Behind the Wheel
**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**
Hello and thank you for registering for behind the wheel driving at Burgess Driving School!
You should have received an email when your account was activated that included a username and password along with a link to our student portal. Use the link or click the “LOG IN” button in the upper right-hand corner of our website to access your account. You can track your status, pay online and schedule drives through the student portal.
Before you will be able to schedule drives, you must have completed the following:
Submitted payment in full.
Obtained a driving permit from the Illinois Secretary of State.
Entered your DL number and issue/expiration date into your student portal profile.
Common errors that will not allow you to schedule are:
The permit information is not entered correctly. The DL/permit number is on the top of the right side of the permit. It will say “DL No:” and will begin with the first initial of your last name.
Adjusting the filter to show available drives on dates that don’t currently have any lessons scheduled.
You do not have the required information saved in your profile under “My Account”.
Clicking on the wrong spot in the portal – make sure you select “Schedule My Driving and Observing Lessons” under the scheduling tab – NOT “My Schedule”.
Once you have completed those tasks, you will be able to access scheduling and can select appointments that best fit your schedule. In addition to the 50 hours of practice with a licensed adult, students must complete six two-hour drives with us before attempting to get their license. The software allows you to schedule all six drives with a week minimum between each lesson.
** It is very important that you begin scheduling your lessons as soon as you can and not wait until the last minute to try to squeeze lessons in! Due to high demand and sometimes limited instructor availability, our schedules fill up quickly so please plan accordingly! **
When you arrive for your lesson, we will meet you by one of our vehicles at 235 E. Washington St. in East Peoria on your appointment date. Our vehicles have our logo on the sides and will be parked in the back of the lot. Our building is an old bank so drive around to the back as if you are going to the drive up teller and our cars are back there. If there are no vehicles or the instructor is not by the car when you arrive, we are on a drive or are inside and will be back/out soon. Please bring your valid permit with you. We will need to make a copy for our files if we have not already done so.
When you complete your last drive with us, we will send an email to the state. You can start checking the status of your paperwork by using the “Driver Permit Status Check” link under the “More” tab on our website. Enter your permit number, click “Submit” and once that says “Congratulations...” the state has processed everything from us. When you meet the remaining state requirements, you can schedule your license test!
***If you have not received any paperwork from the state within three weeks of you going to get your drivers license please contact us so we can ensure you have completed everything and it has all been sent in and received.***
Behind the wheel only students:
* If you did NOT take the classroom portion of drivers education with Burgess Driving School, we will need proof of completion from wherever you attended before we drive. *
The proof of completion must show:
Where you attended (on official letterhead)
Date class was completed
Final grade
Signature of authorized school representative
Your completion form must be sent to the Secretary of State along with our paperwork upon completion so please make sure it is legible and in good condition.
If you have any questions about these procedures, please feel free to call us at (309) 670-0126. We are happy to help! We appreciate you trusting us with your child’s driver education.
*** If you are scheduled to drive and arrive to your appointment smelling of alcohol or cannabis your drive WILL BE CANCELLED and the cancellation fee applied.***