Cook County, IL Local Taxes & Fees: Parking Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Daily rate
- 6% of parking charge
- Weekly/monthly rate
- 9% of parking charge
- Small-charge exemption
- $2/$10/$40 thresholds
- First-offense fine
- $1,000
- Applies
- Countywide, incl. municipalities
Summary
Cook County taxes parking a motor vehicle in any lot or garage countywide, including inside municipalities like Chicago, at 6% for daily parking and 9% for weekly or monthly parking.
A tax is imposed upon the use and privilege of parking a motor vehicle in or upon any parking lot or garage in the County. The tax shall be collected by operators and valet parking operators... A tax upon the use or privilege of parking a motor vehicle in or upon parking lots or garages... is hereby imposed at the rate of six percent of the charge or fee paid for parking for a 24-hour period or less and nine percent of the charge or fee paid for parking for a weekly or monthly period.
Full Breakdown
Under the Parking Lot and Garage Operations Tax Ordinance, operators of any lot or garage housing four or more vehicles for a fee must collect and remit tax on every transaction. Since September 1, 2013, the rate is 6% of the charge for parking 24 hours or less and 9% for weekly or monthly parking, unless the operator's lot sits in a municipality of 250,000 or fewer residents, which gets a slightly higher exemption floor. 00 in the smaller-municipality tier). Residential off-street parking under a lease or condo association agreement, and hospital/medical-center employee parking where the hospital is the operator, are exempt.
Operators and valet parking operators must register for a parking tax certificate before commencing business and file monthly remittance returns with the Department of Revenue by the 20th of the following month, even when no tax is due.
Violations & Fines
Fine of $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for each subsequent offense; each day a violation continues or is left uncorrected after notice counts as a separate offense. Knowingly furnishing false information to the Department is also a violation, and the County may still pursue civil collection of unpaid tax, interest and penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this parking tax apply inside Chicago?
Is street parking or a small home driveway taxed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cook County
Compare Cook County to another location·View the Illinois local taxes & fees overview
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