Skokie, IL Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Skokie Village Code § 90-44
- Permit required for
- New, rebuilt, enlarged or resurfaced driveways
- Exempt work
- Seal coating only
- Construction standard
- Must meet IDOT specifications
- Maintenance duty
- Owner keeps crossing repaired, snow-free
- Fees
- Set in Chapter 46
Summary
Village of Skokie Code requires a Village permit before anyone builds, rebuilds, enlarges or resurfaces a driveway that crosses or abuts a public right-of-way. Section 90-44 also fixes grading, surface and IDOT-standard specifications for driveways where they cross the sidewalk, and makes the owner responsible for keeping the crossing free of snow, ice and disrepair.
(a)Permit.(1)Required. No person shall construct a driveway across or abutting any public right-of-way in the Village or reconstruct, enlarge or resurface (not including seal coating) any portion of an existing driveway which crosses or abuts a public right-of-way in the Village without having first obtained a permit therefor. ... (b)Grade surface. No driveway shall be so constructed or graded as to leave a step, sharp depression or other obstruction in the sidewalk. The grade shall be level and the same as that of the adjoining sidewalk or curb. It shall be unlawful to have the surface finish of any driveway where the driveway crosses the sidewalk constructed of such materials as to render it slippery and hazardous to pedestrians.(c)Specifications. Driveways across sidewalks shall be constructed in compliance with IDOT standards or any other current specifications deemed acceptable by the Village Manager or designee.(d)Maintenance. It shall be the duty of the owner of the premises served by the driveway to keep the driveway in good repair and free from snow or ice or other obstruction where it crosses a sidewalk.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 205 | Zoning: Supplement 89).
Full Breakdown
Section 90-44 of the Village of Skokie Code, in Chapter 90's Article II on Streets and Sidewalks, governs any driveway that crosses or abuts a public right-of-way in the Village. Subsection (a)(1) makes a permit mandatory before a person constructs a new driveway, or reconstructs, enlarges or resurfaces an existing one; seal coating alone is the only exception carved out of the permit requirement. Applications go to the Village Manager or a designee on the Village's prescribed forms under subsection (a)(2), with fees set in Chapter 46 and the Village Manager empowered to demand additional supporting information from the applicant.
Subsection (b) sets the physical grading standard at the sidewalk crossing: no driveway may leave a step, sharp depression or other obstruction, the grade must be level with and match the adjoining sidewalk or curb, and the finished surface cannot be built of a material that renders it slippery and hazardous to pedestrians crossing it. Subsection (c) ties construction to an outside technical standard, requiring compliance with Illinois Department of Transportation specifications, or other current specifications the Village Manager or designee finds acceptable. Subsection (d) then places an ongoing maintenance duty on the property owner served by the driveway: the owner must keep the driveway in good repair and keep it free of snow, ice or any other obstruction at the point where it crosses the public sidewalk, a duty that runs continuously and separately from the one-time construction permit.
Violations & Fines
Building, rebuilding or resurfacing a driveway across the right-of-way without the Section 90-44 permit, or letting a crossing fall out of repair or stay blocked by snow and ice, is enforced under the Section 1-6 Village-wide penalty: a fine of up to $750.00 for each day the violation continues, on top of any order to bring the driveway into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to repave my existing driveway in Skokie?
What construction standard does Skokie require for a driveway apron?
Who has to shovel snow off my driveway where it crosses the sidewalk?
Can my driveway have a bump where it meets the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Skokie
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