Former Prosecutor
Will County State's Attorney's Office
20+ Years
Legal Experience
95% Success
First-Hearing Success Rate
100% Remote
No Travel to Illinois Required
Indiana Resident with an Illinois License Hold? We Handle Everything Online
If you live in Indiana and the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has flagged an Illinois revocation on your record, you already know the frustration: Indiana cannot clear the hold for you, and Illinois will not remove it until you go through a formal reinstatement process with the Illinois Secretary of State. For the thousands of Indiana residents who once lived, worked, or passed through Illinois, this hold can feel like an impossible barrier to getting back on the road.
Attorney Jack L. Zaremba is a former Will County prosecutor whose practice is built around clearing Illinois license holds for out-of-state residents. His office is located in Joliet — less than an hour from the Indiana border — and he has represented Indiana clients from Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, and throughout Northwest Indiana. The entire process is handled remotely by video. You do not need to travel to Illinois.
Why Indiana Residents Are Especially Affected by Illinois Holds
Indiana shares a direct border with Illinois, and the crossover between the two states is enormous. Tens of thousands of people live in Northwest Indiana — Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, Merrillville, Valparaiso, Crown Point — and commute into Illinois for work. Others grew up in the Chicago suburbs, attended school at Illinois universities, or lived in Illinois before relocating to Indiana for family, career, or cost of living.
Many of these former Illinois residents picked up DUI charges years or even decades ago. They completed their court cases, paid their fines, and moved on with their lives in Indiana. What they often do not realize is that under Illinois law, completing your court requirements does not automatically restore your driving privileges. The license revocation is a separate administrative action that stays on your record — and in the federal National Driver Register (NDR) — indefinitely.
The Indiana BMV checks the NDR and the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) before issuing any license. If an Illinois revocation appears on your record, the BMV will refuse to process your application. This is true whether you are applying for the first time in Indiana, renewing an existing license, or transferring from another state.
Indiana gives new residents 60 days to transfer an out-of-state license. Since July 2019, Indiana has waived the knowledge exam for adults transferring a valid out-of-state license — making it one of the easiest states to transfer to. But none of that matters if the NDR shows an unresolved Illinois hold. The BMV simply will not process your application.
The Longer You Wait, the Harder It Gets
One of the most common situations we see with Indiana clients is the compounding problem of an expired license. If your Illinois license was revoked years ago and you have been unable to obtain an Indiana license because of the hold, your Illinois license has been expired for a long time — potentially decades.
Under Indiana's rules, if you do not have a valid out-of-state license to surrender, the BMV requires you to take a knowledge exam before issuing an Indiana license. If the expired license is more than five years old, you must take both a knowledge exam and a driving skills exam — as if you were a first-time driver.
This means that every year you wait to clear the Illinois hold makes the Indiana side of the process more difficult. Clearing the Illinois hold now is the critical first step — once the hold is removed from the NDR, you can work with the Indiana BMV to complete whatever testing is required based on your license status.
How Attorney Zaremba Helps Indiana Residents
Because Attorney Zaremba's office is in Will County — right next to the Indiana border — he understands the Illinois-Indiana connection better than any out-of-state firm could. His process is designed from the ground up for clients who cannot or do not want to travel to Illinois.
Step 1 — Free Case Review: Attorney Zaremba pulls your Illinois driving record and explains exactly what the Secretary of State requires to clear the hold. No cost, no obligation.
Step 2 — Evaluation & Documentation: We coordinate your required alcohol or drug evaluation with providers who understand Illinois-specific standards. Indiana residents can often complete evaluations locally with a provider who meets the Secretary of State's requirements.
Step 3 — Hearing Preparation: Attorney Zaremba prepares you extensively for your administrative hearing. As a former prosecutor, he knows exactly what the hearing officers are evaluating — your credibility, your understanding of your history, and whether the changes you describe are genuine and lasting.
Step 4 — WebEx Hearing: Your hearing before the Illinois Secretary of State is conducted entirely by video via WebEx. Attorney Zaremba appears with you and advocates on your behalf throughout the proceeding.
Step 5 — Hold Cleared: Once the Secretary of State grants clearance, the hold is removed from the NDR. You take the clearance documentation to your local Indiana BMV branch and proceed with your license application.
Common Questions from Indiana Residents
I live in Northwest Indiana. Do I still need to do this remotely?
Yes — even though you may live just minutes from the Illinois border, the Secretary of State hearing itself is conducted via WebEx video for out-of-state residents. Attorney Zaremba handles all preparation and the hearing itself remotely. Your proximity to Illinois does not change the process, but it does make local evaluation options more convenient.
My Illinois DUI was over 10 years ago. Why is it still on my record?
Illinois revocations do not expire. Unlike some states that automatically restore driving privileges after a set period, Illinois requires you to affirmatively go through the Secretary of State's reinstatement process. Until you do, the hold remains in the National Driver Register indefinitely — whether it has been 5 years or 25 years.
The Indiana BMV said I need a "clearance" from Illinois. What does that mean?
It means the Indiana BMV has identified an Illinois hold on your record through the National Driver Register. To clear it, you need to go through the Illinois Secretary of State's reinstatement process and obtain documentation that the hold has been removed. That is exactly what Attorney Zaremba handles for you.
Will I need to take the Indiana knowledge or driving test after the hold is cleared?
That depends on your current license status. If you have a valid license from another state, Indiana waives the knowledge exam for adults. If your license has been expired, a knowledge exam is required. If expired more than five years, both a knowledge and skills exam are required. Clearing the Illinois hold is the first step — once done, the Indiana BMV can tell you exactly what testing is needed.
How long does the process take?
Most cases are resolved within 2 to 4 months from start to finish. This includes completing your evaluation, gathering required documentation, and scheduling your Secretary of State hearing via WebEx.
Clear Your Illinois Hold — Start Driving Legally in Indiana
Call today for a free consultation. Attorney Zaremba will review your Illinois driving record and explain exactly what needs to happen — no cost, no obligation.
We Help Clients Across the Country
Attorney Zaremba has cleared Illinois license holds for clients nationwide. Click your state below for details on how Illinois holds affect your state's licensing process.
Learn more about our out-of-state practice:
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