State law file · verified June 2026
Illinois idling law: the 10 minutes per hour rule
By Mario Bailey
In the Chicago metro and Metro-East St. Louis nonattainment areas (Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, Will, Madison, St. Clair, Monroe counties and parts of Grundy/Kendall), diesel vehicles over 8,000 lbs may not idle more than 10 minutes in any 60-minute period (625 ILCS 5/11-1429).
Exceptions that actually matter
- Locations more than 200 feet from a residential area, per the statute’s terms
- Safety and health emergencies
- Other statutory exceptions in 625 ILCS 5/11-1429
Penalties
A violation is a petty offense: $90 for a first conviction and $500 for a second or subsequent conviction within 12 months.
Who enforces it, and how to report
Police in the covered counties; Chicago also promotes idling reduction city-wide.
Report persistent idling to local police or the municipality; there is no citizen reward.
Can you get paid for reporting in Illinois?
No. Illinois has no citizen reward, complaints are civic, not paid. The only major program that pays complainants is New York City's idling bounty, where citizens keep 25% of collected fines and our enforcement data shows what that produces: hundreds of thousands of cases and an estimated eight-figure sum paid to filers. If a paid program launches in Illinois, this page will say so.
Frequently asked questions
What is the truck idling limit in Illinois?
Ten minutes per 60-minute period for diesel vehicles over 8,000 lbs, but only in the Chicago metro and Metro-East nonattainment counties listed in 625 ILCS 5/11-1429. Fines: $90 first conviction, $500 for repeats within 12 months.
Does Illinois pay citizens for idling reports?
No, reporting goes to local police with no reward. Only NYC pays complainants a share of fines.
Sources
This summary was checked against the following official sources on the date shown above. Laws change, verify before relying on specifics.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Statutes and penalty schedules summarized from the sources above as of June 2026.