Des Plaines, IL

Des Plaines City Code Section 12-8-8 permits a home occupation as an accessory use of a dwelling unit so long as it is incidental and secondary to the residence, conducted entirely…

Des Plaines City Code Section 12-8-8 prohibits any exterior sign, advertising, or display that indicates a home occupation. A home business may not post a sign or any indication of the…

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

Illinois runs its cottage food program out of 410 ILCS 625/4, and the current text sets no ceiling at all on what a cottage food operation may sell. Paragraph (1) of subsection (b) is…

Des Plaines requires a building permit for any residential fence, applied for through the City's online Customer Self Service portal, with a current plat of survey showing the fence…

Des Plaines requires the finished side of a fence to face out with posts on the owner's side, mandates that front-yard fences be 50% transparent, requires attached-home fences to…

Des Plaines requires fences to be installed entirely on the owner's property, with the finished or 'good' side facing outward toward neighboring lots and the public right-of-way…

Des Plaines caps residential fences at 4 feet in front and corner side yards and 6 feet in rear and interior side yards; double-frontage lots may run a 6-foot fence along an arterial…

Des Plaines requires a building permit for swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs; the Title 10, Chapter 13 construction fee schedule charges a $500 plan-review fee for an in-ground pool…

Illinois law (65 ILCS 5/11-30-9) empowers the Des Plaines City Council to require fences around, or protective covers over, private residential swimming pools, and the City enforces…

Open burning of garbage, refuse, and landscape waste is prohibited in Des Plaines. The city sits in Cook County, where Illinois rule 35 Ill. Adm. Code 237.120 removes the…

Backyard recreational fires are permitted in Des Plaines so long as no garbage or yard waste is burned and any device is UL-listed. State rule 35 Ill. Adm. Code 237.120 exempts…

Consumer and display fireworks are illegal to possess, sell, or discharge in Des Plaines under the Illinois Pyrotechnic Use Act (425 ILCS 35). Only state-exempted novelties such as…

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…

Illinois regulates the storage, handling, and transport of liquefied petroleum gas statewide under the LPG Act, adopting NFPA 58 standards uniformly through the Office of the State…

Des Plaines City Code 6-2-7(E)(3) sets quiet hours from 10:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. on weeknights, and from 11:00 P.M. to 10:00 A.M. before Saturdays, Sundays, and official city holidays…

No Des Plaines-specific ordinance regulates aircraft noise; City Code 6-2-7(B)(1)(f) expressly exempts aircraft operated under federal law, and aircraft-in-flight noise is preempted by…

Des Plaines City Code 6-2-7(F) makes it unlawful to operate any sound-production or amplification device whose sound crosses a property line and raises total sound on another property…

Des Plaines City Code 6-2-7(E) applies its dBA limits to vehicles and equipment on the public right of way (excessive at 65 dBA daytime / 50 dBA quiet hours more than 30 feet away)…

Des Plaines City Code 6-2-7(B)(1)(b) exempts construction, demolition, and property-improvement work from the noise ordinance only when performed 7:00 A.M.-7:00 P.M. Monday through…

Des Plaines City Code 6-1A-11 (Disturbing the Peace) prohibits keeping any animal that by barking, meowing, or other noise constantly disturbs the peace of a family, individual, or…

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…

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…

Des Plaines City Code section 5-5-4 declares it a nuisance to let weeds, grass or plants (other than trees, bushes, flowers, vegetables or ornamental plants) grow over six inches (6…

Parkway (right-of-way) trees in Des Plaines must be trimmed and maintained per City Code Chapter 8-4 to avoid obstructions and safety hazards; trimming or removing a parkway tree…

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…

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…

Des Plaines does not impose a blanket citywide overnight street-parking ban, but restricted resident districts post 'No Parking 9:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M.' signs, and semitrailer truck…

Des Plaines residents may park a travel trailer, camper, recreational vehicle, boat, or moving trailer on the public street directly in front of their dwelling only for loading or…

Des Plaines City Code Section 7-3-2 makes it unlawful to park a commercial vehicle (over a B plate or exceeding 8,000 pounds gross weight) on any property in a residential district…

Des Plaines regulates on-street parking through Title 7, Chapter 3, with prohibited and time-limited zones; restricted resident parking districts post 'No Parking' signs that override…

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, 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…

A licensed Des Plaines rental zoned as a single-family dwelling may not operate as a hotel, motel, boarding house, rooming house, or transient lodging, may not be converted to…

Des Plaines has no separate short-term rental permit; any dwelling rented for any period must hold a Residential Rental Property License under City Code Chapter 4-17, and the owner…

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…

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…

No specific Des Plaines beekeeping ordinance identified. Illinois Bees and Apiaries Act (510 ILCS 20) requires state registration. Contact Des Plaines Planning at 847-391-5380 for…

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, 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…

Illinois Wildlife Code prohibits feeding deer and similar wildlife in many counties to prevent chronic wasting disease spread, with statewide enforcement authority.

Des Plaines has no accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or coach-house ordinance; under Zoning Code Section 12-8-1 a permitted residential accessory structure is limited to a shed, gazebo…

Des Plaines limits a residential shed to 225 square feet and 15 feet tall (never taller than the house), set back at least 5 feet from any property line and off all easements, with a…

A Des Plaines detached garage is capped at 720 square feet and 15 feet tall (never taller than the house) with walls 5 feet from property lines, and all sheds plus garages may not…

Des Plaines HOAs and condo associations enforce their declarations and rules through fines, suspension of privileges, liens, and Circuit Court actions. Enforcement must be procedurally…

HOAs and condominium associations in Des Plaines may impose architectural review requirements through their declarations and bylaws. These rules operate independently of city building…

HOA disputes in Des Plaines are resolved through internal association procedures, mediation, or Cook County Circuit Court. The City of Des Plaines does not adjudicate private HOA…

HOA boards in Des Plaines must follow Illinois Condominium Property Act (765 ILCS 605) for condos or the Common Interest Community Association Act (765 ILCS 160) for non-condo HOAs…

HOA and condo assessments in Des Plaines are governed by Illinois state law, which authorizes regular and special assessments, requires reserve funding, and grants associations strong…

Illinois protects native plantings, not xeriscape and not artificial turf. The Homeowners' Native Landscaping Act, 765 ILCS 167, effective July 19, 2024, bars an association from…

Since January 1, 2024 the Illinois Electric Vehicle Charging Act has voided any covenant, deed restriction or governing-document provision that prohibits or unreasonably restricts…

An Illinois association board may not prohibit a unit owner from displaying the American flag or a military flag on the owner's limited common elements or on the immediately adjacent…

Illinois puts no dollar limit on association fines. Both statutes say only that the board may levy reasonable fines, and neither sets a maximum, a daily cap or a cure period. What…

Unpaid assessments on an Illinois condominium unit become a statutory lien under 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1), and once the board of managers records notice of that lien it may foreclose it in…

Illinois runs the opposite way from states that protect owners who rent. There is no statutory cap on how much leasing an Illinois association may prohibit, no minimum lease term, no…

Commercial drone operators in Des Plaines must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and obtain LAANC authorization for nearly every flight due to O'Hare Class B airspace…

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…

Pre-1978 housing renovation in Des Plaines must comply with the EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule and Illinois Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Disturbing painted surfaces…

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…

Des Plaines participates in NFIP. The Des Plaines River runs through the city and portions are in FEMA flood hazard areas. NFIP flood insurance required with federally backed mortgages…

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…

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…

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program regulates Lake Michigan shoreline development, applying uniform permit requirements along the entire Illinois…

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…

Illinois requires a 5-day written notice for nonpayment of rent (735 ILCS 5/9-209), a 10-day notice to quit for lease violations (735 ILCS 5/9-210), and a 30-day termination notice for…

Under 735 ILCS 5/9-207, ending a month-to-month or other tenancy under one year requires 30 days' written notice; a week-to-week tenancy requires 7 days. The statute lets the landlord…

Illinois has no statewide rent control and no cap on rent increases. The Rent Control Preemption Act, 50 ILCS 825, bars every unit of local government, including home rule cities, from…

Illinois has no statewide statute setting a maximum rent increase or a dedicated advance-notice period for raising rent, and the Rent Control Preemption Act (50 ILCS 825) bars local…

Illinois sets no statewide cap on residential security deposits. Under the Security Deposit Return Act, 765 ILCS 710, a landlord of a building with 5 or more units who keeps any of a…

Adverse possession in Illinois generally requires 20 years of possession (735 ILCS 5/13-101). The period drops to 7 years when the occupant holds under claim and color of title 'made…

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…

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…

Illinois runs two different regimes and the answer depends entirely on which vehicle you own. A golf cart is a non-highway vehicle under 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1, and driving one on any…

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…

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.

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 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…

The Farm Nuisance Suit Act shields established Illinois farms from nuisance lawsuits when the operation predates surrounding non-agricultural land uses by at least one year.

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…

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…

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…

Illinois voids any association bylaw, board action, deed restriction or covenant that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting a solar energy system, under 765 ILCS 165/15 and 765…

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…

The Illinois Snow and Ice Removal Act shields residential property owners from liability for natural accumulations cleared in good faith, applying uniformly statewide.

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…

Illinois law permits home cannabis cultivation only by registered medical patients, capped at five plants per household, and preempts local bans or expansions of recreational home grow.

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…

The Paid Leave for All Workers Act guarantees up to 40 hours of paid leave annually for nearly every Illinois employee, with limited carve-outs for jurisdictions with existing…

Illinois issues shall-issue concealed carry licenses through the Illinois State Police under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, with statewide preemption of local handgun carry rules.

Illinois preempts most local firearm regulation under the FOID Card Act and Wildlife Code, leaving home rule cities limited authority over assault weapons and certain narrow areas.

Illinois bans open carry of firearms in public under the Criminal Code, allowing concealed carry only by Firearm Concealed Carry Act licensees with limited exceptions.

Illinois law sets uniform rules for transporting firearms in vehicles under the FOID Card Act and Firearm Concealed Carry Act, preempting local handgun transport ordinances.

Illinois doesn't let cities zone in casinos on their own: the Illinois Gambling Act (230 ILCS 10/7) hands out a fixed number of state owners licenses, each tied by statute to one named…

Illinois nonprofits need a Department of Revenue license before running charitable games, capped at 4 days a year, with single bets at house-banked games limited to $20 and cash…

Illinois law makes it a crime to play any game of chance or skill for money unless the activity fits one of fifteen narrow exemptions listed in 720 ILCS 5/28-1(b): the state lottery…

Illinois legalized sports betting under the Sports Wagering Act, but only through an operator holding a Board-issued master sports wagering license. The Illinois Gaming Board licenses…

Illinois holds roadside safety checks, but the General Assembly never wrote a statute authorising or regulating them. The Illinois Vehicle Code mentions checkpoints exactly once, in a…

Illinois writes the right to film police directly into its eavesdropping statute. 720 ILCS 5/14-2(e) says nothing in the eavesdropping article prohibits any individual who is not a law…

Illinois gives officers a demand power without giving them a penalty to back it. Under 725 ILCS 5/107-14(a) a peace officer who has identified himself as such may stop a person in a…

Illinois has no statute that requires an officer to warn you that you may refuse a vehicle search, but it does require the officer to write the request down. 625 ILCS 5/11-212 makes…

Illinois prohibits sale of any tobacco, alternative nicotine, and electronic cigarette product to persons under 21 under the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Persons under 21 Act.

Illinois runs a closed list for vehicle lighting. Under 625 ILCS 5/12-212(c), all lighting on a vehicle other than what the Vehicle Code expressly authorises is prohibited, so the…

Illinois never lists permitted windshield zones for a dash cam the way Florida and Texas do. It applies a materiality test instead: 625 ILCS 5/12-503(c-5) prohibits driving with…

Lane splitting is not lawful in Illinois. The Vehicle Code never uses the phrase, but 625 ILCS 5/11-703(c) makes the maneuver itself unlawful: a two-wheeled vehicle passing on the left…

Illinois does not ask whether a plate cover obscures the plate. 625 ILCS 5/3-413(g) makes it unlawful to operate any motor vehicle equipped with a registration plate cover, full stop…

A radar detector is legal in an ordinary Illinois passenger car. The only detector ban in the Illinois Vehicle Code, 625 ILCS 5/12-714, reaches a driver who operates or is in actual…

Illinois gets lake-effect snow and still bans studded tires outright. Section 12-401 of the Illinois Vehicle Code forbids operating a vehicle on an improved highway if any road wheel…

Illinois bans tinted film on the front windshield except a nonreflective strip running no more than 6 inches down from the top, and bars any window treatment on the windows immediately…