By Hopewell Clinical
Reviewed by Matt Dutton, BA, CADC
Quick Summary:
An Illinois DUI evaluation assigns one of four risk classifications: Minimal Risk, Moderate Risk, Significant Risk, or High Risk. The classification is based on specific information reviewed during the evaluation, including prior impaired-driving history, blood alcohol concentration or chemical test refusal, and identified symptoms of a substance use disorder. Your risk classification leads to an initial minimum intervention recommendation, but it does not necessarily determine your final substance use treatment level or exact number of treatment hours. For help scheduling an Illinois DUI evaluation, call Hopewell Clinical at 217-223-0170.
If you recently completed an Illinois DUI evaluation and were told you are Minimal, Moderate, Significant, or High Risk, you may be wondering how the evaluator reached that conclusion.
Many clients assume the answer is simply their BAC.
Others believe a first DUI automatically means Minimal Risk or that a High Risk classification means the evaluator personally believes they are “an alcoholic.”
Neither assumption accurately describes the Illinois DUI evaluation process.
Illinois uses defined criteria to assign DUI risk classifications. Understanding those criteria can make the evaluation process less confusing and help you understand why DUI Risk Education, early intervention, or treatment may be recommended.
What Are the Four Illinois DUI Risk Classifications?
Illinois DUI evaluations use four risk levels:
- Minimal Risk
- Moderate Risk
- Significant Risk
- High Risk
The purpose of the DUI evaluation is to gather relevant information about a person’s alcohol and other drug use, identify risk to public safety for the circuit court or Illinois Secretary of State, and make an initial recommendation for intervention, treatment, or both.
The evaluator documents the assigned risk level and corresponding recommendation on the Alcohol and Drug Evaluation Uniform Report.
The classification is not intended to be a moral judgment about the person being evaluated. It is a structured finding based on the information available during the evaluation.
What Information Does an Illinois DUI Evaluator Review?
A DUI evaluation is more detailed than asking how much you drank on the night of the arrest.
The evaluation process includes a comprehensive chronological alcohol and drug use history. This may include alcohol, illicit substances, prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and other intoxicating compounds.
The evaluator also examines whether alcohol or drug use has contributed to problems or impairment involving areas such as:
- Marriage or family
- Legal functioning
- Social relationships
- Emotional functioning
- Employment
- Physical health
- Finances
The evaluator reviews the client’s alcohol- and drug-related legal and driving history, prior evaluations or treatment, recovery support involvement, family substance use history, and other relevant information.
Current Illinois rules also require analysis of objective testing, the applicable driving record, and chemical test or refusal information from the most recent DUI arrest.
The final classification is based on the overall information obtained during the evaluation.
What Is Minimal Risk for an Illinois DUI?
Under current Illinois Part 2060 criteria, Minimal Risk generally applies when all of the required Minimal Risk criteria are met.
These criteria include:
- No qualifying prior DUI, boating under the influence, or snowmobiling under the influence convictions or court-ordered supervisions
- No prior statutory summary suspension
- No qualifying reckless driving conviction or supervision reduced from an impaired-driving offense
- A BAC below .15 on the most current arrest
- No identified pattern of alcohol- or drug-impaired driving
- No other identified symptoms of a substance use disorder
The history criteria also consider qualifying offenses from other states, even when an offense does not appear on the person’s Illinois driving record.
What Is Recommended for Minimal Risk?
The initial minimum recommendation for Minimal Risk is 10 hours of DUI Risk Education.
DUI Risk Education is an educational intervention. It addresses the effects of alcohol and other substances on driving, impaired-driving risk, Illinois laws and consequences, personal decision-making, and resources for treatment and recovery support.
What Is Moderate Risk for an Illinois DUI?
Moderate Risk may apply when a person has no qualifying prior impaired-driving history described in the rule and has:
- A BAC of .15 to .19 on the most current DUI, BUI, or SUI arrest;
- An implied consent refusal; or
- At most one identified symptom of a substance use disorder.
This is one reason a person with no previous DUI history may still receive a Moderate Risk classification.
A first DUI does not automatically mean Minimal Risk.
For example, a qualifying BAC of .16 may place the evaluation within Moderate Risk criteria even when the individual has no prior DUI disposition.
What Is Recommended for Moderate Risk?
The initial recommendation includes:
- A minimum of 10 hours of DUI Risk Education
- A minimum of 12 hours of SUD early intervention
The early intervention hours are provided over a minimum of four weeks, with no more than three hours per day.
Additional early intervention or treatment may also be recommended when clinically appropriate. Continuing care participation may apply following discharge when included in the continuing care plan.
What Is Significant Risk for an Illinois DUI?
Significant Risk criteria may involve qualifying prior impaired-driving history, a high BAC, or identified substance use disorder symptoms.
Under current Part 2060 language, Significant Risk may apply when the offender has:
- One qualifying prior DUI, BUI, or SUI conviction or court-ordered supervision;
- One prior statutory summary suspension;
- One qualifying reckless driving conviction or supervision reduced from DUI, BUI, or SUI;
- A BAC of .20 or higher on the most current arrest; or
- Two or three symptoms of a substance use disorder.
The specific regulatory criteria and the complete evaluation findings must be considered by the evaluator.
What Is Recommended for Significant Risk?
The initial minimum intervention recommendation includes:
- A minimum of 10 hours of DUI Risk Education
- A minimum of 20 hours of substance use disorder treatment
Following recommended treatment, ongoing participation in activities identified in the continuing care plan may also be required.
However, there is an important distinction between the DUI evaluation recommendation and the eventual treatment plan.
A Significant Risk classification does not necessarily mean every person will complete exactly 20 treatment hours and then automatically discharge.
Does Significant Risk Always Mean Exactly 20 Hours of Treatment?
No.
This is one of the most important changes for clients to understand under the current Illinois Part 2060 framework.
The DUI risk classification establishes an initial minimum intervention recommendation. When a person is referred for substance use disorder treatment, the treatment provider conducts a multidimensional assessment to determine the person’s clinical needs and appropriate level of care.
That treatment assessment considers biomedical, psychological, substance use, relapse-risk, and recovery-environment factors.
As a result, the treatment recommendation may not align perfectly with the DUI risk classification.
For example, a person classified Significant Risk may have a 20-hour minimum DUI recommendation, but the treatment assessment could indicate that additional treatment or a different level of care is clinically appropriate.
The reverse assumption is also important to avoid: a risk classification should not be treated as a substitute for an individualized treatment assessment.
What Is High Risk for an Illinois DUI?
Under current Illinois criteria, High Risk applies when the evaluation identifies:
- A qualifying combination of two or more prior alcohol- or drug-related impaired-driving offenses or related dispositions arising from separate incidents before the most current offense; or
- Four or more symptoms of a substance use disorder.
The applicable history may include qualifying DUI, BUI, or SUI convictions or court-ordered supervisions, prior statutory summary suspensions, and certain reckless driving dispositions reduced from impaired-driving offenses.
Qualifying out-of-state history is also considered under the rule.
What Is Recommended for High Risk?
The initial minimum recommendation is:
- A minimum of 75 hours of substance use disorder treatment
The individual must also successfully complete recommended treatment and participate in continuing care activities specified in the continuing care plan following discharge.
For Secretary of State hearing purposes, High Risk cases can involve additional documentation and may be addressed as High Risk — Dependent or High Risk — Non-Dependent in the hearing documentation process.
Clients preparing for driving relief should carefully review their specific Secretary of State documentation requirements and consult an attorney for legal advice regarding hearing strategy.
Does High Risk Automatically Mean Alcohol Dependence?
Not necessarily.
A High Risk DUI classification and a substance use disorder diagnosis are related concepts, but they are not interchangeable labels.
Under current Illinois classification criteria, four or more substance use disorder symptoms can result in a High Risk classification. Qualifying impaired-driving history can also result in High Risk classification.
For Secretary of State hearing documentation, the state separately identifies High Risk — Dependent and High Risk — Non-Dependent requirements.
This distinction is clinically and administratively important.
A DUI evaluator should document the information supporting the risk classification rather than simply assuming that every person with multiple DUI incidents has the same diagnosis, substance use pattern, or recovery needs.
Can My Illinois DUI Risk Classification Change?
Yes.
Illinois Part 2060 describes the initial risk assignment as a finding that may be subject to change when additional information is obtained during a subsequent evaluation.
This can matter when:
- A prior DUI or impaired-driving incident is discovered
- An out-of-state offense is identified
- Chemical test information becomes available
- The driving record contains additional relevant history
- A client later discloses substance use information that was not initially reported
- Additional substance use disorder symptoms are identified
- Relevant information emerges during DUI Risk Education or early intervention
Accuracy during the initial evaluation matters.
Trying to minimize or omit relevant history can create larger problems if the information is later discovered and conflicts with the Uniform Report.
If you are uncertain about an old arrest, prior evaluation, out-of-state case, or previous treatment episode, tell the evaluator what you know. The evaluator can identify what records may be needed.
Why Did My Friend Get a Different Classification Than Me?
Two DUI cases that appear similar from the outside may produce different classifications.
Consider two people who are each facing a first Illinois DUI.
One person may have a BAC of .11, no qualifying prior history, no identified impaired-driving pattern, and no substance use disorder symptoms.
Another may have a BAC of .17.
A third may have a chemical test refusal.
A fourth may have two identified symptoms of a substance use disorder.
Even if all four people describe the arrest as their “first DUI,” the classification criteria may produce different results.
This is why comparing your evaluation to a friend, coworker, or family member’s DUI case is often misleading.
If you need an Illinois DUI evaluation or have questions about an existing DUI risk classification, call Hopewell Clinical at 217-223-0170.
Hopewell Clinical provides DUI evaluation and related substance use services for clients in Quincy, Springfield, Jacksonville, and appropriate telehealth clients across Illinois. Bring your available DUI and driving records so the evaluator can review the information relevant to your case.
How Risk Classification Can Affect a Secretary of State Hearing
Risk classification also matters when preparing for an Illinois Secretary of State hearing involving driving relief.
The Secretary of State requires an Alcohol/Drug Evaluation Uniform Report completed after the most recent DUI arrest by an appropriately licensed agency. The evaluation assigns a classification level, and additional hearing documentation requirements vary by classification.
Depending on the classification, documentation may include:
- DUI Risk Education completion
- Early intervention documentation
- Treatment plan
- Discharge summary
- Aftercare or continuing care plan
- Continuing Care Status Report
- Updated evaluation
- Treatment waiver or modification documentation
- Support or recovery program documentation
- Abstinence or substance use verification letters
Secretary of State requirements should be reviewed carefully before the hearing. Hopewell Clinical can assist with appropriate clinical evaluation and treatment documentation, but does not provide legal advice or guarantee driving relief, a Restricted Driving Permit, or license reinstatement.
Illinois DUI Evaluations in Quincy, Springfield, Jacksonville, and Online
Hopewell Clinical works with DUI clients from communities across Illinois.
Service areas include:
- Quincy
- Springfield
- Jacksonville
- Peoria
- Galesburg
- Decatur
- Bloomington-Normal
- Macomb
- West-Central Illinois
- Statewide through telehealth
If you are scheduling an evaluation, ask what records should be provided before your appointment.
What Should I Bring to an Illinois DUI Evaluation?
Available documentation may include:
- Court-purpose driving abstract or applicable driving record
- Alcohol/Drug-Related Driving Offenses information
- Law Enforcement Sworn Report
- Chemical test or BAC information
- DUI arrest paperwork
- Prior DUI evaluations
- Prior DUI Risk Education certificates
- Early intervention records
- Substance use treatment records
- Discharge summaries
- Continuing care documents
- Information about prior out-of-state DUI or impaired-driving cases
Do not assume an old case is irrelevant simply because it occurred outside Illinois or does not appear on the copy of the driving record you currently have.
The evaluator is responsible for reviewing the information required for the Illinois DUI evaluation process.
A Risk Classification Is Not a Judgment About Your Character
People often arrive for a DUI evaluation feeling embarrassed, defensive, angry, or worried about being labeled.
Those reactions are understandable.
A DUI risk classification is not intended to decide whether someone is a “good person” or a “bad person.” It is a structured assessment of public-safety risk and intervention needs based on defined criteria and the information available during the evaluation.
The most productive approach is usually to be accurate and direct.
A careful evaluation should consider both the objective records and the individual’s actual alcohol and drug history. When treatment is indicated, the subsequent clinical assessment should be individualized rather than based solely on a label.
Need an Illinois DUI evaluation, DUI Risk Education, early intervention, substance use treatment, or documentation for a Secretary of State hearing?
Call Hopewell Clinical at 217-223-0170.
Hopewell Clinical serves clients in Quincy, Springfield, Jacksonville, Adams County, Sangamon County, Morgan County, Peoria, Galesburg, Decatur, Bloomington-Normal, Macomb, West-Central Illinois, and appropriate telehealth clients across Illinois.
Hopewell Clinical can provide appropriate clinical evaluation, education, treatment, and documentation services. We do not provide legal advice or guarantee court, probation, or Secretary of State outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the four DUI risk classifications in Illinois?
The four Illinois DUI risk classifications are Minimal Risk, Moderate Risk, Significant Risk, and High Risk. The classification is determined during a DUI evaluation using defined criteria and relevant evaluation findings.
Does a .15 BAC make you Moderate Risk in Illinois?
Under current Illinois Part 2060 criteria, a BAC of .15 to .19 from the most current DUI, BUI, or SUI arrest is within the Moderate Risk criteria when the applicable history requirements are met. The evaluator must review the complete information required for the evaluation.
What DUI risk classification is a .20 BAC in Illinois?
A BAC of .20 or higher from the most current DUI, BUI, or SUI arrest is identified within the Significant Risk criteria under current Illinois Part 2060 rules.
How many treatment hours are required for Significant Risk in Illinois?
The initial minimum recommendation for Significant Risk includes 10 hours of DUI Risk Education and a minimum of 20 hours of SUD treatment. The subsequent individualized treatment assessment may identify additional clinical needs, so the DUI classification does not necessarily determine the exact final number of treatment hours.
How many treatment hours are required for High Risk DUI in Illinois?
The initial minimum recommendation for High Risk is at least 75 hours of SUD treatment. Recommended treatment and applicable continuing care activities must also be successfully completed.
Can an Illinois DUI risk classification change?
Yes. The initial risk assignment may change when additional relevant information becomes available during a subsequent evaluation or service process.
Does a first DUI automatically mean Minimal Risk?
No. BAC, chemical test refusal, substance use disorder symptoms, impaired-driving patterns, and qualifying prior history can affect classification. A person describing a case as a “first DUI” is not automatically classified Minimal Risk.
Can Hopewell Clinical guarantee my DUI classification?
No. A DUI classification must be based on the required evaluation information and applicable Illinois criteria. Hopewell Clinical cannot promise a particular classification or legal outcome before completing an appropriate evaluation.