DuPage County, IL Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 8-130(B), (C)
- Sidewalk removal
- Requires special permit before work starts
- Prohibited on sidewalks/streets
- Storing materials, mixing mortar, washing vehicles
- Applies to
- Anyone holding a building/alteration permit
- Violation fine
- $100-$1,000 per day, Sec. 8-117.4
- Enforcing office
- Building Official / Building & Zoning Dept.
Summary
DuPage County's building code bars contractors from blocking a public sidewalk during construction and makes it unlawful to store materials, mix mortar or wash equipment on any county sidewalk, parkway or street. Removing a sidewalk requires a special permit from the authority having jurisdiction before the work begins.
8-130: - BUILDING OPERATIONS. B.Sidewalks: No sidewalk shall be obstructed in course of building operations and whenever a removal of a sidewalk is required, such work shall not be done until a special permit is secured from the authority having jurisdiction.C.Street Use: It shall be unlawful upon any street, parkway, or sidewalk within the county to deposit or store any building materials, tools, apparatus, or structure designed or intended to be used in the erection, construction, alteration, or repair of buildings.1.It shall be unlawful to mix mortar, concrete or any other material upon the surface of any sidewalk or pavement in the County, or to wash any vehicle or machine incidental to construction on any street right-of-way.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 14 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. ' Sec. 1 separately bars mixing mortar or concrete on a sidewalk or pavement surface, or washing a construction vehicle or machine on any street right-of-way. These rules sit alongside the county's construction-hours limit in Sec. and bars noisy work on Sundays, showing the same article regulates both the noise and the physical footprint of a jobsite. The obstruction ban applies for the life of any building or alteration permit and is enforced by the Building Official under the county's general Building Code enforcement provisions.
A property owner or contractor who needs to remove or temporarily block a sidewalk, for a driveway apron or utility trench, must apply to the authority having jurisdiction for the special permit before starting rather than closing the walk first and seeking approval afterward.
Violations & Fines
Sidewalk obstruction is enforced under the Building Code's general penalty, Sec. 8-117.4. The Building Official first issues a written notice of violation identifying the section violated and gives the responsible party fourteen days to clear the sidewalk or request an administrative appeal. If the obstruction continues, the county can pursue a court fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, with each day of continued obstruction charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a contractor block the sidewalk during a remodel?
Do I need a permit just to remove a section of sidewalk?
Can workers mix concrete or wash equipment on the sidewalk?
What's the penalty for blocking a sidewalk without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DuPage County
Compare DuPage County to another location·View the Illinois sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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