Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 7-28 § 7-28-065
Graffiti removal – Nuisance abatement (Chicago Health Nuisances Ordinance)
Operative Text
(a) As defined in this section, graffiti that is unregistered is hereby declared to be a public nuisance. The owner of record, or the person in charge, possession or control of any building or structure upon which graffiti is placed or affixed shall, upon the appearance of the graffiti: (i) cause such graffiti to be removed or concealed or (ii) register the graffiti according to rules promulgated by the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Whenever any unregistered graffiti shall be found on any building or other structure, the Department of Streets and Sanitation, or its agent or contractor shall attempt to obtain consent from the owner for the City’s graffiti removal services. If such attempt to contact the owner is not successful, the Department of Streets and Sanitation shall post a notice in a prominent place upon the building or structure where the unregistered graffiti is found which shall state that, if the unregistered graffiti is not removed or concealed or registered according to the rules within five days after the notice is posted, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, the Department of Streets and Sanitation or its agent or contractor shall have authority to enter or access the property and abate the nuisance by removing or concealing the unregistered graffiti. (b) Nothing in this section shall prevent the City from taking any other enforcement action authorized by law. (c) "Graffiti" means an inscription, drawing, mark or design that is etched, painted, sprayed or drawn directly upon the exterior of any building or other structure and is visible from the public way; provided that, graffiti shall not include any sign permitted by the Zoning Code or any decoration that is part of the architectural design of the building or structure. (Amend Coun. J. 3-11-98, p. 61944; Amend Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32562, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 5-11-05, p. 48079, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 10-31-18, p. 87776, § 2)
Under Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 7-28 § 7-28-065, unregistered graffiti on the exterior of any building or structure visible from a public way is classified as a public nuisance. The rule requires that whoever owns or controls such a property either remove or conceal the graffiti, or register it with the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. If the owner cannot be reached, the Department of Streets and Sanitation may post a five-business-day notice and then enter the property to abate the nuisance itself.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 7-28 § 7-28-065 places the responsibility for graffiti abatement squarely on the owner of record or the person in charge of a building. Compliant operators typically act promptly upon discovering graffiti by either arranging removal or concealment, or by formally registering the graffiti under rules set by the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Maintaining accessible contact information helps ensure the Department of Streets and Sanitation can reach the owner before the city exercises its authority to enter and abate the nuisance directly.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 7-28 § 7-28-065 establishes that graffiti on a building's exterior is the property owner's responsibility to address, not the tenant's. Tenants who observe unaddressed graffiti on their building may report it to the Department of Streets and Sanitation, which has authority to contact the owner and, if necessary, post a notice and remove the graffiti itself. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Chicago municipal code can help residents understand what options are available when a landlord fails to maintain the property in compliance with this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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