Chicago, IL Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Required clearance
- 10 ft above sidewalks/streets
- Enforcing office
- Deputy Commissioner, Streets & Sanitation
- Cure period
- 10 days after notice
- Non-compliance cost
- City removes it, bills owner
Summary
Chicago requires 10 feet of clearance above sidewalks and streets for trees and shrubs, or the growth is a declared public nuisance.
Any tree, shrub or other plant material which interferes with the proper spread of light along a street or alley from a streetlight, or interferes with the visibility of any traffic-control sign or device, or does not provide ten-foot clearance above public ways or sidewalks, or has dead, dying, diseased or broken limbs which may be hazardous to public safety... is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-74: Current through Council Journal of June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under MCC § 10-32-040, any tree, shrub, or plant that fails to provide ten-foot clearance above a public way or sidewalk, or blocks streetlight spread, obscures a traffic-control device, or has dead, dying, diseased, or broken limbs, is a declared public nuisance. The Deputy Commissioner of Streets and Sanitation serves the property owner a notice, and the owner has 10 days to remove the hazard at their own expense.
Violations & Fines
Owner has 10 days after notice to correct; if not, the City removes the growth and bills the owner, recoverable through legal action by the Corporation Counsel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much clearance must a Chicago street tree keep over the sidewalk?
What happens if I ignore the trim notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chicago
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Tree Trimming in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle tree trimming.