Is Jaywalking Illegal in Illinois? Crossing Rules and Fines (2026)

Illinois does not make every crossing outside a crosswalk illegal. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003(a), a pedestrian crossing at any point other than a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection must yield the right-of-way to all vehicles. The same section flatly bars crossing between adjacent intersections with working traffic-control signals except in a marked crosswalk, and bars diagonal crossing of an intersection unless official traffic-control devices authorize it. Because 11-1003 sets no penalty of its own, the Vehicle Code's general penalty in 625 ILCS 5/16-104 makes a first or second conviction a petty offense, and the petty-offense sentencing statute sets a $75 minimum fine unless otherwise specified by law, with a $1,000 cap. For other states, see our guide to jaywalking laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-10. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Illinois state law: the pedestrian sections of Article X of Chapter 11 of the Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-1002 to 11-1011, including 11-1002.5), the signal rules in 11-306 and 11-307, local authority under 11-208, the general penalty in 16-104, and the petty-offense sentencing rule in 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-75. It does not cover Chicago or other municipal ordinances, county or court fee schedules, injury claims after a crash, or the law of other states.

Is jaywalking illegal in Illinois?

It depends on where and how you cross. The Vehicle Code separates a duty to yield, which makes most crossings outside a crosswalk lawful if the pedestrian gives way to traffic, from a short list of outright bans.

Crossing outside a crosswalk in Illinois

625 ILCS 5/11-1003 holds the core rules:

"(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway. (b) Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway. (c) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk. (d) No pedestrian shall cross a roadway intersection diagonally unless authorized by official traffic-control devices; and, when authorized to cross diagonally, pedestrians shall cross only in accordance with the official traffic-control devices pertaining to such crossing movements."

Read together, the subsections work in three layers:

• Yield, then cross. On an ordinary block, subsection (a) lets a pedestrian cross mid-block so long as the pedestrian yields to every vehicle. Subsection (b) applies the same yield duty where a tunnel or overhead crossing has been built.
• Signalized blocks. Subsection (c) is a prohibition. When the intersections at both ends of a block have working traffic-control signals, the only lawful mid-block crossing is in a marked crosswalk.
• Diagonal crossings. Subsection (d) bars cutting across an intersection diagonally unless official signs or signals authorize it, and even then the pedestrian must follow those devices.

Subsection (a) also treats an "unmarked crosswalk at an intersection" like a marked one. Under 625 ILCS 5/1-113, a crosswalk is "(a) That part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs or, in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway, and in the absence of a sidewalk on one side of the highway, that part of the highway included within the extension of the lateral line of the existing sidewalk to the side of the highway without the sidewalk, with such extension forming a right angle to the centerline of the highway" or "(b) Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface placed in accordance with the provisions in the Manual adopted by the Department of Transportation as authorized in Section 11-301."

Pedestrians with disabilities

Illinois adds a subsection for pedestrians with disabilities. Under 11-1003(e), "Pedestrians with disabilities may cross a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk where the intersection is physically inaccessible to them but they shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway."

Walk signals and red lights in Illinois

Illinois splits its signal rules between two sections, and each uses a different verb.

Pedestrian signals (11-307). Section 11-307(b) governs the Don't Walk or upraised palm head:

"(b) Don't Walk or upraised palm symbol. No pedestrian or bicyclist shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of such signal, but any pedestrian or bicyclist who has partly completed his crossing on the Walk signal or walking person symbol shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety island while the "Don't Walk" signal or upraised palm symbol is illuminated, steady, or flashing."

The rule bars starting to cross. Someone already partway across when the signal changes, steady or flashing, must continue to a sidewalk or safety island.

Ordinary traffic lights (11-306). Where no pedestrian signal directs otherwise, the regular traffic light binds pedestrians. Under 11-306, pedestrians facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow, "unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided in Section 11-307, are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown and no pedestrian shall then start to cross the roadway." For red, the section provides that, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided in Section 11-307, "pedestrians facing a steady circular red or red arrow signal alone shall not enter the roadway."

Recent changes to the signal sections

Public Act 104-260, effective August 15, 2025, added bicyclists to the Don't Walk rule in 11-307(b). Public Act 104-577, effective July 16, 2026, later amended 11-306, in its paragraph (c)3.5 on motorcycles and bicycles at a red signal that fails to change; the pedestrian text quoted here was not changed by it. The current text of 11-307(b) applies the Don't Walk rule to a "pedestrian or bicyclist," so a person riding a bicycle across in the direction of the signal is covered by the same start-to-cross bar.

Walking along the road

When a pedestrian is walking along a road rather than crossing it, 625 ILCS 5/11-1007 sets the order of preference:

• "(a) Except as provided in subsection (e), where a sidewalk is provided and its use is practicable, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway."
• "(b) Except as provided in subsection (e), where a sidewalk is not available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk only on a shoulder, as far as practicable from the edge of the roadway."
• "(c) Except as provided in subsection (e), where neither a sidewalk nor a shoulder is available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk as near as practicable to an outside edge of a roadway, and, if on a two-way roadway, shall walk only on the left side of the roadway."
• "(d) Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, any pedestrian upon a roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway."

Subsection (e) provides: "In municipalities with a population of under 2,000,000 inhabitants, upon highways where the maximum posted speed limit is 45 miles per hour or less, and during the period from sunrise to sunset, a pedestrian who is 18 years of age or older and wearing in-line speed skates may travel upon the roadway as near as practicable to an outside edge of the roadway."

Two related rules apply to people on foot. Under 11-1010, "A pedestrian who is under the influence of alcohol or any drug to a degree which renders himself a hazard shall not walk or be upon a highway except on a sidewalk." And under 11-1006(a), "No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride from the driver of any vehicle."

What drivers owe pedestrians in Illinois

The pedestrian's duty to yield outside a crosswalk does not erase the driver's duty inside one. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1002(a):

"(a) When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation the driver of a vehicle shall stop and yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger."

Illinois uses "stop and yield," not just "yield." The same section limits pedestrians in return: under 11-1002(b), "No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a moving vehicle which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard."

Under 11-1002(d), "Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle." Under 11-1002(e), where stop signs or flashing red signals are in place, "drivers shall yield right-of-way to pedestrians as set forth in Section 11-904 of this Chapter."

At working signals, drivers owe pedestrians a duty too. A pedestrian facing Walk "shall be given the right of way by the drivers of all vehicles" (11-307(a)). On green, "Vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right of way to other vehicles, to bicyclists, and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited" (11-306(a)1), and a driver turning on red "shall yield the right of way to pedestrians or bicyclists within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk" (11-306(c)3).

Two general duties apply everywhere. Under 11-1003.1, "every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian," shall sound the horn when necessary, and "shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, incapacitated or intoxicated person." Under 11-1004, "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian with clearly visible disabilities."

School zones carry a separate driver rule in 11-1002.5. Its penalty clause provides: "(b) A first violation of this Section is a petty offense with a minimum fine of $150. A second or subsequent violation of this Section is a petty offense with a minimum fine of $300."

Jaywalking fine and penalty in Illinois

Neither 11-1003 nor 11-307 contains a penalty clause of its own. The fallback is 625 ILCS 5/16-104:

"Every person convicted of a violation of any provision of this Code for which another penalty is not provided shall, for a first or second conviction thereof, be guilty of a petty offense and, for a third or subsequent conviction within one year after the first conviction, be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor."

The fine range for a petty offense comes from the Unified Code of Corrections. Under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-75(a):

"(a) FINE. Unless otherwise specified by law, the minimum fine is $75. A defendant may be sentenced to pay a fine not to exceed $1,000 for each offense or the amount specified in the offense, whichever is less."

Put together, a first or second conviction for crossing against the rules in 11-1003 is a petty offense, with a fine that starts at $75 unless another law specifies otherwise and cannot exceed $1,000. The Vehicle Code sections covered here do not fix a dollar figure for a pedestrian ticket.

In practice, a state pedestrian petty offense is a "minor traffic offense" under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 501(f), which defines traffic cases to include violations relating to "the use of streets and highways by pedestrians." Under Rule 529(a), minor traffic offenses, except those requiring a court appearance under Rule 551 and those that may be satisfied under Rule 531, "may be satisfied without a court appearance by a written plea of guilty," with payment of the Schedule 12 assessment. Schedule 12 is $164 (705 ILCS 135/15-60), and except as provided in Rule 529(b), "no other fines, fees, penalties, assessments, or costs shall be assessed" in a case disposed of that way.

Paying that way is a plea of guilty. A court may instead "enter an order for supervision" (730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-75(d)), and in counties designated by the Conference of Chief Circuit Judges, supervision can be entered on a written plea (Rule 529(b)). A successfully completed supervision "shall not be termed a conviction for purposes of disqualification or disabilities imposed by law upon conviction of a crime" (730 ILCS 5/5-6-3.1(f)).

Some pedestrian-related offenses carry their own penalties instead of the 16-104 fallback:

The 11-1011(d) penalty reads: "A violation of any part of this Section is a petty offense for which a $250 fine shall be imposed for a first violation, and a $500 fine shall be imposed for a second or subsequent violation. The court may impose 25 hours of community service in place of the $250 fine for a first violation."

Local jaywalking rules in Illinois

State law sets a floor that local governments can build on. Among the local powers listed in 625 ILCS 5/11-208(a) is item 12: "Prohibiting pedestrian crossings at other than designated and marked crosswalks or at intersections;"

That lets a local authority go further than 11-1003 and require pedestrians to cross only at designated and marked crosswalks or at intersections. Municipal ordinances, including Chicago's, and their penalties are outside the scope of this article; check the ordinance for the place you were cited. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 501(f) excludes "Jay-walking" ordinances of any unit of local government from its definition of a traffic offense, so the Rule 529 payment option described above applies to state charges, not to a local jaywalking ordinance.

Can police stop you for jaywalking in Illinois?

The pedestrian sections of Article X (625 ILCS 5/11-1002 through 11-1011) contain no provision limiting police stops for pedestrian violations, and none of them reclassifies crossing violations below the petty-offense level set by 16-104. The source notes on the Article X pedestrian sections show no amendment after Public Act 102-558 (2021), the recent changes being Public Act 104-260 (2025) to 11-306 and 11-307 and Public Act 104-577 (2026) to the motorcycle and bicycle red-signal rule in 11-306, and 11-1003 itself has stood unchanged since Public Act 88-685, effective January 24, 1995.

If a pedestrian is hit by a car

Whether a pedestrian yielded under 11-1003, or a driver stopped and yielded under 11-1002, can come up after a collision. For how fault, insurance and deadlines work in a crash claim, see Illinois car accident laws. Electric scooter riders follow a different set of rules, covered in Illinois e-scooter laws.

Related pages

• Jaywalking laws by state
• Illinois car accident laws
• Illinois e-scooter laws

This article provides general legal information about Illinois law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Illinois or the circuit court clerk handling your citation.

Last updated: 2026-10-10.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is jaywalking illegal in Illinois?

Crossing outside a crosswalk is allowed if you yield to all vehicles (625 ILCS 5/11-1003(a)). It is barred between adjacent signalized intersections except in a marked crosswalk (11-1003(c)), diagonal crossing is barred unless authorized (11-1003(d)), and a city may prohibit crossings outside designated and marked crosswalks or intersections (11-208).

What is the fine for jaywalking in Illinois?

The Vehicle Code sections on crossing set no dollar amount. A first or second conviction is a petty offense under 625 ILCS 5/16-104, and 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-75(a) sets a $75 minimum fine unless otherwise specified by law and a $1,000 maximum. Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 529, such a minor traffic offense may be satisfied without a court appearance by a written plea of guilty and payment of the $164 Schedule 12 assessment (705 ILCS 135/15-60). A court may instead order supervision, which, if completed successfully, is not termed a conviction (730 ILCS 5/5-6-3.1(f)).

Is jaywalking a crime in Illinois?

A first or second conviction is a petty offense under 625 ILCS 5/16-104. A third or subsequent conviction within one year after the first is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail (730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-65).

Can I cross in the middle of the block in Illinois?

Yes, if you yield to all vehicles (625 ILCS 5/11-1003(a)), unless the block lies between two adjacent intersections with operating traffic-control signals, where you may cross only in a marked crosswalk (11-1003(c)). A local ordinance may also prohibit it (11-208).

Can I keep walking if the signal starts flashing Don't Walk in Illinois?

Yes. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-307(b), a pedestrian who has partly completed the crossing on the Walk signal shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety island while Don't Walk is illuminated, steady or flashing; what is barred is starting to cross.

Do drivers have to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks in Illinois?

Where traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation, a driver must stop and yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk on the driver's half of the roadway or approaching so closely from the other half as to be in danger (625 ILCS 5/11-1002(a)). In school zones, a driver violation of 11-1002.5 is a petty offense with a $150 minimum fine for a first violation. At signals, drivers must give the right of way to a pedestrian on Walk (11-307(a)) and, when turning on green or on red, yield to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection or adjacent crosswalk (11-306); every driver must exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian (11-1003.1).

Which side of the road should I walk on in Illinois?

Use the sidewalk where one is provided and practicable, otherwise the shoulder. Where there is neither, 625 ILCS 5/11-1007(c) says to walk as near as practicable to an outside edge and, on a two-way roadway, only on the left side, subject to the exceptions in subsection (e).

Is it illegal to stand in the road to hitchhike in Illinois?

Yes. 625 ILCS 5/11-1006(a) bars standing in a roadway to solicit a ride from the driver of any vehicle, and a conviction is a Class A misdemeanor under 11-1006(e).