Cook County, IL Drone Rules: Recreational Drones (2026)
Key Facts
- Fine
- $2,500 per offense (§58-48(a))
- Covers
- UAS flights on County-owned/leased property only
- Seizure
- Drone confiscated and forfeited if unauthorized
- Reclaim window
- 7 days after a favorable hearing
- State-law exception
- Police use under Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 17-3674, Sept. 13, 2017
Summary
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 $2,500 fine per offense and on-the-spot confiscation of the drone, though the ordinance preserves an exception for police use under Illinois' Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act.
Unmanned Aerial System or UAS shall mean an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within the aircraft. Property shall mean any land, building or facility owned or leased by Cook County... No person shall, at any time, fly any form of UAS on County property unless expressly authorized by the Agency that is the custodian of said property. Any person violating the provisions of this Section shall be subject to a fine of $2,500.00 for each offense... Notwithstanding the prohibitions set forth in this section, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the use of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) by a law enforcement agency in accordance with Section 15 of the Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act, codified at 725 ILCS 167/1, et seq., or its successor provision.
Full Breakdown
" Flying without that sign-off is a $2,500 per-offense violation adjudicated through Chapter 2's Administrative Hearings process, not criminal court. " An owner who wins an administrative hearing, where the County must prove the violation "by a preponderance of evidence", can reclaim the drone within seven days of that ruling; after seven days an unclaimed drone is destroyed. Subsection (d) preserves one exception: nothing in the section blocks a law enforcement agency's UAS use "in accordance with Section 15 of the Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act," the state law that already regulates when police can fly a drone over Illinois residents.
Violations & Fines
Flying an unauthorized drone on any County-owned or -leased site draws a $2,500 fine for each offense, plus immediate confiscation of the aircraft. If the operator does not request and win an administrative hearing showing the flight was authorized, the drone is destroyed after the seven-day reclaim window closes, on top of the fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this ordinance stop me from flying a drone over my own backyard?
Can Cook County police use drones under this ordinance?
What happens to a seized drone if I'm not at fault?
How much is the fine for an unauthorized flight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cook County
Compare Cook County to another location·View the Illinois drone rules overview
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