Chicago, IL Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- Fine
- $90-$500 per offense
- Rule
- Crosswalk required on through streets
- Elsewhere
- Signs can ban mid-block crossing
- Duty
- Must yield to traffic if not in crosswalk
- Citation
- MCC 9-60-020
Summary
Chicago requires pedestrians to use a marked crosswalk when crossing any through street, and lets the city ban mid-block crossings elsewhere with posted signage.
No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than in a crosswalk on any through street.
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 9-60-020, pedestrians may not cross a through street except within a marked crosswalk. On other streets, the transportation commissioner can post signs banning crossings between intersections wherever an engineering study finds it unsafe (9-60-010). Where mid-block crossing is still legal, pedestrians must yield to vehicles (9-60-050) and take the most direct route at right angles to the curb rather than cutting diagonally (9-60-060). Chicago Police and the Department of Administrative Hearings can ticket jaywalkers citywide.
Violations & Fines
Fine-only offense: $90 to $500 per violation under the Title 9 catch-all penalty (MCC 9-4-020); no criminal penalty applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is jaywalking illegal in Chicago?
Can I cross mid-block elsewhere in the city?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chicago
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Jaywalking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle jaywalking.