Winnebago County, IL Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Sec. 18-205, Winnebago County Code
- Applies to
- Rooming houses, hotels, motels
- Hallway system trigger
- More than three rooming units
- Enforcer
- County Department of Public Health
- Max fine
- $1,000 per day, Sec. 18-6
Summary
Winnebago County requires every rooming house unit to have a working smoke detector near the sleeping area, plus a hallway smoke detector system in any rooming house with more than three units.
Every rooming unit shall have at least one functioning smoke detector located on or near the ceiling in or immediately adjacent to the sleeping spaces. If the roominghouse has more than three rooming units, there shall be a smoke detector system installed in the hallways on each floor and in other locations designated by the applicable fire code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 18-205 requires each rooming unit in a licensed rooming house, hotel, or motel to have at least one functioning smoke detector mounted on or near the ceiling in or next to the sleeping area. Any rooming house with more than three rooming units must also have a smoke detector system installed in the hallways of every floor, plus additional detectors wherever the applicable fire code requires them. The rule sits inside the county's roominghouse licensing division (Chapter 18, Division 7), enforced by the Winnebago County Department of Public Health as a condition of holding a rooming house permit.
Violations & Fines
Operating a noncompliant rooming house violates Chapter 18 and is a petty offense; Sec. 18-6 sets a fine up to $1,000 per day, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Winnebago County require smoke detectors in rooming houses?
Does this rule cover hotels and motels?
What happens if a rooming house lacks required smoke detectors?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winnebago County
Compare Winnebago County to another location·View the Illinois fire regulations overview
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