---
title: "What does Illinois statute 625 ILCS 5/11-501 actually define as DUI?"
description: "625 ILCS 5/11-501 is the core Illinois DUI statute. It defines driving under the influence in six separate ways: driving with a BAC of 0.08 or higher, driving under the influence of alcohol to a..."
url: https://chicagoduilawyer.net/faq-items/what-does-illinois-statute-625-ilcs-5-11-501-actually-define-as-dui/
date: 2026-07-08
modified: 2026-07-08
author: "Chicago DUI Lawyer"
type: faq
lang: en
---

# What does Illinois statute 625 ILCS 5/11-501 actually define as DUI?

**625 ILCS 5/11-501** is the core Illinois DUI statute. It defines driving under the influence in six separate ways: driving with a BAC of 0.08 or higher, driving under the influence of alcohol to a degree that renders the driver incapable of safely driving, driving under the influence of any intoxicating compound, driving under the influence of any drug or combination of drugs, driving with any amount of a controlled substance in the person's blood or urine, and driving with a THC concentration of 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood or 10 nanograms per milliliter of other bodily substance. A person can be convicted under any of these subsections independently, which means a DUI conviction does not require a BAC test at all.