Des Plaines restricts motorized lawn equipment, including gas and electric leaf blowers, under the City Code's noise provisions (Title 6, Chapter 6). Equipment may generally be operated 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Sundays and federal holidays. Gas-powered blowers remain legal.
Under Title 6, Chapter 6 of the Des Plaines City Code (Noise), motorized lawn maintenance equipment — including leaf blowers, mowers, edgers, and trimmers — must be limited to 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday, with reduced hours of 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Sundays and holidays. Des Plaines has not enacted a gas-blower ban, and commercial landscapers must comply with the same hour limits as residents. The City's many wooded residential streets between Rand Road and the Des Plaines River produce heavy seasonal leaf volumes, and complaints typically spike each fall. Report violations to the Des Plaines Police non-emergency line at (847) 391-5400 or to Code Enforcement at (847) 391-5380.
Operating lawn equipment outside permitted hours is a noise violation with administrative fines of $75 to $250 per occurrence. Commercial landscapers with repeat violations may face escalated penalties and contractor license review.
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