Arlington Heights, IL Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Outdoor buffer
- 15 feet from entrances/outdoor dining (§19-504)
- Indoor ban
- All enclosed public places, workplaces (§19-503)
- Individual fine
- Up to $100 per violation
- Business first offense
- Up to $100
- Business repeat offense
- Up to $500 within a year
- Hotel exemption cap
- 20% of rooms may allow smoking
Summary
Arlington Heights, Illinois bans smoking within 15 feet of any entrance to a smoke-free enclosed area and within 15 feet of any outdoor eating establishment under Section 19-504 of its Clean Indoor Air Ordinance. The same ordinance bans smoking inside every enclosed public place and workplace in the Cook County village.
Smoking is prohibited within 15 feet of any entrance to an enclosed area in which smoking is prohibited and also within 15 feet of any outdoor eating establishment or facility.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 3 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
" Section 19-503 bans smoking in "all enclosed public places and places of employment," extending to enclosed or semi-enclosed sports arenas, health spas, bowling alleys, and similar assembly spaces. " That reaches restaurant patios and sidewalk cafes even though the tables themselves sit outside. Section 19-505 carves out narrow exemptions, including tobacco shops where smoking is confined to the premises, private residences, designated hotel and motel rooms capped at 20 percent of a building's rentable rooms, and licensed horse-racing facilities regulated under the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975.
Section 19-506 requires every covered business to post a "NO SMOKING" sign at each entrance, with red lettering at least four inches high or the international no-smoking symbol, and bars removing ashtrays for replacement with smoking paraphernalia in prohibited areas. The ordinance was adopted by Ordinance #14-031 and applies Village-wide within Cook County.
Violations & Fines
Section 19-507 fines an individual smoker in a prohibited area up to $100.00. A business owner, manager, or operator who fails to enforce the ban faces up to $100.00 for a first violation and up to $500.00 for each subsequent offense within a year, with every day of violation counted separately; the Village Manager can also seek an injunction or move to revoke a business license for repeated, intentional violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far from a restaurant patio must I stand to smoke in Arlington Heights?
What's the fine for smoking somewhere prohibited?
Are there any exceptions to the Arlington Heights smoking ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington Heights
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Outdoor Smoking Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle outdoor smoking restrictions.