on-one driving instruction in our late-model sedans. This package consists of six (6) 80 minutes drives with pick-up and drop-off at home, school or work in our service area.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS:

Fresh Green Light Permit Test Prep Kit

Permit-Test Prep Kit

Road Test With Fresh Green Light

Road Test with Fresh Green Light

Driving School Parent Class

Parent Coaching Session

8 Hour Driving School Class

Road Test with Fresh Green Light

A BETTER EXPERIENCE

A Better experience that parents trust and teenagers enjoy!

Our office staff and instructors are committed to providing our students and parents with a first-rate experience and always go the extra mile for our customers.
We only hire instructors who have experience teaching, coaching or working with teenagers and who are passionate about keeping our kids safe behind the wheel.
We pick-up and drop-off students at home or school for their driving lessons in our late model, branded cars with in-car cameras
Our state-of-the-art, modern classrooms encourage interactive and engaging learning experiences for our students. We also bake fresh chocolate chip cookies for breaks!

What are the driver licensing laws in Illinois for new drivers?

All drivers who are residents of the state of Illinois are required to carry a valid driver’s license in order to operate a motor vehicle.

  • 16 and 17-year-olds may receive their license by successfully completing a state-approved Driver Education Course through a high school or a commercial driving school, complete 50 hours of practice driving and pass the driver’s license exam. 
  • As of July 1, 2014, first-time driver’s license applicants aged 18-20 who have not completed driver education must successfully complete a six-hour adult driver education course through a certified adult-driver-education provider before obtaining a license.
  • If you have permanently moved to Illinois from another state or country, your non-Illinois driver’s license is valid for 90 days. You must obtain an Illinois license within that 90-day period or when the driver’s license expires, whichever comes first.

What does a teenager need to do to get a Driver’s License?

Any new driver who is 15 to 17.25 years of age must do the following to get a Driver’s License in the state of Illinois:

  • Enroll in an approved Driver Education Course offered through a high school or a commercial driving school.  
  • Obtain an Instruction Permit that legally allows behind-the-wheel practice driving with a certified instructor or parent.  You must be 15-years-old and pass a vision and written test to receive a Permit.
  • Complete the Driver Education Course.
  • Hold the Permit for a minimum of nine months.
  • Complete a minimum of 50 hours of driving, including 10 hours of driving at night, supervised by a parent, certified instructor or other licensed adult.  (Driving restricted to the hours of 6 AM to 10 PM, Sunday through Thursday, and 6 AM to 11 PM, Friday and Saturday.)
  • Not acquire any driving convictions.
  • Take the Driving Exam. 

What are the requirements for enrolling in a Driver Education Course?

In order to enroll in an approved course offered through a high school or commercial driving school, you must:

  • Be 15 years old by the last day of class, and
  • Achieve eight passing grades within the previous two semesters of school.

What does an approved Driver Education Course include?

An approved Driver Education Course offered by an Illinois high school or commercial driving school must include 30-hours of classroom instruction and one of the following:

  • Alternative One:  Six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction with six additional hours of in-car observation (of another student driver), or
  • Alternative Two:  Eight hours of behind-the-wheel instruction with no additional hours of in-car observation.

How do I get an Instruction Permit?

If you are at least 15-years-old, are enrolled in a Driver Education Course, you are eligible to take the written Permit Test at an Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) Driver Services Facility within 30 days of the start of your classes.  (Click here for locations.)   The written test asks you to:

  • Identify traffic signs by shape, color or symbol.
  • Identify signals and pavement markings.
  • Answer multiple choice and true/false questions about traffic laws, safety rules, crash prevention and vehicle equipment.

    If you pass the written test and a Vision Test, you will be issued an Instruction Permit, which legally allows you to drive with a certified instructor, parent or adult who is at least the age of 21 who has held a valid license for at least one year.  The Permit is valid for two years.

In order to test, you will need to bring the following:

  • $20 in cash or check made out to the Secretary of State, 
  • Driver Education Verification Form that has been signed and stamped by the school providing your Driver Education Course and signed by your parent, 
  • A valid Passport or certified Birth Certificate (not a copy)
  • Proof of residency – School ID with address included, Report Card, mail with postal cancellation or a bank statement
  • Proof of signature – Social Security Card with signature, canceled check, charge card, ID card or High School ID

Are there any driving restrictions I need to know about while I hold my Instruction Permit?

There are special restrictions in place when driving with an Instruction Permit, including:

Nighttime driving restrictions:

  • Sunday - Thursday, 10 p.m. - 6 a.m.
  • Friday and Saturday, 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.  (Local curfews may differ).

    Number of passengers limited to one in the front seat and the number of safety belts in the back seat.  All occupants must wear safety belts.

    Any wireless/cellphone use while driving, including a hands-free device, is prohibited for drivers under age 19, except in the case of an emergency to contact a law enforcement agency, health-care provider or emergency services agency.

    Texting while driving is prohibited.

When can I take my Driving Exam?

You can apply for your Driver’s License and take your Driving Exam when you have met the following requirements:

  • You are at least 16 years-old.
  • You have held an Instruction Permit for at least nine months.
  • You have a Certificate of Completion (“Blue Form/Slip”) issued by the Illinois Secretary of State confirming your completion of an approved Driver Education Course.
  • You have completed at least 50 hours of supervised driving within the past nine months, with at least 10 of those hours driving at night.
  • You have written consent from a parent/guardian to obtain a license.

Take the following items with you to a SOS Driver Services Facility:

  • Your Certificate of Completion (“Blue Form/Slip”), 
  • a completed Driving Log (certifying you have completed 50 hours of practice driving),  
  • eye glasses or contacts (if you wear them), 
  • your original Instruction  Permit (not a copy),
  • Affidavit/Consent For Minor To Drive (if applicable);
  • proof of vehicle registration,
  • proof of vehicle insurance, and 

Group A (Proof of Signature) – One of the following:

  • Passport (valid U.S. or foreign)
  • Social Security Card with signature

Group B (Proof of Date of Birth) – One of the following:

  • Adoption Records
  • Birth Certificate
  • Certified Grade/High School/College/University Transcript
  • Passport (valid with complete date of birth)

    Birth Certificates must be original or certified by a Board of Health or Bureau of Vital Statistics within the U.S. or by the U.S. State Department, U.S. territories or Canada. A certified copy is a document produced by the issuing jurisdiction which has an embossed seal or an original stamped impression.  Foreign passports and foreign birth certificates are accepted as proof if accompanied by any other item in Group B.

Group C (Proof of Social Security Number) – One of the following:

  • Social Security Card (issued by SSA)

Group D (Proof of Residency) – Two of the following:

  • Bank Statement (dated within 90 days prior to application)
  • Certified Grade/High School/College/University Transcript
  • Letter on Official School Letterhead (dated within 90 days prior to application)
  • Medical Claim or Statement of Benefits (from private insurance company or public (government) agency, dated within 90 days of application)
  • Official mail received from a State, County, City or Village or a Federal Government agency (must include first and last name of applicant and complete current address)
  • Pay Stub or Electronic Deposit Receipt
  • Report Card from Grade/High School or College/University

    Documents in Groups A, B or C that contain the full residence address also may be used for Group D.
  • Click here for a full list of acceptable documents.

    If you take your Driving Exam prior to the expiration of your Instruction Permit, you may not be required to pay an additional fee.

What are the requirements of the Driving Exam?

To take a driving exam, the vehicle you provide must:

  • Be a properly licensed vehicle equipped for the driver’s license classification you are seeking.
  • Comply with Secretary of State vehicle condition standards.
  • Be properly insured.  Proof of insurance must be provided prior to the exam.
  • Display valid front and rear Illinois license plates and a valid registration sticker. If the vehicle is registered outside of Illinois, it must meet the registration requirements of the respective state.
  • Be driven to the facility by a driver who has a valid driver’s license/permit.
  • Only the examiner is allowed to be with you during the exam. 
  • During the driving exam, the driver and the examiner must wear safety belts, as required by law. You will automatically fail the exam if you violate any traffic law or commit any dangerous action while taking the exam.

You will be graded on your ability to perform several driving tasks and maneuvers, including the following:

  • Start the vehicle by checking the vehicle controls, including the parking brake and mirrors. Make all adjustments to seats, safety belts, mirrors and other equipment before you move your vehicle. 
  • Back the vehicle approximately 50 feet at a slow speed, straight and smoothly. Turn your head to the right and watch to the rear as you back.
  • Turn-about using an alley on the left side of the street. Turn your left signal on before turning into the alley. Back the car out of the alley and stay on your side of the street.
  • Park uphill on the side of the road.
  • Start uphill from a parked position.
  • Park downhill on the side of the road.
  • Start downhill from a parked position.
  • Control your vehicle by obeying all traffic signs, controls devices, right-of-ways, lane markings and proper use of turn signals.

Are there any driving restrictions I need to know about once I am licensed?

Illinois has Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws in place that restrict certain driving behaviors and condition that create greater risk for new teen drivers.  If a teen driver adheres to these laws, they receive an unrestricted license at age 18.

Restrictions for 16 and 17 year-old drivers include:

  • Nighttime driving restrictions (Sunday - Thursday, 10 p.m. - 6 a.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.  (Local curfews may differ.))
  • Must maintain a conviction-free driving record for six months prior to turning 18.  (A traffic conviction during the Initial Licensing Phase may extend restrictions beyond age 18.)
  • All occupants must wear safety belts.
  • For the first 12 months of licensing, or until the driver turns 18, whichever occurs first, the number of passengers is limited to one person under age 20, unless the passenger(s) is a sibling, stepsibling, child or stepchild of the driver. After this period, the number of passengers is limited to one in the front seat and the number of safety belts in the back seat.
  • Any wireless/cellphone use while driving, including a hands-free device, is prohibited for drivers under age 19, except in the case of an emergency to contact a law enforcement agency, health-care provider or emergency services agency.
  • Texting while driving is prohibited.

We offer driver education packages, driving lessons and additional services for teens and adults.

Our driving packages for teens (ages 15 – 17) meet the Illinois state requirement for licensing and include:

  • A 30-Hour Driver Education Course, and
  • A minimum of eight hours of private, in-car instruction with a certified driving instructor.  All of our driving lessons are private; we do not allow other students to ride in the car to conduct “observation” hours.

We do not offer lessons that include another student observing in the back seat for the following reasons:

  • We believe the safest learning environment is one that is distraction-free.
  • Having additional teens in the car can put unnecessary stress on the student behind-the-wheel.
  • We want to be as convenient for parents and students as possible.   That includes picking-up and dropping-off students at their home or school.  If we included student observers, we wouldn’t be able to offer this convenience.

We’re more convenient, effective and more fun than other driving schools.

More Convenient:  In order to accommodate the busy lives of both parents and teenagers, we:

  • Pick up and Drop off students at home or school for their driving lessons.
  • Offer classes at times that work with busy high school students’ schedules – evenings and weekends.
  • Our online student portal allows you to schedule and cancel driving lessons at your convenience, 24-7.
  • We use email and text communication to send class reminders,  lesson confirmations and reminders, and instructor feedback to both a student and their parent.

More effective:  According to the AAA, 50% of new teen drivers will have an accident in their first year of driving.  Our accident rate is 11%.  That’s why Fresh Green Light was the only US driving school profiled in a recent Congressional report on teen driver training.

More fun: Learning to drive is stressful enough for both teenagers and parents.  We try and make the process a little more fun by:

  • Being a friendly, professional and caring in our interactions with every student and their family.
  • Providing tools for parents to become effective, engaged partners in the process so the experience is enjoyable for families.

You can register online from the Fresh Green Light website, stop by our office during business hours or give us a call to sign up over the phone.

Behind the Wheel Lessons

Driving lessons can be scheduled after you have registered and paid for services in full and obtained your Instruction Permit. You can sign up for a drive after class one but it cannot occur until you have completed four (4) hours of classroom instruction.

No.  Your Classroom Instructor will give you the information you need in class #1.

Yes.  You must be 15 years old and you cannot get it prior to 30 days of the class start date.  IMPORTANT:  You MUST come to the Fresh Green Light office (in Lincolnshire) to pick up the application that you need to complete and take with you to the DMV.

We offer driving lessons seven days a week. We do not expect students to drive during the day but you may see open drive times because we teach adults.

Adults may drive Monday – Friday during day time hours (September-May).

You can be picked up and dropped off at your home or school.

The easiest way to schedule lessons is through our online Student Center.  Lessons are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis. Drives are posted each Tuesday evening.

Each driving lesson is 80 minutes in length.  (This is the optimal lesson length as determined by the leading driver education association, ADTSEA – American Driver Traffic Safety Educator’s Association.  We structure each lesson to introduce, engage, teach, and practice a set number of driving skills in each 80-minute lesson.)

Yes, we only teach private driving lessons.  There will never be another student in the vehicle during your lesson. All of our cars are equipped with cameras.

Lessons are conducted in Toyota Corolla cars which are equipped with an automatic transmission, dual brakes and a video camera that records both the interior and exterior of the vehicle when the car is turned on.  We do not provide training on manual transmission vehicles.

  • You must have your valid Permit with you for every driving lesson.  Failure to produce a Permit at the start of the lesson will result in the forfeiture of the lesson and a $45.00 fee.  (By law, anyone caught driving without a permit is ineligible to obtain a driver’s license until the age of 18.)
  • Pictures of permits are not acceptable.
  • You must wear closed-toed shoes for all driving lessons.

Lessons must be canceled at least 24 hours in advance of the designated start date and time of the lesson to avoid a late cancellation fee.

  • Lessons must be canceled either through the online student portal or by calling the office and speaking directly to a staff person.  (Cancellations are not accepted via email or voicemail.)
  • Any cancellation that occurs with less than 24-hours’ notice will result in a $45 late cancellation fee, and no additional driving lessons may be booked until the fee is paid.
  • If an instructor arrives at a designated lesson pick-up location and the student is not available for the lesson and has not canceled the lesson in advance, the lesson will be forfeited at the full cost of the lesson.

No.  We confirm each driving lesson with our driving instructor 24-hours in advance of the lesson start time, and we guarantee the instructor will receive payment for the lesson at that time.  So, we are obligated to pay that instructor on your behalf, regardless of the reason for the cancellation.

By law, they should be completed within nine months. If they are not completed within 12 months, there will be $100 “re-enrollment” fee.

We encourage you to spread your lessons out 2-3 weeks between each one, so you can practice what you’ve learned with a parent in your own car before moving ahead to the next lesson. But, we allow a student to drive every 10 days.

Each behind-the-wheel lesson is followed up with an evaluation and notes from the Driving Instructor that both you and your student will receive by email.  We ask for these to be completed within 24 hours. If time permits, the instructor will also try and chat with you after the lesson if the drop-off is at home.  Should you have any questions or wish to discuss your child’s progress in more detail with the school or the instructor, please give us a call at the office.

Classroom Instruction

The 30-hour Driver Education Course is offered in sessions composed of 15 two-hour classes, with defined start-and-end dates and times.

Advance sign-up is required.  Registrations are accepted through the second day of each session, at which time the course will be closed to further enrollments.

You can begin classes at age 14, as long as you turn 15 years old by the last class of the session you have signed up for.

Enrollment for each session is limited to 25 students.

Cancellation of a course enrollment prior to the first class will result in a $200 non-refundable charge.  Cancellation after the first class in a session will result in forfeiture of the course at the full cost of the program.

  • By law, you may miss up to four individual classes in a given session, but these must be made up in order for you to receive a course completion certificate.
  • Classes can be made up by taking the same number class in another session or by attending a make-up class.
  • If you miss more than four classes, you must re-enroll in a new session and will not receive credit for any classes already completed. There is a fee of $350 to change classes.
  • You must attend each class and must remain for the entire class in order to receive credit for attending.  You are expected to be on time for class. If you are more than 10 minutes late you will not be allowed admittance.
  • You should be picked up promptly at the scheduled class end time.  Instructors are not responsible for supervising students after a class is completed, and students are not allowed to remain in the classroom without an istructor present.

Yes, you will need to score an average of 75% or better on all tests in order to receive credit for the driver education course.

 

Two to four weeks after you have completed all of your classes and in-car lessons, you should receive a Certificate of Completion from the Illinois Secretary of State.  (This letter is commonly called the “Blue Slip/Form”, as it was, at one time, printed on blue paper.)  If you have it you will present this certificate to the Driver’s License Examiner in order to take your Driving Exam. But, the SOS will also look you up in the system to prove completion.  It takes about 2-7 days to be in their system. Please check their website to see that your paperwork is in the system.

We are approved through December 2022 to give the road test. We received official notice that the IL SOS has decided to NOT allow driving schools to continue to issue the Road-Test beyond 12/31/22.

Start Date End Date Days Class Time
October 13, 2024 February 9, 2025 Sunday (FULL) 11:15 am - 1:15 pm Sign Up
October 21, 2024 December 11, 2024 Monday & Wednesday (FULL) 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Sign Up
November 3, 2024 March 2, 2025 Sunday (FULL) 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm Sign Up
December 8, 2024 May 4, 2025 Sunday (Saturday class on 2/8/25) (FULL) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Sign Up
January 12, 2025 June 1, 2025 Sunday (Saturday class on 2/8/25) 3:45 pm - 5:45 pm Sign Up
January 13, 2025 March 3, 2025 Mondays & Wednesdays 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Sign Up
January 19, 2025 May 18, 2025 Sunday (Saturday classes on 2/8, 3/8, 5/10) 9:00 am - 11:00 am Sign Up
February 1, 2025 May 31, 2025 Saturday 9:00 am - 11:00 am Sign Up
February 16, 2025 June 15, 2025 Sundays (Saturday classes 4/19, 5/10) 11:15 am - 1:15 am Sign Up
February 18, 2025 April 15, 2025 Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Sign Up
March 9, 2025 July 27, 2025 Sundays (Saturday classes on 4/19 & 5/10) 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm Sign Up
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