Valet Parking

Valet zones are special loading zone areas in the parking lane of the road that can be used for the operation of a valet service.

Loading Zones

Loading zones are designated areas in the parking lane for the loading and unloading of deliveries to buildings. These zones are for commercial vehicles or vehicles that have a valid Non-Commercial Loading Zone Permit only. These zones are not designated to reserve parking for business patrons or employees. Any commercial vehicle may park in any loading zone to load and unload for up to thirty minutes.

For non-commercial vehicles to do business (drop off, pick up, etc.) - 15 Minute Standing Zones

Standing zones are designated areas in the parking lane for temporary parking. Vehicles parking in standing zones must have their hazard lights flashing while the driver is away from the vehicle. The process for determining a standing zone and approval is similar to that of a loading zone. Active hours of the zone will be limited to your hours of operation. Note: Even though the standing zone is placed next to your business, vehicles standing in the zone for the allotted time are not obligated to visit your business.

Winter Overnight Parking Ban Ends

For the purpose of facilitating snow removal, the commissioner of transportation is authorized to erect and maintain signs prohibiting the parking of vehicles on any street or streets within the city between the hours of 3:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. from December 1st of any year to March 31st of the following year and to further designate such street or streets as “tow zones.” It shall be unlawful to park any vehicle on any street in violation of a sign erected or maintained pursuant to this section.

This annual ban from December 1st to April 1st every year prohibits drivers from parking overnight from 3 AM to 7 AM on 107 miles of main arterial thoroughfares within the city.

The ban, unlike the 2" snow ban,is in effect every night no matter if there’s snow on the pavement or not, allegedly to make it impossible for city snow removal crews to plow out our streets in case of a surprise heavy duty snowstorm. But drivers should remember, while rarely ever invoked, the 2" snow ban can be triggered any time there is 2" of snow or more on the street–even if it snowed in August.

Don’t be surprised if you see bright orange signs and street sweepers on your street during December. That’s because Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation decided to officially extend street cleaning through mid-December. In past years Chicago’s street cleaning season runs from April 1st through November 30th. But due to the prolonged and mild fall which delayed many trees from shedding their leaves until late in the season, Streets and Sanitation felt it would be important to winter snow removal efforts to make sure leaves were cleared from residential streets where possible.

Parking on snow routes

It shall be unlawful to park any vehicle for a period of time longer than three minutes for the loading and unloading of passengers or 30 minutes for the loading, unloading, pick-up or delivery of materials from commercial vehicles, whether such location has been designated as a loading zone or not, on any street that has been designated by appropriate signs as a “Snow Route” at any time the snow on the street exceeds two inches in depth and until the snow stops falling and for the necessary period of time until all snow removal operations have been completed.