Monday, February 6, 2012

Will bars and clubs in Chicago accept out-of-state/foreign driver's licenses?

Hello, I know Chicago is notoriously strict for ID age checks in bars/clubs/restaurants re. alcohol (friends in their late 50s had to show ID to get wine in a restaurant, and other friends aged late 40s have to automatically show ID to get into bars). Maybe it's the same throughout Illinois, I don't know (I know it's not that bad everywhere in the USA).



I'm not in my 40s or 50s but I have a UK photo driving licence and will be spending a few weeks in Chicago. I don't want to carry my passport around all the time, so I'm hoping places will accept a non-Illinois licence. What do you reckon?Will bars and clubs in Chicago accept out-of-state/foreign driver's licenses?
I always carry a photocopy of the relevant pages of my passport and have never had any trouble using that to get in to bars in Chicago..but I am in my late thirties, so it wasn't as though there was concern about me being underage, just policy to check ID for everyone, regardless. And FYI, not everywhere asked me for ID - just the busier bars.



If you carry your driving licence anyway, take it, but a copy of your passport will not go amiss if there is any query/confusion over your date of birth.
You should be fine with just your id.Will bars and clubs in Chicago accept out-of-state/foreign driver's licenses?
it might work, depending on what club/bar you go to. If you pick the hip, happening place, they'll probably be a little more strict. But since you have a UK license AND probably a UK accent, it'll probably OK.
You should have no problems as long as the ID is not expired. Sounds like you're old enough anyway but I've known friends who were not quite old enough able to get in clubs with their European IDs because the day and months are reversed. As an example if your 21st birthday was October 3th 2007, in the US your birthdate would be listed as 10/03/86 and you could'nt get in the clubs until then. But your UK ID would probably list the birth date as 03/10/86 and most likely the person checking would'nt know the difference and think your birthday was on March 10th.

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