The Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) reminds motorists the Chicago winter overnight parking ban begins on Wednesday, December 1, 2022, and is in effect through April 1, 2023. The parking ban is enforced regardless of snow on 107 miles of main streets throughout the city during the hours of 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Signage is permanently posted along the affected routes.
During a snowfall, a build-up of snow and ice next to parked vehicles on these routes further reduces traffic flow and can cause unsafe conditions. DSS works to clear the City’s main streets and Lake Shore Drive first to ensure that roads are safe and passable for motorists, buses, and emergency vehicles.
Cars left parked on these designated roadways obstruct the path of snowplows and prevent routes from being fully plowed and salted when it snows. Violators of the parking ban will be towed and face a minimum $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket, and a storage fee of $25 per day. Vehicles in violation of the ban will be towed to Pounds 2 (10301 S. Doty Ave.) or 6 (701 N. Sacramento).
Chicagoans can visit chicagoshovels.org for a map of streets impacted by the ban and to view the City’s snow plows in real-time during a storm. Motorists can also visit chicagoshovels.org or call 311 to find out if their vehicle was towed due to the ban.
A separate snow related parking ban exists for another 500 miles of main streets and can be activated after there are at least two inches of snow on the street, no matter the time of day or the calendar date. While the 2” inch snow ban is not activated often, motorists who are parked there when it snows could receive a ticket or find that their vehicle has been relocated in order to facilitate snow clearing operations.