Parking in a Chicago Bike Lane: The $250 Fine, Tows and Cameras

Chicago bans standing or parking in a bike lane. The ordinance carries an immediate tow and a $250 fine, and since December 2024 the City has used cameras to find violators.^1,2,4 This page gives the ordinance, the fine, the exceptions and the camera program.

The ordinance

Section 9-40-060 of the Municipal Code is titled “Driving, standing or parking on bicycle paths or lanes prohibited.”¹ Its parking prohibition reads:

“The driver of a vehicle shall not: (i) stand or park a vehicle upon any on-street path or lane designated by official signs or markings for the use of bicycles” — Municipal Code of Chicago 9-40-060(a)(2)¹

Subsection (a)(2) goes further. A driver also may not stand or park in a lane marked for the shared use of motor vehicles and bicycles, and may not stand in a way that impedes bicycle traffic in the lane.¹

Subsection (a)(1) covers driving. A driver may not drive in an on-street bike path or lane unless entering or exiting a legal parking space, and may not otherwise place the vehicle so as to impede bicycle traffic.¹

The fine and the tow

Two penalties follow. The first is the fine. Section 9-4-025 sets it at $250.00 for each offense for standing or parking on bicycle paths or lanes.⁹ The City’s Department of Finance lists code 9-40-060, “Parking/Standing on Bicycle Path,” at an initial fine of $250.00 with a $0.00 late penalty.² The schedule adds that it does not waive any later amendment to a fine amount enacted by the City Council.²

The second is the tow. In addition to the fine, any vehicle parked in violation of subsection (a)(2) is subject to an immediate tow and removal to a city vehicle pound or authorized garage.¹ That is separate from the ticket.

Violation	Code	Initial fine
Parking or standing on a bicycle path	9-40-060	$250.002
Standing, parking or other use of a bus lane	9-12-060	$90.002

Questions about a ticket go to the Department of Finance at 312-744-7275.²

Who is exempt

The ordinance lists narrow exceptions. A bus driver may stop in a bike lane at a designated bus stop to load or unload passengers, or in an emergency.¹

The Secretary of State states the driver’s duty in plainer terms: even if no bicyclists are present, do not drive, park or stand in the bike lane, and wait for bicyclists to pass before entering the lane to park.⁵

Who can enforce it

Any police officer may enforce section 9-40-060.¹ So may a traffic control aide, a parking enforcement aide and others designated by the Traffic Compliance Administrator or the transportation and streets commissioners. They hold authority over the parking prohibition in subsection (a)(2).¹

Smart Streets cameras

The City now backs the ordinance with cameras. Smart Streets uses cameras mounted on City vehicles and CTA buses, and states its aim: to make Chicago’s growing network of bike and bus lanes work to their full potential.⁴ The City began issuing Smart Streets violations in December 2024.⁴

The pilot’s rules are specific:

• It authorizes the City to ticket registered vehicle owners by mail for specific parking violations, including bus and bike lane violations in the pilot area.³
• Drivers receive a warning notice for a first offense, with later violations resulting in fines.³
• The Smart Streets page lists the 9-40-060 bike-lane fine at $250.00.⁴
• Each bus system carries two windshield-mounted cameras that identify and record violations in bus lanes, bike lanes and bus stops.³
• The camera vendor reviews the data manually, and the City of Chicago makes the final determination and issues the violation. The CTA does not review or issue tickets.³

The enforcement area is a bounded zone, inclusive of both sides of each street, whose boundary starts at the easternmost point of Irving Park Road extended to Lake Michigan and runs west on Irving Park Road to North Ashland Avenue.⁴ The program is currently set to expire in December 2026.⁴ Options for paying, a payment plan, contesting the ticket and the Clear Path Relief Program are listed on the same page.⁴

Riding in and around bike lanes

The City’s transportation department defines a bike lane as a five- to six-foot striped lane marked with a large white bicycle and restricted to bicycle travel.⁶ When the stripe turns dotted, motorists may cross it to turn.⁶ A rider need not use the lane: cyclists may take the adjacent travel lane when moving at the speed of traffic.⁶

Riders have their own limits. A Class 3 e-bike rider may not ride in a bike lane.¹ A bicycle itself parks at the curb or against a rack, meter or sign pole in a way that least obstructs pedestrians.⁷ On a roadway, a parked bicycle may not obstruct a legally parked car.⁸

For lane types and routes, see Chicago bike lanes. The related door rule is in the Chicago dooring law, and the overview sits in Chicago bike laws. The full list starts at the laws hub.