Snow or no, your car could be towed.
Chicago’s winter overnight parking ban begins at 3 a.m. Dec. 1. This means parking is prohibited on 107 miles of streets from 3 to 7 a.m. — regardless of snow — until April 1, 2026.
Another 500 miles of streets prohibit parking after 2 inches of snow or more falls, no matter the time of day or the date.
These parking bans are designed to keep the city’s streets clear and cars moving despite inclement weather — and to prevent recurrences of problems that happened in 1967 and 1979 when Chicago came to a traffic standstill due to major snowstorms.
Signs are posted along the affected streets. Motorists who ignore these seasonal parking bans will be towed and face at least a $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket and storage fees of $25 per day.
Vehicles in violation of the ban will be towed to Auto Pound No. 2 (10301 S. Doty Ave.) or Auto Pound No. 6 (701 N. Sacramento Blvd.). Both locations are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Think your car has been towed? Call 311 to determine your vehicle’s location and the address of the impound lot.
The city’s Streets and Sanitation Department has additional tips on what to do to retrieve your vehicle from an impound lot.
Sources: City of Chicago; Tribune reporting