Chicago, IL Parking Rules: Dibs & Space Saving (2026)

Chicago Municipal Code Section 10-28-070 prohibits the storage of goods, wares, or merchandise on public ways without a permit. This is the primary legal basis under which the 'dibs' practice — placing chairs, cones, sawhorses, or other household items in shoveled-out parking spaces — is considered illegal. Section 10-28-875 establishes penalties of not less than $50 nor more than $250 for each offense, with each day constituting a separate violation. Despite the legal prohibition, dibs has been a deeply entrenched cultural practice in Chicago since at least the blizzard of 1967, with the term popularized in 1999 by Tribune columnist John Kass. Enforcement is largely handled on a complaint basis. The Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) collects dibs items as part of regular trash and snow cleanup, particularly after the immediate post-storm period passes. Residents can request dibs removal through 311. After the city's 2025 winter season, DSS received over 2,000 requests to remove space-saving objects. The practice is most common on side streets in residential neighborhoods; it is not practiced on metered streets or in the Central Business District. Vandalism related to dibs disputes (keyed cars, slashed tires, broken windows) is reported to police and prosecuted as criminal damage to property.