How to Obtain a Court Purposes Driving Abstract in Illinois
- Cloudgate Healthcare
- May 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 12
Cloudgate Healthcare LLC is a licensed substance use treatment provider in Illinois, offering alcohol and drug evaluations, DUI Risk Education, and outpatient treatment services. As part of the DUI evaluation process, clients are required to submit a certified copy of their Court Purposes Driving Abstract. This document is a critical piece of information that assists the evaluator in reviewing prior DUI history, identifying arrest and suspension dates, and confirming the final disposition of charges.
This article explains what a court purposes driving abstract is, how it differs from other types of driving records, why it is essential for DUI evaluations, how to interpret abstract codes, and how to obtain a certified copy.
WHAT IS A COURT PURPOSES DRIVING ABSTRACT?
A Court Purposes Driving Abstract is an official, certified document issued by the Illinois Secretary of State that provides a full and detailed history of an individual's driving record. This abstract is specifically designed for use by the courts, evaluators, attorneys, and administrative agencies.
Differences from Other Types of Driving Abstracts:
Court Purposes Abstract: Contains a complete driving history, including all DUI arrests, statutory summary suspensions, convictions, supervision outcomes, license revocations, reinstatements, and driving relief permits. It is used for legal, clinical, and administrative review.
Public Driving Record: Provides only limited information, such as certain convictions and moving violations. It does not show the full DUI history and is insufficient for evaluations.
Internal Abstract: Used only by the Secretary of State for administrative processing. Not available to the public or evaluators.
Insurance Abstract: Shows convictions for moving violations for insurance underwriting purposes. It omits non-conviction data and is not suitable for clinical evaluations or legal proceedings.
WHY IS A COURT PURPOSES DRIVING ABSTRACT REQUIRED FOR A DUI EVALUATION?
In Illinois, every DUI evaluation must be supported by a certified Court Purposes Abstract to ensure the accuracy of the evaluation. The abstract enables the evaluator to do the following:
Identify the number of prior DUI arrests and/or convictions
Verify statutory summary suspension periods
Determine the outcome of each case (conviction, supervision, dismissal)
Establish a timeline of DUI and non-DUI related license sanctions
This information directly affects risk classification, which determines the level of education or treatment required under Section 2060 of the Illinois Administrative Code. For example:
No prior DUI arrests may result in a Minimum or Moderate Risk classification, so long as client does not meet clinical criteria for a higher risk classification
One prior DUI arrest may result in a Significant Risk classification.
Multiple prior DUI convictions or alcohol-related incidents will likely lead to a High Risk classification. The evaluator determines whether a high risk client is dependent or non-dependent by reviewing other clinical criteria.
Because risk classification determines the clinical recommendations and court-mandated requirements, the driving abstract is an essential document in the evaluation process.
ILLINOIS ABSTRACT CODES
Driving abstracts contain a list of codes that correspond to various types of sanctions, actions, and entries on a driving record. The following is a general reference of abstract codes used in Illinois:
01 – Mandatory Revocation
02 – Discretionary Revocation
03 – Discretionary Suspension
04 – Safety Responsibility Suspension
05 – Financial Responsibility Suspension
06 – Unsatisfied Judgment Suspension
07 – Parking Ticket/Tollway Suspension
08 – Cancellation of License
09 – Failure to Appear Suspension
10 – Amend Order of Suspension/Revocation
11 – Record History Item
14 – Crash Involvement – Property Damage Only
16 – Crash Involvement – Death
17 – Statutory Summary Suspension
19 – Crash Involvement – Personal Injury
20 – Driver’s License Action Rescinded
27 – Surrender of Driver’s License to Another State
28 – Reported Deceased
29 – Failure to Appear in Court Clearance
34 – Extension of Revocation
35 – Extension of Suspension
37 – Extension of Suspension
39 – Medical Certificate Item
40 – Formal Administrative Hearing
45 – School Bus Transaction
46 – Religious Organization, Senior Transportation, or Rideshare Driver
47 – Proof of Financial Responsibility Required (SR22)
48 – School Bus Permit
50 – Informal Administrative Hearing
55 – Court Supervision or Remedial Program
57 – Statutory Summary and Zero Tolerance Suspension History
60 – Warning Letter to Motorist
61 – Address Change
65 – Driver’s License Application Data
68 – Non-Moving Offense or Related Conviction
70 – Family Responsibility Permit
71 – Temporary Paper License Issued
72 – Parking Ticket Suspension History or Clearance
78 – Driving Permit Issued
79 – Driving Permit Issued
82 – Out-of-State Traffic Violation Conviction
83 – Out-of-State Traffic Violation Conviction
85 – Out-of-State Traffic Violation Conviction
86 – CDL Sworn Report – Out of State
87 – Out-of-State Traffic Violation Conviction
89 – CDL Out-of-State Withdrawal
91 – Conviction of Traffic Violation
93 – Conviction of Traffic Violation
94 – Conviction of Traffic Violation
96 – Conviction of Traffic Violation
97 – Conviction of Traffic Violation
99 – Conviction of Traffic Violation
AC – Adult Driver Education Course Completion
AP – CDL Out-of-State Conviction / Administrative Per Se
CC – High School or Commercial Driver Education Completion
DA – DACH Cancellation
DN – Denial of License or Permit
DQ – CDL Disqualification
ES – Extension of Statutory Summary Suspension
EZ – Extension of Zero Tolerance Suspension
FE – Safety and Financial Responsibility Fee Item
FP – Failure to Pay Court-Imposed Fine Suspension
FR – Family Responsibility Child Support Suspension
MC – Mandatory Insurance Conviction Suspension
MP – Monitoring Device Driving Permit
OS – CDL Out-of-Service, Illinois or Out-of-State
SC – Supervision/Conviction in Commercial Vehicle
SR – CDL Sworn Report – Illinois
ZT – Zero-Tolerance Suspension
These codes appear alongside dates and administrative actions, providing a timeline of driving history that is used in both clinical evaluations and formal hearings.
HOW TO OBTAIN A COURT PURPOSES DRIVING ABSTRACT IN ILLINOIS
There are multiple ways to obtain a certified driving record for court purposes in Illinois. Below is a summary of available methods:
1. Online Purchase and Download. The fastest method is to purchase and print the abstract using the Driving Record Abstract system on the Secretary of State’s website.
Requirements: Valid credit/debit card and a printer capable of printing PDF documents
Fees: $20 + small processing fee
Delivery: Instant download of a certified PDF version
Note: This document is the same version received by mail or in person
