Illinois prohibits open carry of firearms statewide under 720 ILCS 5/24-1 and the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, which authorized only concealed carry. Cook County follows state law; there is no local open-carry exception in unincorporated areas or suburbs.
When Illinois passed the Firearm Concealed Carry Act in 2013, the legislature explicitly authorized only concealed carry, leaving the existing prohibition on open carry under 720 ILCS 5/24-1 in force. A handgun must be concealed on the person or carried in a case, unloaded, when in public. Cook County has no local rule loosening this. The only narrow exceptions are at one's own dwelling, fixed place of business, or while hunting on permitted lands. Plainclothes and off-duty law enforcement are also exempt.
Open carry of a handgun is Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, a Class 4 felony first offense; second offense is Class 2 with three to seven years prison.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Oak Lawn, IL
Oak Lawn relies primarily on a plainly-audible standard for residential noise enforcement, with numerical decibel limits applying to commercial and industria...
Oak Lawn, IL
Oak Lawn regulates residential driveways through its zoning and building codes. Driveways must be paved with concrete, asphalt, brick, or approved pavers, me...
Oak Lawn, IL
Oak Lawn does not recognize the Chicago 'dibs' tradition of saving shoveled parking spaces with chairs, cones, or other objects. Placing items in the public ...
Oak Lawn, IL
Oak Lawn requires all swimming pools capable of holding more than 24 inches of water to be enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet high with self-closing, self...
Oak Lawn, IL
Oak Lawn prohibits barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing in residential districts. Chain link, wood, vinyl, and ornamental metal are generally per...
Oak Lawn, IL
Oak Lawn requires all dogs to be leashed when off their owner's property. Cook County requires all dogs over 4 months old to have a current rabies vaccinatio...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Cook County.
See how Oak Lawn's open carry rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.