Motor Vehicles

State laws vary when it comes to motor vehicle insurance requirements, licensing and registration. The term vehicle generally includes automobiles, motorcycles, vans, trailers and boats regularly parked or garaged overnight. Service members and their families will want to understand their state’s laws on registration and licensing before moving to a new state. Visit the USA.gov Motor Vehicle Services page for links to state-specific websites.

Illinois State law requires you to have sufficient liability insurance and a valid driver’s license in order to operate a vehicle. The term “vehicle” generally includes automobiles, motorcycles, vans, trailers and boats regularly parked or garaged overnight. Further, your vehicle must be properly registered. Even though you are in the Military, you may be required to register your vehicle in-state and obtain an in-state license within a few months of moving. Access complete information on insurance, driver’s licensing, and where and how to register your vehicle by visiting the State Department of Motor Vehicles website.

Whether you are visiting our installation or assigned here, it is our goal to provide a safe and secure environment to live, work, learn and train.

Visitor Information and Traffic Regulations

All personnel and their vehicles entering Naval Station Great Lakes are subject to inspection by Navy Security Force Personnel and/or Military Working Dogs.

Visitors in private vehicles are required to use the Main Gate entrance located on Farragut Ave.  Commercial vehicles shall use the Gate 5.  Visitors should have their identification and driver's license readily available when entering the base to expedite entry and to assist security personnel in keeping the traffic flow moving.  If stopped upon entry for an administrative inspection, follow the officer’s instructions.

Possession of weapons aboard Naval Station Great Lakes is prohibited under Federal Law. Violators will be apprehended and weapons confiscated. Please call the base armory at 847-688-6795 for any questions.

Speeding

The base-wide speed limit is 25 MPH unless otherwise posted.

Notable Exceptions:

• 5 MPH in all parking lots.
• 15 MPH in all housing areas.

Naval Station Great Lakes has a ZERO-TOLERANCE policy for speeding in housing areas.  Security Force personnel utilize radar for traffic enforcement.

Motorcycles – Naval Station Great Lakes regulations require the use of an approved D.O.T. helmet, proper outerwear, long sleeves, pants and boots to operate a motorcycle on base. A reflective vest is required to operate a motorcycle during the hours of darkness.  Personnel assigned to Naval Station Great Lakes are required to complete an approved Motorcycle Safety Course every 3 years before registering a motorcycle on base.

DUI - Security Personnel aggressively enforce DUI laws on base. Violators will be apprehended and their vehicle impounded.

Radar Detectors  - The operation of radar detectors and jammers on base is prohibited. Violators will be ticketed and the device confiscated.

Seatbelts  - Seatbelts are mandatory for all vehicle occupants while on base. Naval regulations mandate the use of seatbelts for all military personnel off base as well.

Cell Phones  - The use of cell phones, including in-ear hands-free devices, while driving on base is prohibited. Violators will be ticketed.

Visitor Control Center (Pass and I.D.)

Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday: 0600-1600

Saturday: 0800-1130

Sunday and Holidays (CLOSED)

Contact numbers: 847-688-5648 or 2407

Visitor Control Center is closed on the below Federal Holidays: 

• New Year's Day (January 1).
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Third Monday in January).
• Washington's Birthday (Third Monday in February).
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May).
• Juneteenth ( June 19)
• Independence Day (July 4).
• Labor Day (First Monday in September).
• Columbus Day (Second Monday in October).
• Veterans Day (November 11).
• Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November).
• Christmas Day (December 25).

Visitor Control Center is located in Building 6130 adjacent to the Naval Station Great Lakes Main Gate. Vehicle registration is conducted during normal working hours.  

• Vehicle Registration Required

  Documents for Installation Vehicle Registration:

  Current proof of insurance

  Valid driver’s license

  DoD identification Card

  Borrowed vehicle drivers must present a notarized authorization letter from vehicle’s owner

  Rental vehicle drivers must present a current rental agreement in the driver’s name

  Personnel residing in housing not on active duty or retired will be required to submit vehicle information to the base housing office

  The housing office will conduct background checks and submit paperwork to Pass and ID for passes

  At no time will general base access be granted to non-military affiliated personnel

You must maintain minimum Illinois vehicle insurance coverage to drive on base as follows:

• $20,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person
• $40,000 for bodily injury to or death of all persons as a result of any one accident
• $15,000 for damage to property of others as result of any one accident

Traffic Tickets

• Traffic Tickets

  Questions regarding traffic citations: 847-688-5555 x233

  Great Lakes Police Department (GLPD) aggressively enforces all traffic regulations on Federal property

  If you receive a traffic ticket on any installation property with a mandatory court appearance, you MUST appear in traffic court on the date specified on the citation

The courtroom is located inside the Visitor Control Center building (6130).

Vehicle Checks -- Seat belts are mandatory for all occupants of any motor vehicle operated on board the base. In the state of Illinois, if you are age 16 or more and are in the back seat with a driver age 18 or older, a seat belt is not required. In addition, children under 8 years of age or under 40 pounds must be properly secured in a federally approved car seat.

Children under the age of eight years must be secured in an appropriate child restraint system, more commonly called a child safety seat. Child safety seats include infant seats, convertible seats (rear-facing for infants and forward-facing for toddlers) and booster seats that are used with the vehicle lap and shoulder belt system. 

Children weighing more than 40 pounds may be transported in the back seat of a motor vehicle while wearing only a lap belt if the back seat is not equipped with a lap and shoulder belt system.

Alcohol -- It is unlawful to transport any open receptacle containing any amount of alcohol in a motor vehicle, except in the trunk or in some other area out of the immediate control of the occupants. A person shall not drive or be in actual physical control of any vehicle with a BAC of 0.05 but less than 0.08 (base). Under the age of 21, alcohol is not tolerated.

Bicycles -- When riding bicycles on base or out in town, all riders shall wear a Department of Transportation (DOT) approved helmet and orange vest with reflective tape.

Window Tinting -- Window tinting laws for the state: Tint must be from the factory. You can not tint the windows yourself. Windshield and front seat window tinting is prohibited in Illinois. Vehicles licensed in other states must comply with the laws of those states.

License Plates -- The State of Illinois requires you to display both license plates, one on the front and one on the rear. License plates are not authorized for display in either the front or rear windows. License plate covers are prohibited.

Q&A about new marijuana laws for Illinois, military members

As of Jan. 1, 2020, possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana for recreational has been legalized in the State of Illinois.  However, use and possession of marijuana on a military installation, or by military members or Department of Defense employees, is still illegal under the Controlled Substances Act.

Members should be vigilant about the contents of what they eat, drink, and buy as marijuana, CBD, and hemp products become more prevalent.  This includes making sure that civilian friends and family don’t leave these products in a military member’s home or vehicle. 

Federal law establishes zero tolerance for drug use by any federal employee.  Because marijuana and its derivatives, including CBD, are still controlled substances under federal law, use or possession of these products could form the basis for security clearance revocation, disciplinary action, or removal from federal service. 

Individuals who are authorized to enter the installation may have their driving privileges revoked if they are suspected of driving under the influence of any intoxicant, to include marijuana.  Additionally, civilian employees, contractors, and dependents who bring marijuana or CBD products on base could also be barred from the installation.

The following are some answers to frequently asked questions.

How are hemp and CBD related to marijuana?

Marijuana, hemp, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and cannabidiol, or CBD, all come from the same plant – Cannabis sativa L.  Under the Controlled Substances Act, any derivative of the Cannabis sativa L. plant is “marijuana.”  Marijuana, and derivatives of marijuana, are Schedule I controlled substances.   

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the “Farm Bill”) created a small exception to this definition of marijuana.  Derivatives of the Cannabis sativa L. plant containing no more than .3 percent THC would be defined as “hemp,” not marijuana.  However, even though this definition removes “hemp” from the list of controlled substances, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not currently regulate hemp production.  Without FDA oversight, there is no way to know for sure that products labelled “hemp” actually contain less than .3 percent THC.  For that reason, products labelled “hemp,” “CBD,” “THC-free,” etc. should be treated with caution. 

 Are military members authorized to use any marijuana, CBD, or hemp products?

There are a small number of FDA-approved medications that contain THC or CBD that may be prescribed to military members.  If a member is prescribed one of these medications, he or she must consult with a military medical provider before bringing these medications on base.   

Otherwise, marijuana and its derivatives are controlled substances under federal law, and the use or possession of any such substance is punishable under Article 112a, Uniform Code of Military Justice. 

Military members are specifically prohibited from the knowing ingestion of hemp, and products derived from hemp.  This includes any CBD product labelled as “hemp-derived” or “THC-free.” The ingestion of hemp products is punishable under Article 92, UCMJ.  Ingestion means any way that a product or chemical gets into the body – regardless of whether the form is smoking, vaping, oral or intravenous use, or the use of transdermal patches or even creams and lotions absorbed by the skin.   

What is not authorized to bring on base?

Marijuana and CBD in all forms are prohibited on Naval Station Great Lakes.  However, individuals may be granted an exception for prescribed FDA-approved medications that contain THC or CBD.  Any military member or civilian prescribed an FDA-approved medication that contains THC or CBD should seek clearance from military medical providers, their supervisory chain, and the civilian personnel office, as applicable, before bringing those medications on base.

Hemp products – not including CBD – may be brought on base, but military members are prohibited from ingesting hemp.  Even so, all individuals should be cautious about the hemp products they consume or bring onto the installation, as the FDA does not regulate these products, and there is no way to ensure they contain less than .3 percent THC. Any product containing .3 percent of THC or greater is classified as marijuana. Examples of these products include hemp lotions, soaps, and oils that are labelled as being CBD or THC free.

 What about military spouses or family members?

Though affiliated with military, be it active duty, Reserves, or National Guard, military spouses are still treated as civilians in the eyes of the law and the military. So, if something is legal in your state, then military spouses are treated the same as any other civilian.

But that doesn’t give you free rein to use marijuana or CBD wherever you want. This is especially true on government property as these are still federally-controlled substances. Government property includes on base or in any military housing (on base or off).

Also, be aware that even if you can use cannabis, your service member cannot.  If you leave cannabis in a vehicle that your service member drives onto base, he or she has technically introduced an illegal substance onto a military installation.  The use or possession of an illegal substance could end a service member’s career.

If you are under the age of 18 years, you must have passed an approved driver education course and have written consent of either a parent or legal guardian.

Sometimes you may drive in Illinois without a valid Illinois driver's license. You are exempt if you:

• Move to Illinois and have a valid driver's license from your home state or country. You may drive with that license for 90 days.
• Do not live in Illinois, but are driving in Illinois. You must have a valid driver's license from your home state or country.
• Are an out-of-state student at a college or university. You may drive with a valid license from your home state or country. This also applies to your spouse and children.
• Are on active duty for the Armed Forces outside the United States but are a legal resident of Illinois. You may drive the first 90 days of your return without any license.
• Are employed by the U.S. government or are a member of the Armed Forces. You do not need a valid Illinois license if you are on official business and driving a vehicle owned by or leased to the government. However, DOD regulations require a valid state drivers' license to operate government owned vehicles.

State and local laws regulate the operation of motor vehicles, and these laws can vary by location. Many states regulate the following:

• Seatbelt use
• Child safety seats
• Motorcycle operation
• The use of cellphones and other digital devices while driving

Learn more about motor vehicle laws in your state at the Distraction.gov State Laws page.

You and your passengers must always wear seatbelts while driving; you will be ticketed and issued heavy fines if seatbelts are not secured. State law requires that all children under 7 years of age be properly restrained in child seats. Some states also require younger, smaller children to sit in the back seat.

Motorcycles and their operators are subject to special laws. If you own and operate a motorcycle, you must comply with those laws. Visit the State Department of Motor Vehicles website for more information.

Many States and local jurisdictions have strict laws about the use of cell phones and other digital devices while driving. Research these laws on the State Department of Motor Vehicles website. Tickets will be issued and fines assessed for violating these laws. Play it safe and always use a “hands free” device if you must use a cell phone or other PDA while driving. Hands-free devices must be used while operating a motor vehicle on ALL military installations worldwide.