Chicago Municipal Code Ch. 9-72 caps engine idling at three minutes for cars and trucks parked in city limits, with stricter limits near schools. CDPH and police share enforcement to protect air quality.
MCC Ch. 9-72-010 and 9-72-020 prohibit idling any motor vehicle for more than three minutes within a 60-minute period when parked, stopped, or standing on public or private property. Diesel trucks over 8,000 pounds face the same three-minute cap, with exceptions for traffic, emergency response, sustained PTO use, and ambient temperatures below 32 degrees or above 80. Idling within 200 feet of a school zone violates regardless of duration. The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Chicago Police share enforcement. Drive-through queues and refrigerated freight loads receive narrow exemptions when documented by the operator.
First violation fines run $50 to $500 under MCC 9-72-030. Subsequent violations within one year carry fines up to $2,000. School-zone idling can prompt heightened CDPH air-quality enforcement and impoundment for repeat fleet offenders.
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