Winnebago County, IL Building Safety: Carbon Monoxide Detectors (2026)

Winnebago County adopted the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code by reference in Section 18-400, then amended it through Section 18-401. Amendment (30) adds Section 305.7, which reads in full: "Every dwelling unit shall be outfitted with a carbon monoxide detector as required by the Illinois Carbon Monoxide Detector Act, 430 ILCS 135/1 et seq." The rule applies to every rental and owner-occupied dwelling unit in the unincorporated county. It is enforced by the Neighborhood Code Enforcement Program, created within the Winnebago County Health Department under amended Section 103.1, with the Public Health Administrator serving as the code official under Section 103.2, and deputies may be appointed under Section 103.3.

When an inspector finds a missing detector, Section 106.2 requires a written notice of violation served under Section 4-4(b) and (d) of the county code. Section 106.3 lets the county pursue the case either through the code hearing process in Chapter 4 or through prosecution in court. Under Section 106.4, violations are punished under the general penalty in Code of Ordinances Chapter 1, Division 11, Section 1-11: a fine of up to $500.00 for the offense, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.

An owner who disputes a notice has 20 days to file a written application for appeal with the director of environmental health at the Health Department under Section 111.1, and under Section 111.8 that appeal stays enforcement of the notice until the director rules on it.