Chicago, IL Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)

Chicago Municipal Code Section 10-8-180 obligates every owner, lessee, tenant, occupant, or other person having charge of any building or lot of ground abutting upon any public way or public place to remove snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of such building or lot. When snow ceases to fall during daytime hours, removal must occur within three hours. Snow that falls overnight (between 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM) must be cleared within 10 hours after daybreak. Where ice cannot be removed, it must be kept sprinkled with sand, sawdust, or similar substance. The ordinance has significant ADA implications, since uncleared sidewalks block wheelchair users and people with mobility devices. Although Chicago has historically used a "Snow Plow Tracker" and Snow Corps volunteer matching for elderly and disabled residents, the legal duty to clear remains with the property owner. Owners can face civil slip-and-fall liability under the Illinois Snow and Ice Removal Act if removal is performed negligently, though natural accumulation generally does not create premises liability.