on September 10, 2026

Illinois Dog Poop Laws

Quick answer: Illinois has no statewide pooper scooper law. Picking up after your dog is regulated city by city, and all three of the largest cities we checked have an ordinance requiring it. In Joliet, the rule applies only on other people's property. Aurora publishes a set ticket of $100.

Why Illinois leaves it to cities

Illinois has no statewide law requiring owners to pick up after dogs. The Animal Control Act (510 ILCS 5) has no feces or excrement provision. Its Section 9 lets a dog found running at large contrary to the Act be impounded, charges the owner a $25 public safety fine, and requires sterilization within 30 days after a second or later at-large finding. Section 24 leaves municipalities and other political subdivisions free to prohibit dogs running at large and to further regulate dogs, as long as no regulation is breed-specific. The Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-20-9) separately lets municipalities regulate and prohibit dogs running at large, and the Counties Code (55 ILCS 5/5-1071) lets county boards do the same in subdivided unincorporated areas. Pickup rules are therefore purely local: city codes, plus separate park district codes such as the Chicago Park District and Joliet Park District. The statute text was read on the Animal Legal & Historical Center (Michigan State University College of Law) consolidated Illinois dog law page, last checked September 2025, because ilga.gov returned 403 and certificate errors to automated access. Any amendments after September 2025 were not checked.

  • Dogs running at large; impoundment ($25 public safety fine; no waste provision): 510 ILCS 5/9 (read it)
  • Municipal power to prohibit running at large and further regulate dogs (no breed-specific rules): 510 ILCS 5/24 (read it)
  • Municipalities may regulate and prohibit dogs running at large: 65 ILCS 5/11-20-9 (read it)
  • County boards may regulate dogs running at large in subdivided unincorporated areas: 55 ILCS 5/5-1071 (read it)

Pooper scooper laws in Illinois's largest cities

Each row comes from the city's own municipal code. "Up to" is the most a court can impose, not a standard ticket. Where a city publishes no amount, we say so rather than estimate one.

City Ordinance Fine Must carry a bag
Chicago Municipal Code of Chicago 7-12-420 (Removal of excrement) $50 to $500 Yes
Aurora Aurora Code of Ordinances Sec. 9-17 (Responsibility for removal of excrement), as rewritten by Ordinance O22-035 (Legistar file 22-0257, adopted May 10, 2022); fines under Sec. 9-27 and the Exhibit B fee and fine table; penalty range in Sec. 9-32(a) $100 No
Joliet Joliet Code of Ordinances Sec. 6-27 (Damaging, defacing property); penalty under the general penalty, Sec. 1-8 $150 to $750 No

The rule people miss: carrying the bag

In Chicago, the law does not just require you to pick up. It requires you to be carrying something to pick up with, so walking out without a bag can be an offense on its own even if your dog never goes.

A bag holder on the leash solves that for good. Ours is the Walk Dispenser, which clips on and holds a full roll.

Worth knowing about Illinois

  • Chicago twice tried to tighten its pet waste rule and both attempts died. O2016-1703, sent by Mayor Emanuel at the request of the Streets and Sanitation Commissioner, would have required pet feces on any private property to be collected daily, bagged, and put in a City-issued or other rodent-resistant lidded container. Its recitals tie pet waste to rats and cite 311 rodent complaints rising from 32,855 in 2014 to 36,425 in 2015. It was recommended to pass by committee on May 12, 2016, but was recorded as Failed to Pass on May 29, 2019. O2018-9026 would have let Streets and Sanitation enforce 7-12-420 and also failed on May 29, 2019.
  • Under Chicago's 7-12-420, appearing with a pet in public 'without some means for the removal of excrement' is an offense in itself, fined $50 to $500 per offense. Chicago Park District property has a separate code, Chapter VII B.10.b, with a civil fine of up to $500 under B.18.a. Chicago Animal Care and Control lists 'excrement issues on the public way' as a nuisance complaint type.
  • Aurora went the other way. Its 2022 rewrite of Chapter 9 (Ordinance O22-035) struck the old requirement to carry 'suitable means for the removal of such excreta' and kept only an immediate-removal duty, exempting guide dogs. Fines are now a flat citation schedule of $100, $250, and $500 for first, second, and third offenses, with a $100 to $2,500 per-day range on a finding of liability.
  • Joliet's city code has no pickup duty for sidewalks or streets. Its only dog waste rule (Sec. 6-27) bars letting a dog defecate on private property, enforced through the $150 to $750 general penalty. Joliet Park District land falls under the park district's own General Use Ordinance No. 771 (2012), which requires a leash no longer than 6 feet, possession of a removal device, and removal of excrement. Its general penalty is $100 to $1,000.

Common questions

Is it illegal to not pick up dog poop in Illinois?

There is no statewide law, but every one of the largest cities we checked has a pickup rule, and most smaller towns have similar ordinances. In Joliet, the rule applies only on other people's property. Check your own city or county code.

How much is the fine for not picking up dog poop in Illinois?

It depends on the city. Chicago: $50 to $500. Aurora: $100. Joliet: $150 to $750.

Do I have to carry a poop bag in Illinois?

In Chicago, yes. The ordinance requires you to have a means of removal with you while walking your dog.

Are service dog handlers exempt?

In Chicago and Aurora, the ordinance exempts handlers who have a disability and cannot physically pick up. The exemption covers the handler, not the dog.

Other states in the Midwest

Ohio · Michigan · Indiana · Missouri · Wisconsin · Minnesota · Iowa · Kansas

See all 50 states · How scoop laws work in general

Sources

Checked 2026-09-10. Ordinances change, so if you are dealing with an actual citation, read the current code at the link rather than relying on this page.

This page is general information, not legal advice.