Laws & Ordinances You Should know

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This list includes some of the common ordinances enforced by the Yorkville Police Department. For a complete list of City ordinances click here to be taken directly to the City Code Book.

• New Recreational Cannabis Law - January 1, 2020
• School Bus Laws
• Distracted Driving
• Cell Phones in Schools & Construction Zones
• Illinois Front License Plate Requirement
• Illinois Vehicle Insurance Requirement
• "Share the Road" Bicycle Safety Laws
• Scott's Law: The "Move Over" Law
• Construction/Work Zones
• Speeding FAQs
• Illinois Secretary of State link to Graduated Driver License Information
• Illinois Secretary of State link to Rules of the Road/Traffic Safety Information
• Illinois Secretary of State link to Vehicle Code
• False Alarm Ordinance
• Dog & Domesticated Animal Ordinances
• Parking Regulations & Vehicle Towing Ordinance
• Public Health Ordinance
• Solicitor Ordinance
• Tobacco Ordinance
• Weapons Ordinance

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New Recreational Cannabis Law - January 1, 2020

Beginning on January 1, 2020, adults 21 years of age or older can legally possess, consume and purchase certain amounts of recreational cannabis with a few exceptions. The Yorkville Police Department reminds residents that the only lawful place to consume recreational cannabis is inside your private residence or on your personal private property outside of public view. Here are some important highlights of the new recreational cannabis law:

• You must be 21 years old or older to purchase, possess or use cannabis except where authorized by the Compassionate Use of medical Cannabis Act or the Community College Cannabis Vocational Pilot Program.
• An Illinois resident who is 21 years of age or older will be able to lawfully possess 30 grams of cannabis flower, no more than 500 milligrams of THC contained in cannabis-infused products and 5 grams of cannabis concentrate.
• It is illegal to operate, navigate or be in actual physical control of any motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or snowmobile while using or under the influence of cannabis.
• It is illegal to transport cannabis in a vehicle unless the cannabis is in a reasonably secured, sealed container and it is reasonably inaccessible while the vehicle is moving. It is also illegal to use cannabis in any motor vehicle.
• The use of cannabis is prohibited in a school bus, on the grounds of any preschool, primary or secondary school, in a private residence that is used at any time to provide licensed child care or other similar social service care on the premises or in any public place, including bars, restaurants, parks and any place where you could reasonably be expected to be observed by others.
• The possession of cannabis is prohibited in a school bus, on the grounds of any preschool, primary or secondary school, or in a private residence that is used at any time to provide licensed child-care or other similar social service care on the premises.
• It is illegal to knowingly use cannabis in close physical proximity to anyone younger than 21 years of age who is not a  registered medical cannabis patient under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act.
• It is illegal to smoke cannabis anyplace where cannabis is prohibited under the Smoke Free Illinois Act. 
• It is illegal to facilitate the use of cannabis by any person who is not allowed to use cannabis under the Illinois Cannabis Tax & Regulation Act
• It is illegal to transfer cannabis to any person contrary to the Illinois Cannabis Tax & Regulation Act
• Only licensed recreational dispensaries will be allowed to sell recreational cannabis products.

The Yorkville Police Department reminds residents to be respectful of their neighbors while using recreational cannabis. Please contact the police department at 630-553-4340 if you have any further questions about the new recreational cannabis law.  Back to the top. 

City of Yorkville Regulation of the Use of Cannabis Ordinance can be found here in the City Code Book.

School Bus Laws

Vehicles are now also required to stop before meeting or overtaking a school bus located on school property (rather than just on public roadways). The only time a vehicle is not required to stop for a school bus is when both vehicles are on a four lane roadway and the bus is stopped in the opposite direction from which a driver is traveling. Any other time, a driver must stop before meeting or overtaking (passing) a school bus that is stopped and loading or unloading passengers.

A warning will be given by the school bus at least 100 feet (200 feet in rural areas) in advance of a stop. The bus driver will flash-lights on the front and rear of the bus. The school bus stop signal arm will be extended after the school bus has come to a complete stop. A driver approaching a school bus from the opposite direction must come to a complete stop and remain stopped until the stop signal arm is no longer extended and the flashing lights are turned off or the school bus driver signals vehicles to pass.

A conviction for passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights and the stop arm extended will result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license. If the owner(s) of the vehicle were not driving when the offense occurred, they must provide the State’s Attorney’s Office with the name of the person driving the vehicle or their vehicle registration will be suspended for three months. Back to the top.

Distracted Driving

Drivers may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device, such as a hand-held wireless telephone, hand-held personal digital assistant, or a portable or mobile computer. Some of the exemptions to the law include: 

• Using an electronic communication device in hands-free or voice-operated mode, which may include the use of a headset
• Using an electronic communication device to report an emergency situation and continued communication with emergency personnel during the emergency situation
• Using an electronic communication device when the vehicle is stopped due to the normal traffic being obstructed and the driver has the motor transmission in neutral or park
• Using an electronic communication device when the vehicle is parked on the shoulder of a roadway

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Cell Phones in Schools & Construction Zones

Since 2010, cell phone use is prohibited in school zones while operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. Cell phone use is also prohibited while driving on a highway in a construction zone.  Back to the top.

Illinois Front License Plate Requirement

Front registration plates are required on vehicles registered in the State of Illinois (625 ILCS 5/3-413(a)).  Back to the top.

Illinois Vehicle Insurance Requirement

Vehicle insurance is MANDATORY. No person shall operate, register or maintain registration of, and no owner shall permit another person to operate, register or maintain registration or a motor vehicle designed to be used on a public highway unless the motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy (625 ILCS 5/3-707).  Back to the top.

"Share the Road" Bicycle Safety Laws

It is a Class A Misdemeanor for a driver of a motor vehicle to “crowd” or threaten a bicyclist by unnecessarily driving a motor vehicle close to, toward, or near a bicyclist if the violation does not result in great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another. It is also now a Class A Misdemeanor when a person projects or throws any object or substance at or against a bicyclist.  Back to the top.

Scott's Law: The "Move Over" Law

Scott’s Law was named in honor of Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department who was struck and killed by a drunk driver while assisting at a crash on a Chicago Expressway.  When approaching a stationary emergency vehicle that is displaying flashing warning lights, Illinois motorists must:  Slow Down, Drive with Caution, AND Move over to another lane.  Reduce Speed if changing lanes is unsafe.  Back to the top.

Construction/Work Zones

When entering a highway construction area, Illinois Law requires motorists to:  Slow Down, Discontinue Wireless Use AND Yield or change lanes away from any authorized vehicles or workers in the area.  Back to the top.

Speeding FAQs

Question:  Where does a speed limit begin in Illinois?

Answer:  The speed limit begins at the speed limit sign, NOT when you see the sign

Question:  Can I exceed the speed limit to pass another vehicle?

Answer:  No.  

Question:  What is the law regarding school zone speed limits?

Answer:  The following is an excerpt from Chapter 625 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Act 5, Chapter 11, Section 605. The title of the section is "Special speed limit while passing schools and while traveling through highway construction zones"

(a) On a school day when children are present and so close thereto that a potential hazard exists because of the close proximity of the motorized traffic, no person shall drive a motor vehicle at a speed in excess of 20 miles per hour while passing a school zone or while traveling upon any public thoroughfare where children pass going to and from school.

The following is an Opinion of the Attorney General's Office (Number S-706):
This paragraph limits vehicle speed to 20 miles per hour only during school days while the vehicle is passing a school zone or is traveling on a street on or across which children pass going to or from school, and then only when children are physically present on such street or are outside the school building in a school zone. The 20 mile speed limit is not in effect when the children are inside the school building even though school is in session.

Question:  What is the law with regards to passing a stopped school bus in Illinois?

Answer:  The driver of a vehicle shall stop such vehicle before meeting or overtaking, from either direction, any school bus stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging pupils on a highway or upon a private road.  Such stop is required before reaching the school bus when the school bus is in operation and the school bus visual signals are activated.   The driver of a vehicle shall not proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the driver of the vehicle is signaled by the school bus driver to proceed or the visual signals are no longer activated.  Back to the top.

False Alarm Ordinance

This ordinance is for both business and residential alarm systems within the United City of Yorkville (5-6-1 and 5-6-2)  Back to the top.

Dog & Domesticated Animal Ordinances

• Animal Quantity Limitation
  • Per Sec. 10-2-3: Any lot or premises or portion thereof on which more than 4 dogs, cats, and other household domestic animals, over 4 months of age, are kept for sale, or on which more than 2 such animals are boarded for compensation constitutes the appropriate zoning for "Kennel, Commercial".
• Collar and Tags (5-2-4)
• Dangerous/Vicious Domestic Animals (5-2-4)
• Disturbing the Peace (5-2-4)
• Dog/Animal Waste (5-2-4)
• Rabies Inoculation (5-2-4)
• Resisting/Interfering with Officers (5-2-6)
• Running at Large (5-2-4)

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Parking Regulations & Vehicle Towing Ordinances

Some of our additional parking regulations include the following. For all additional parking regulations, refer to Title 6, Chapter 1, Section 1 and Title 6, Chapter 2 of the Code Book.

• Beecher Community Building
• City Parkways
• Detached Non-Motorized Vehicles
• Sidewalk, Parking On/Blocking
• Snowfall, Parking After 2"
• Towing Illegally Parked Vehicles
• Two-Hour Parking Limits on Bridge Street (Route 47) and Van Emmon Street
• Commercial Vehicle Parking (6-2-6)

Here are a few roadways that have additional parking regulations. All specific roadway regulations are located in Title 6, Chapter 2, Section 2 of the Code Book. 

Vehicle Towing

Yorkville allows for the towing of vehicles based on an arrest. For the full ordinance, visit Title 6, Chapter 4 of the City Code Book.

• $500 Impound Fee (Cash Bond) for Towed Vehicles Based On an Arrest

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Public Health Ordinances

• Noise Ordinance (4-4-3)
• Open Burning (4-1-1)

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Solicitor Ordinance

Yorkville's soliciting regulations include the following points. All regulations can be found in Title 3, Chapter 7 of the Code Book:

• Required to Carry/Post Permit (3-7-2)
• Time Limit on Soliciting -depending on license type (3-7-9)
• Uninvited Soliciting (3-7-8)
• Unlicensed Solicitors/Hawkers (3-7-2)
• Unsupervised Solicitors/Under 14 (3-7-3 & 3-7-5)

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Tobacco Ordinance

The full Tobacco ordinance can be found in Title 3, Chapter 8.

• Possession by Underage Person Prohibited (3-8-3)
• Purchase by Underage Person Prohibited (3-8-3)

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Weapons Ordinances

• Air Rifles (5-3-6)
• Bows, Arrows, Knives in City Parks (7-4-9)
• Discharging Firearms in City Parks (7-4-9)

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