Illinois statewide preemption under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act bars most municipal gun ordinances, but Cook County's grandfathered assault weapons ban (Ord. 06-O-50) survives in unincorporated areas and several suburbs.
Under 430 ILCS 66/90, the Firearm Concealed Carry Act preempts local regulation of handgun possession, transport, and concealed carry. Cook County's Blair Holt Assault Weapons Ban (Ord. 06-O-50, codified at Ch. 54, Art. III) was grandfathered when the state act passed in 2013 and applies in unincorporated Cook County and any non-home-rule suburbs that did not opt out. The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the ordinance in Wilson v. Cook County (2017). Home-rule suburbs may pass their own assault-weapon rules; non-home-rule cities cannot.
Possessing a banned assault weapon in unincorporated Cook County or non-opted-out suburbs is a Class A misdemeanor; civil fines $5,000 first offense.
See how Evanston's local firearms preemption rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.