Can You Pay for an Illinois MDDP Online?

How the Illinois MDDP Process Works

For an eligible first-time DUI offender, the Illinois Secretary of State generally sends MDDP application materials by mail. The application must be completed and returned to the Secretary of State.

When email submission is available for the applicant’s paperwork, returning the completed materials by email can avoid the additional delay associated with sending documents through regular U.S. mail. Applicants should follow the submission instructions contained in the paperwork they receive from the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State then reviews the application and determines whether the driver meets the requirements for an MDDP. After reviewing the application, the Secretary of State provides a requirements letter identifying the remaining steps and fees that must be satisfied before the permit is issued.

This is important: receiving the initial MDDP application does not mean that the permit has already been issued.

There are additional steps that must be completed.

Can I Pay My Illinois MDDP Fees Online?

Yes. The Illinois Secretary of State provides an MDDP Electronic Payment Request Form (Form BAIID 30.5) for applicants who want to pay by credit or debit card.

The applicant provides information including:

• Illinois driver’s license number;
• name;
• current address;
• telephone number;
• email address; and
• the monitoring and permit fees identified by the Secretary of State.

The completed electronic payment request can then be submitted to the Secretary of State’s BAIID Division as directed on the form.

For applicants using the Chicago-area MDDP process, the current form provides the following email address for submission of the electronic payment request:

MDDPMetro@ilsos.gov

Applicants should use the contact and submission information appearing on their current Secretary of State paperwork because forms and procedures can change.

What Happens After You Submit the Electronic Payment Request?

The Secretary of State does not simply charge a credit or debit card when the electronic payment request form is submitted.

Instead, an email address is required as part of the request. The Secretary of State’s payment processor sends an email containing a secure link that allows the applicant to complete the electronic payment.

According to the Secretary of State’s current MDDP Electronic Payment Request Form, payment should be made within 48 hours after receiving the email or the payment link will be deleted.

There is also an electronic processing fee for credit or debit card payments.

Applicants should check their spam or junk-mail folders if the payment email does not appear in their inbox.

How Much Does an Illinois MDDP Cost?

There are several different costs associated with participating in the MDDP/BAIID program.

The Illinois Secretary of State currently assesses a $30-per-month monitoring fee for the remaining applicable period of the statutory summary suspension. This monitoring fee is paid in advance to the Secretary of State before the MDDP is issued.

Current Secretary of State MDDP materials also identify an $8 permit fee.

These Secretary of State charges are separate from the costs charged by the private BAIID provider for installing, renting, maintaining and servicing the ignition interlock device.

Because fees and procedures can change, an applicant should follow the amounts stated in the current requirements letter received from the Secretary of State rather than relying upon an older letter, website or article.

Do I Have to Visit a Secretary of State Facility to Get an MDDP?

Generally, the MDDP application and payment process does not require an eligible applicant to visit a driver’s license facility simply to make the MDDP payment.

The application is handled through the Secretary of State’s BAIID Division, and the Secretary of State provides an electronic payment procedure for applicants paying by credit or debit card.

This can be confusing because the MDDP process is different from many ordinary driver’s license transactions.

It is also different from the process for obtaining a Restricted Driving Permit (RDP) through the Secretary of State’s Administrative Hearings Department.

MDDP vs. RDP: They Are Not the Same Thing

An MDDP and a Restricted Driving Permit are two different forms of driving relief in Illinois.

An MDDP is generally associated with an eligible first-time DUI offender who is serving a statutory summary suspension. An MDDP allows the permit holder to drive during the suspension as long as the person complies with the MDDP requirements, including operating appropriately equipped vehicles with a BAIID.

An RDP, by contrast, is generally used by a driver whose driving privileges are suspended or revoked and who must seek limited driving relief through the Secretary of State’s Administrative Hearings process. This commonly includes drivers with prior DUI convictions and can also include people whose driving privileges have been revoked because of serious offenses such as aggravated DUI involving a fatality or serious injury or reckless homicide.

Unlike an MDDP, an RDP ordinarily authorizes driving only during specified times, in specified areas, and for approved purposes. Depending on the circumstances, those purposes can include employment, education, medical care, daycare and support or recovery activities.

This distinction is important because the Secretary of State has a separate online payment system for certain RDPs approved through Administrative Hearings. An MDDP applicant should follow the payment instructions provided with the MDDP paperwork rather than assuming that the RDP online payment portal applies.

When Will the Secretary of State Mail My MDDP?

Payment is an important part of the process because the Secretary of State states that the MDDP will not be mailed until the required payment has been received.

Once the permit is issued, the driver must also comply with the BAIID installation requirements.

The Secretary of State currently states that an MDDP holder has 14 days after issuance of the MDDP to have a BAIID installed in each vehicle the person intends to drive during the suspension period.

The MDDP itself does not authorize the driver to operate a vehicle that is required to have a BAIID without the required device installed.

A driver should carefully follow the dates and instructions contained in the MDDP paperwork. Simply applying for an MDDP, requesting a payment link or scheduling a BAIID installation does not by itself give someone legal authority to drive during a statutory summary suspension.

Can I Drive Anywhere With an Illinois MDDP?

For an eligible driver, one of the major differences between an MDDP and a traditional RDP is that an MDDP is not ordinarily limited to driving to work, school or other specifically approved locations.

The Secretary of State describes the MDDP as allowing an eligible permit holder to drive without those types of time-and-location restrictions during the statutory summary suspension, provided the driver complies with the BAIID and other MDDP requirements.

That does not mean an MDDP permits someone to drive any vehicle. The BAIID requirements still apply, subject to limited exceptions provided by Illinois law.

For example, an eligible MDDP holder may qualify for an employment exemption permitting operation of certain employer-owned vehicles without a BAIID during work hours. Specific requirements and exclusions apply to that exemption.

What If I Received MDDP Paperwork After an Illinois DUI Arrest?

Do not ignore the paperwork or assume that your driver’s license suspension prevents you from driving for the entire suspension period.

Depending upon your driving history and the circumstances of the DUI arrest, you may qualify for an MDDP that allows you to continue driving while your statutory summary suspension is in effect.

There may also be legal issues concerning the statutory summary suspension itself. In appropriate cases, an Illinois DUI attorney can file a petition asking the court to rescind the suspension.

The MDDP process and a challenge to the statutory summary suspension are separate issues. Obtaining an MDDP does not necessarily mean that you must give up your right to challenge the suspension.

Questions About an MDDP After an Illinois DUI Arrest?

The period immediately following a DUI arrest can be confusing because the criminal DUI case, statutory summary suspension, MDDP process and BAIID requirements can all proceed on different tracks.

Our Illinois DUI attorneys regularly represent clients facing DUI charges and driver’s-license consequences. We can review your case, explain whether you may qualify for an MDDP, determine whether there are grounds to challenge your statutory summary suspension, and help you understand the steps necessary to protect your driving privileges.

If you have been arrested for DUI in Illinois and have questions about an MDDP, BAIID or your driver’s license suspension, contact our office to discuss your case.

This article is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. MDDP eligibility, fees, Secretary of State procedures and the consequences of a DUI arrest depend upon the individual circumstances of each case and may change over time.