Deadbeats Don't Drive - Child Support Enforcement

Driver Services Department - Jesse White, Secretary of State

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Illinois children face unnecessary financial hardship because a parent refuses to pay court-ordered child support. This problem touches us all; child support non-payment is the biggest reason that single parents turn to welfare.

I believe all parents have a personal responsibility to do their utmost to support their children. It is also my hope that our state's "Deadbeats Don't Drive" law provides a powerful new way to collect monies owed to the children of Illinois.

This measure, formally known as the Family Financial Responsibility Act, allows Illinois courts and my office to take strong action against "deadbeat" parents. The law states that any parent who now falls more than three months behind in making court-ordered child-support payments could face the loss of his or her driving privileges.

Other states have found the vast majority of these parents pay up rather than risk losing driving privileges. I hope our "Deadbeats Don't Drive" law will be just as effective here, so that more Illinois children can have the education, clothing, food and other advantages that most good parents try to provide.

HOW THE "DEADBEATS DON'T DRIVE" LAW WORKS

The Illinois Family Financial Responsibility Law outlines two systems for driver’s license suspensions for those owing child support.

System One – Court Ordered Suspension

The first system involves the circuit court. A circuit court may invoke the law any time a judge rules that a parent is at least 90 days behind on child support payments. The court notifies the secretary of state's office that the parent is in contempt of court for failure to pay child support. The secretary of state's office then notifies the driver that a license suspension will become effective in 60 days. The suspension can be avoided if the secretary of state's office is notified that the parent has met the court's requirements.

Additionally, the parent can request an administrative hearing with the secretary of state's office during the 60-day period following notification.

A delinquent parent's driver's license will remain suspended until the secretary of state's office receives notice from the court that the parent is in compliance with the court order of support.

The court can order the secretary of state's office to provide the delinquent parent with a Family Financial Responsibility driving permit to allow travel for work, or medical purposes.

For more information on the court ordered suspension, please contact the Secretary of State's at (217) 782-3720.

System Two – DHFS Ordered Suspension

The second system involves the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DHFS). The law gives the authority of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services to request that the Secretary of State suspend the driver’s license of an individual who is 90 days or more delinquent in child support payments.

DHFS reports cases of individuals who are 90 days or more in arrears in child support payments directly to the Secretary of State. The secretary of state's office then notifies the driver that a license suspension will become effective in 60 days. The suspension can be avoided if the secretary of state's office is notified by DHFS that the parent has met their child support obligations. No driving permit is available for DHFS ordered suspensions.

All questions related to this suspension and compliance process should be directed to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services at (217) 524-2936. To avoid suspension of driving privileges, the individual must contact the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and make payment arrangements for their child support obligation.