Illinois Charge Code Lookup

Type a Illinois charge code from a booking sheet, jail roster or ticket and see which law book and section it points to, with a link to the official text. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.

Enter a code to see which law book it comes from and open the official text.

Illinois criminal code books and abbreviations

Illinois defines offenses in more than one law book, so the abbreviation on the record tells you which one:

  • Criminal Code of 2012 (720 ILCS 5) (ILCS). Sections are written as article-section after "5/" (12-3, 12-3.05), for example 12-3, 12-3.05, 19-1. See section 12-3
  • Illinois Controlled Substances Act (720 ILCS 570) (ILCS). Sections are written as section after "570/" (402, 401.1), for example 401, 402, 401.1. See section 401
  • Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5) (ILCS). Sections are written as chapter-section after "5/" (11-501, 6-303), for example 11-501, 6-303, 11-601. See section 11-501

After an arrest in Illinois: the first court appearance

A person arrested for an offense for which release may be denied must be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest and most accessible judge in the county. (725 ILCS 5/109-1(a))

(a) A person arrested with or without a warrant for an offense for which pretrial release may be denied under paragraphs (1) through (6) of Section 110-6.1 shall be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest and most accessible judge in that county

Illinois courts call this hearing the first appearance.

What this page does not do

  • It does not look up a person, a booking or a case.
  • It does not say what a charge will lead to; the prosecutor decides what is filed.
  • It collects nothing; what you type stays in your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read a Illinois charge code?

Find the number and the abbreviation. ILCS is used for the Criminal Code of 2012 (720 ILCS 5) and the Illinois Controlled Substances Act (720 ILCS 570) and the Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5), so the title or chapter number in the cite tells them apart. A section is written as article-section after "5/" (12-3, 12-3.05). The lookup above links the official text.

How long can you be held in Illinois before seeing a judge?

A person arrested for an offense for which release may be denied must be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest and most accessible judge in the county. (725 ILCS 5/109-1(a)).

Sources

Checked against the sources above on October 20, 2026.

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