Cook County, IL Ordinances (2026)

Cook County pet shops cannot sell commercially bred dogs, cats or rabbits: stock must come from shelters, rescues, or small USDA-licensed breeders.

Cook County permits feral cat colonies countywide, but caretakers must register with a Department-approved Sponsor and follow trap-neuter-return vaccination and eartipping requirements…

Unincorporated Cook County's residential animal-keeping limits, the three-pet cap, livestock acreage rule and enclosure standards in Zoning Ordinance § 8.7.7, do not apply to…

Cook County requires new construction and major renovation of County-owned buildings to incorporate bird-safe building materials and design features, per Code § 2-6(f). The County also…

In unincorporated Cook County, up to four registered bee colonies are allowed on lots under half an acre, with setback and enclosure rules.

In unincorporated Cook County, the zoning ordinance caps residential lots at three adult pets per unit and requires outdoor pets be housed in an adequate enclosure.

Cook County bars keeping or publicly exhibiting any wild animal not already allowed under federal or state permit, backed by a misdemeanor charge carrying up to a $500 fine and six…

Cook County orders any dog administratively found dangerous to be spayed or neutered and microchipped within ten days, at the owner's expense, under Chapter 10's animal control…

Cook County runs an annual microchipping clinic for residents' companion animals at the county animal control facility, with the fee capped by Section 32-1; dogs found vicious or…

In unincorporated Cook County, chickens and other fowl need only an adequate enclosure, but livestock like goats or cattle require a five-acre minimum lot: the zoning code excludes…

Cook County bans letting a dog run uncontrolled or off leash anywhere in the County, with narrow exceptions for permitted off-leash areas.

Cook County can declare a dog "dangerous" or "vicious" and order confinement after an attack, but Code Sec. 10-78(g)(5) expressly forbids classifying vicious dogs by breed: the…

In unincorporated Cook County, new and substantially improved buildings in flood zones must set the lowest floor at or above the flood protection elevation: base flood elevation plus…

In unincorporated Cook County, docks, piers, wharves and boat rentals sited within a mapped floodway are not permitted uses: they require a special use permit under the county's Flood…

Cook County's environmental code doesn't set its own idling limit: it adopts and defers to Illinois' state idling law, which supersedes any conflicting county requirement, across the…

Cook County has a Floodplain Ordinance governing development in FEMA-designated flood zones. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District's Watershed Management Ordinance establishes…

In unincorporated Cook County, anyone tilling, clearing, filling or grading land tied to a building or special-use permit must first submit a Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Plan to…

In unincorporated Cook County, grading, filling, clearing or otherwise disturbing land tied to a building or special-use permit requires an approved Soil Erosion and Sediment Control…

Cook County Code § 38-255 makes it every landlord's duty to keep rental housing free of lead hazards, with mandatory notice to tenants and lease renewal restrictions where hazards are…

Cook County passed a Rental Dwelling Ordinance on June 29, 2016, establishing rental property registration and inspection requirements for unincorporated areas. Landlords must comply…

Cook County's Clean Indoor Air Ordinance pushes smoking outdoors 15 feet from any entrance, exit, or operable window of a covered enclosed public place, workplace, restaurant, or bar…

Illinois retains jaywalking enforcement under Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/11-1003, requiring pedestrians to yield outside marked crosswalks and to use crosswalks where signals exist. Cook…

Cook County's Clean Indoor Air Ordinance defines "smoking" to include lighted weed, not just tobacco, and bars it in enclosed public places and workplaces countywide, plus within 15…

Cook County fines anyone who owns, rents, or controls a building $100 a day when a party's boisterous noise disturbs the neighborhood's peace, under Code Section 58-179 enforced by…

Cook County bans drinking alcoholic liquor on any public way in unincorporated areas and Sheriff's Office enforcement zones, carrying a flat $75.00 fine per violation under Code of…

Cook County Code § 58-43 fines anyone $100 for urinating or defecating on the public way, or on any outdoor public or private property, with no textual limit to unincorporated…

Cook County bars flying any drone or UAS on land, buildings, or facilities the County owns or leases, including County parks, unless the managing agency expressly authorizes it, backed…

Drone flight in controlled airspace surrounding Chicago O'Hare (KORD) and Midway (KMDW) requires FAA Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) clearance through…

Cook County bars flying any unmanned aerial system on land, buildings or facilities the County owns or leases unless the agency that runs the site authorizes it first. Violators face a…

Driving, standing, or parking a vehicle in a marked bicycle path or lane is banned on roads under County jurisdiction, with a $100 fine and immediate tow.

Cook County runs its own automated red light camera program on county-maintained highways under Code §§ 82-206–82-209, fining registered owners $100 per violation, with municipalities…

Cook County bans operating a motor-driven scooter on any public street, sidewalk, parking lot, bike path, or park in unincorporated areas and in municipalities that haven't adopted…

In unincorporated Cook County, any rainwater catchment system that feeds irrigation lines, toilets, or other plumbing must be approved by the Building Commissioner and follow…

In unincorporated Cook County, backyard compost piles and bins are capped at five feet tall with a combined 100-square-foot base, must stay out of front and side yards and off…

In unincorporated Cook County, letting grass or weeds grow past ten inches is a declared public nuisance the Health Department can cite and fine.

Cook County Chapter 126 requires tree removal permits for deciduous trees over 6 inches in diameter and evergreen trees 10+ feet tall on unimproved or partially improved land. A Tree…

In unincorporated Cook County, required landscape plans for building permits, PUDs, and large parking lots must use plants from the County's approved native list and may not include…

Trimming or removing vegetation in a Cook County-controlled public way requires a Highway Department permit if the work could obstruct the roadway, sidewalk, or right-of-way.

In unincorporated Cook County's industrial-zoned areas, billboard and off-premises advertising signs cannot use strobe lights; indirect illumination must come from a steady, shielded…

Cook County's Lighting Ordinance targets motion-activated security fixtures directly: sensor-activated lights on County property "should not be triggered by activity off the subject…

Cook County's Lighting Ordinance directs County Departments to shield outdoor fixtures on County-owned roads, buildings and properties, capping light spilling onto neighboring lots at…

Unincorporated Cook County requires a Department inspection of every licensed rental unit at least once every four years to confirm building and health-code compliance.

Tenants in unincorporated Cook County can file a complaint with the Department of Public Health, which must investigate and, if it finds a violation, order the owner to fix it within…

New development in unincorporated Cook County must plant parkway trees between the street and property line, spaced at least 30 feet apart, under the County's landscaping and screening…

On County-controlled roads outside Chicago, the Highway Department can force utility crews to use higher poles, side-arm extensions or covered wire to protect specimen trees or trees…

Cook County fines any bar, nightclub, or business whose noise is boisterous enough to disturb the peace of its neighborhood $100, with every day of continued violation a separate…

Cook County Department of Public Health can inspect rental units, order lead hazard mitigation within 30 or 90 days, and require lease disclosure: applying countywide outside Chicago…

Cook County requires tenants in licensed mobile home parks to install a working carbon monoxide detector, plus a smoke detector, in every bedroom: mandatory in unincorporated Cook…

In unincorporated Cook County, no electrical work can start until you file with the Building Commissioner and get a permit; wiring itself must meet the county's own 2014 Cook County…

In unincorporated Cook County, a permit is required before installing or altering plumbing equipment, under the Building Commissioner's authority and the adopted Cook County Plumbing…

Day care centers with a food service operation in unincorporated Cook County must hold an annual $75 food license and pay a separate $300 plan review fee from the Health Department…

Cook County's Vacant Building Ordinance requires every exit door on a registered vacant building to have an internal deadbolt lock, openable from inside without a key, in…

In unincorporated Cook County, every elevator, dumbwaiter, and moving stairway must be inspected by the Building Department at least once every six months, with results posted on a…

Unincorporated Cook County adopts the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code by reference for new commercial and residential construction, setting the county's baseline green…

Cook County's Building Department runs preliminary inspections during construction and a mandatory final inspection before it will issue a certificate of compliance, and the Building…

Decks in unincorporated Cook County generally require building permits. Decks not more than 30 inches above grade may be exempt. Elevated decks, attached decks, and covered patios all…

In unincorporated Cook County, tossing used needles, syringes, or lancets loose is a declared public nuisance. CCDPH requires sharps go into a hard plastic or metal container with a…

County landlords must eliminate bed bug infestations using a licensed pest control professional and keep three years of treatment records.

Cook County's Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance makes rodent extermination and rodent-proofed exterior walls part of the legal habitability standard landlords must maintain…

In unincorporated Cook County, adult entertainment cabarets, adult stores, adult booths, and adult theaters are zoned only into I-2, I-3, and I-4 Industrial Districts.

Cook County requires secondhand dealers buying used cell phones to check a stolen cell phone database first, log each device's make, model and serial number, and bars them from taking…

Cook County requires retail tobacco dealers to register and remit county tobacco taxes under Ch. 74 Article XI, on top of the state retailer license. Suburban municipalities add their…

Cook County doesn't run its own pawnbroker license, but Code § 30-876 flatly bars anyone holding a County recycling-facility permit from also pawning, pledging, or holding a pawnbroker…

In unincorporated Cook County, massage parlors and massage schools are classified as adult uses under the zoning ordinance and are permitted only in I-2, I-3 and I-4 Industrial…

In unincorporated Cook County, landscape plans required for building permits, PUDs, and parking lots over 20 spaces may not use tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima): it's flagged for…

Required landscape plans in unincorporated Cook County may not use invasive species like buckthorn, purple loosestrife, and garlic mustard.

Converting a garage to living space in unincorporated Cook County requires a building permit and zoning compliance. The conversion must meet the 2009 International Residential Code for…

Accessory dwelling units in unincorporated Cook County are subject to the Cook County Zoning Ordinance (Ord. 01-O-30). ADUs may be permitted in certain zoning districts as accessory…

Carports in unincorporated Cook County require a building permit from the Department of Building and Zoning. They are classified as accessory structures under the Zoning Ordinance and…

Cook County zoning caps how bright and how fast digital signs can change: Article 12.4 limits dynamic image display signs to 5,000 nits by day and 250 nits at night, bars illumination…

In unincorporated Cook County, political campaign signs count as temporary signs: one per lot (two on corners), 12 sq ft max, no permit needed if you follow the limits.

In unincorporated Cook County, a garage sale sign skips the permit but is capped at one per lot, 12 square feet, and three days out: no exceptions.

Cook County requires every motor vehicle to run a working muffler and bans cutouts, by-passes, and straight pipes on public ways under County jurisdiction, with a $25 fine per…

Cook County bans noise-making on public ways outside 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., including paid musical performances, under a Sheriff-enforced ordinance covering unincorporated areas and…

Unincorporated Cook County's Building Code confines construction work to the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., per Cook County Code § 102-104(5), carving out only emergency…

Cook County bars owners from letting a tethered dog bark, whine, howl, or make excess noise that becomes a nuisance, under the county's animal care chapter enforced by the Department…

Cook County caps the noise output of new powered lawn and garden equipment, including leaf blowers, sold or leased in the county at 65 decibels measured 50 feet away, under Code Sec…

Cook County Code § 58-178 bans making loud noise, by voice, instrument, radio, phonograph, or sound-amplifying device, on or near a public way, with a narrow exception for licensed…

In unincorporated Cook County's I-1 through I-4 industrial zoning districts, plants can't exceed set octave-band decibel limits at residential district boundaries or adjacent lot…

Cook County requires vehicles parked on a two-way road to sit within 12 inches of the right-hand curb, and sets mirrored right- or left-curb alignment rules for one-way roads, keeping…

Cook County's own towing and impound ordinance is narrow but expensive. Where the Sheriff polices, a vehicle used in one of the offenses listed in Sec. 58-165 is towed to a…

In unincorporated Cook County, RVs, boats, and trailers can't be parked or stored on a residential lot unless garaged, enclosed, or hidden from the street and neighboring lots.

In unincorporated Cook County, trucks, tractors, semi-trailers, big RVs and buses can't sit on a residential street past loading time, and heavy commercial trucks can't park within 200…

Cook County's Vehicle Code bars stopping or parking in front of driveways, within 15 feet of hydrants, or within 20 feet of crosswalks on roads under County jurisdiction…

In unincorporated Cook County, an inoperable vehicle must be stored inside a fully enclosed structure unless it's actively being repaired or sits in a licensed salvage yard, and…

Cook County supports EV charging expansion through a $5.5 million infrastructure program targeting suburban charging deserts. Illinois law (765 ILCS 1085, Electric Vehicle Charging…

Cook County has no separate agricultural zoning district, but its R-1 Single-Family Residence District, the county's largest-lot residential category, is expressly designed, per Zoning…

Cook County's zoning ordinance splits short-term rentals into two tracks based on whether the host is present. A 'Supervised' rental, host on site during the stay, only needs a…

In unincorporated Cook County, hosted short-term rentals are allowed as an accessory residential use, but non-supervised rentals, where the host isn't present, require a special use…

Cook County taxes short-term and vacation rentals of houses, condos and apartments at 1% of the rental charge under the Hotel Accommodations Tax Ordinance, and requires every owner or…

Cook County's zoning ordinance sets no primary-residence requirement for short-term rentals in unincorporated areas: a host-absent Non-Supervised rental is legal with a special use…

Unincorporated Cook County does not have a dedicated short-term rental licensing or insurance ordinance. Short-term rentals in unincorporated areas fall under the Residential Rental…

In unincorporated Cook County, a Non-Supervised short-term rental, one where the host isn't present, may host private events only under strict zoning conditions. Zoning Ordinance §…

Cook County charges a 1% tax on short-term rentals of houses, condos and apartments countywide, collected by the host or booking platform and remitted to the County.

Cook County's zoning ordinance does not require a short-term rental host to add parking spaces beyond what already serves the dwelling, true for both Supervised and Non-Supervised…

In unincorporated Cook County, the zoning ordinance caps short-term rental guests at two per bedroom, limits Supervised rentals to 25 percent of one floor's area, and caps…

Cook County bans open burning countywide (except Chicago), but exempts legitimate campfire, recreational, and cooling fires from that ban under Sec. 30-385, provided they don't create…

Cook County bans possessing, selling, or using fireworks countywide, with violations fined $250 per day; only permitted fireworks displays by fairs, parks, or government entities are…

Cook County bans open burning countywide (except Chicago) under Sec. 30-385, unless the burn fits a narrow exception, like on-site landscape waste, or the Department of Environment and…

Under the Cook County Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance, a rental unit isn't legally habitable unless it has the right number of smoke alarms, smoke detectors, and fire alarm…

Cook County Code § 30-778 makes open dumping of waste and abandoning waste on public property a public nuisance across the County, with violators facing fines under § 30-131 from $300…

In unincorporated Cook County, commercial dumpster and waste containers must sit on a paved, well-drained surface, use tight-fitting covers, and get weekly pickup from a licensed…

Cook County lets residents burn landscape waste on-site only under strict conditions, not as a general disposal option.

Cook County requires demolition permit holders countywide, outside Chicago, to divert at least 70% of debris by weight from landfills through recycling or reuse, filing a diversion…

Trash and recycling collection in unincorporated Cook County is provided by private haulers contracted by residents or managed by local townships. The Cook County Solid Waste and…

The Cook County Solid Waste and Recycling Ordinance establishes a framework to increase recycling rates. The county requires data reporting from waste facilities and promotes recycling…

Bulk item disposal in unincorporated Cook County is handled through private waste haulers. Large items may require special pickup arrangements. Illegal dumping is prosecuted under the…

In unincorporated Cook County, garbage and waste containers must be fly-tight, durable metal or hard plastic with a cover, and a plastic bag left outside for trash is illegal unless…

Running a day care out of a house in unincorporated Cook County isn't a routine home occupation: the zoning ordinance lists day care centers and nursery schools as a special use in…

Cook County Zoning Ordinance (Ord. 01-O-30) defines home occupations as businesses practiced by a resident that are incidental and secondary to residential use. No fee is required for…

Home business signage in unincorporated Cook County is restricted under the Zoning Ordinance. Home occupations must remain incidental to residential use, which limits or prohibits…

Cook County Zoning Ordinance requires home occupations to be incidental to residential use, which limits customer traffic. Businesses generating excessive vehicle traffic or parking…

Placing driveways, sidewalks, fences or other private structures in a Cook County right-of-way requires a Highway Department permit before any digging or construction begins, with fees…

Placing materials, equipment, devices or structures in a Cook County-jurisdiction public way, including sidewalks, without a Highway Department permit is banned under Sec. 66-65, with…

Cook County's Sheriff must decline ICE detainer requests countywide unless the federal government agrees in writing to reimburse all compliance costs.

Cook County requires a Building Commissioner permit before installing reclaimed (recycled) water, gray water, or on-site treated nonpotable water systems for buildings in…

Cook County's open burning ban exempts backyard smokers, grills, and campfires used for legitimate recreational or cooking purposes, so you don't need a permit: as long as the smoke…

Cook County has no mapped vending zones. Instead, § 82-78 bars mobile food dispensers and peddlers from doing business on the public way in a way that obstructs traffic flow, with…

A street vendor doing business in unincorporated Cook County, including one who regularly stocks merchandise there for sale, must get a General Business License from the Department of…

Cook County requires mobile food units operating in unincorporated Cook County to hold an annual food establishment license from the Department of Public Health, with a fee of $125.00…

Cook County's Class L tax incentive rewards owners of landmark or contributing buildings with a reduced property assessment after substantial rehabilitation, once the property's…

Cook County taxes business real estate under its own classification system: commercial (Class 5a) and industrial (Class 5b) property is assessed at 25% of market value, more than…

Cook County taxes parking a motor vehicle in any lot or garage countywide, including inside municipalities like Chicago, at 6% for daily parking and 9% for weekly or monthly parking.

Cook County Zoning Ordinance (Ord. 01-O-30) establishes building setbacks varying by district. Side yard setbacks are at least 20 feet. Special uses may require front yard setbacks…

Cook County Zoning Ordinance limits building height by residential district. Height is measured from grade to the highest point of the structure. Variances may be granted by the Zoning…

Cook County Zoning Ordinance limits the percentage of lot area that may be covered by buildings and impervious surfaces. Coverage maximums vary by zoning district. Stormwater detention…

Cook County follows Illinois common law regarding shared boundary fences. Illinois does not have a mandatory fence-sharing statute. Both neighbors may build on their own side of the…

In unincorporated Cook County, fences can't use barbed wire, razor wire or iron spikes on residential lots, with narrow exceptions for commercial/industrial land and securing hazardous…

Homeowners in unincorporated Cook County can put up a privacy fence, wall, hedge or shrubbery up to six feet tall, but that drops to three feet the moment it sits in a required front…

Fence permits are required in unincorporated Cook County for most fence installations. The Cook County Department of Building and Zoning reviews fence applications for compliance with…

In unincorporated Cook County, rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV systems must use an engineered mounting structure, avoid glare on neighbors, and stay within district height and…

Buildings with imminently hazardous code violations, or vacant structures left open after a securing order, are declared public nuisances the County can force into court-ordered repair…

Cook County enforces vacant lot maintenance in unincorporated areas. The Vacant Building Ordinance imposes fines of $500 to $1,000 per offense. Vacant lots must be maintained free of…

Anyone under 17 is barred from public places in unincorporated Cook County and Sheriff-patrolled towns from 10:30 p.m.-6 a.m. weeknights and 11:30 p.m.-6 a.m. on weekends, unless a…

In unincorporated Cook County, recreational cannabis dispensaries are a permitted use only in I-2 General Industrial zoning; medical dispensing organizations instead need a special use…

Cook County requires permits for above-ground pools exceeding 24 inches deep or 250 square feet. All electrical work must have GFCI protection per Cook County Electrical Code Article…

Hot tubs and spas 24 inches or more in depth require a building permit and Cook County Health Department approval in unincorporated areas. Equipment must be at least 10 feet from…

Cook County limits garage sales in unincorporated areas to a narrow daily window. Under Zoning Ordinance §4.1.5(E), a sale can run only between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., for no more…

Residents in unincorporated Cook County can report building, zoning, and property violations to the Cook County Department of Building and Zoning. Reports can be filed online through…

Cook County Building and Zoning investigates complaints on a priority basis. Emergency hazards (unsafe structures, exposed wiring) receive expedited response. Routine violations are…

The most common code violations in unincorporated Cook County include construction without permits, illegal occupancy, zoning violations (commercial use in residential areas), unsafe…