Building Setbacks & Zoning in Lake County, IL (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Lake County, Illinois.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Lake County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Setback Rules

In unincorporated Lake County, § 151.125's dimensional standards tables fix minimum yard setbacks per zoning district: a uniform 30-foot street setback, but side and rear minimums range from 30/60 and 50 feet in AG and RE down to 6/15 and 15 feet in R4.

Lake County yard setback minimums by zone

Some Restrictions

Lake County Code § 151.125

§ 151.125 DENSITY AND DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS TABLES. The following tables (151.125(1) through 151.125(5)) establish standards for development in all base zoning districts. ... AG 0.20 200,000 300 30 30/60 50 0.10[2] 40[1] ... R4 2.50 8,500 60 30 6/15 15 0.40[2] 40

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Structure Height Limits

Unincorporated Lake County caps most residential zoning districts at 40 feet, with the R6 multifamily district allowed up to 45 feet under the county zoning ordinance's density and dimensional standards table.

Lake County residential height limit

Some Restrictions

Lake County Code § 151.125, Table 151.125(1), note [1]

Single-family dwellings in the AG, RE, and E Zoning Districts may exceed the 40-foot building height limit by providing additional setbacks, as follows: for each 1 foot of additional height above 40 feet, structures shall be set back from all front, side, and rear property lines by two feet more than the otherwise required minimum setback. Structures in the AG, RE, or E Districts shall not exce...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Lot Coverage Limits

Unincorporated Lake County caps impervious surface at 10% to 50% of each lot depending on zoning district, limiting how much of a property can be covered by buildings, driveways, and other hard surfaces.

Lake County Lot Coverage Limits

Some Restrictions

Lake County Code § 151.125, Table 151.125(1)

§ 151.125 DENSITY AND DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS TABLES. The following tables (§ 151.125(1) through § 151.125(5)) establish standards for development in all base zoning districts. ... [2] ISR shall be calculated by dividing the total area of all impervious surfaces on the site by the site's base site area.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Building Setbacks & Zoning by City in Lake County

1 cities in Lake County have their own building setbacks & zoning rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.

WaukeganPop. 89,078

3 verified rules • Lot Coverage Limits, Setback Rules

All Lake County ordinances

See every category we cover for Lake County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.

Lake County Ordinance Hub →