A CDL typically doesn't hold any additional legal remedies for violations or their penalties and remedies than a non-CDL license. The IL Secretary of State (SOS) states that moving violations such as speeding, disregarding a traffic control light, improper lane usage, etc. remain on a driver's record for four to five years from the date of conviction. If the ticket forms the basis for a suspension or revocation, the information will be carried on your driving record for a minimum of seven years from the date of reinstatement.

Alcohol/drug offenses remain on a driver's record for a lifetime in Illinois according to the SOS. The IL SOS does not state that there are any special requirements for CDL holders regarding a driver's record.

As you are likely aware Indiana and Illinois are part of the Drivers License Compact (DLC) meaning that once you are convicted of the traffic ticket in IN their courts will inform the IL SOS of the moving violation conviction.The IL SOS notes that if you are convicted of a traffic violation while driving in another state, the offense will be included on your record as though it happened in Illinois.

Also as a CDL holder you know you have special requirements as well. The Illinois Commercial Driver's License (CDL) manual notes that reporting requirements under the CDL program have been in effect since 1988. Commercial drivers must notify the Secretary of State of any:

• Out-of-state traffic violation within 30 days of conviction.
• Out-of-state suspension, revocation or cancellation of driving privileges, as well as disqualification or out-of-service actions, within 30 days of the effective date.
• Change of name or address within 10 days. The driver has 30 days to obtain a corrected CDL.

Commercial drivers also must notify their employer of any:

• Traffic violation within 30 days of the date of conviction.
• Suspension, revocation or cancellation of their driving privileges, as well as any disqualification or out-of-service action, within one day of notification of action.

Drivers also must notify potential employers of their complete employment and driving record for the previous 10 years. So the State of Illinois as well as your employer should be informed of the traffic citation you received in Indiana.

It appears that for a CDL holder while a minor moving violation offense is only looked at by the state for 4 to 5 years normally, it can remain on your driving record for up to 10 so that an employer can see it. We contacted the IL SOS for more information on this matter.

The Driver Services Department of the SOS responded to us by saying that convictions remain on the Illinois driving record for a CDL holder for a period of five years, unless they result in a suspension or revocation. In this case, they remain on the record for 7 ½ to 10 years. Minor supervisions and accident reports, which are not related to a suspension or revocation, come off approximately 4 ½ years after the supervision date or accident date. Driving records go back 5 years unless there are alcohol violations on it, since those do not ever come off of an Illinois driver's history.

If you have more questions about your CDL motor vehicle record (MVR) contact the Illinois SOS directly. If you are shopping around for inexpensive car insurance, click here for a quick quote.