Are You Legally Required to Shovel Your Sidewalks in Illinois?

We've been pretty lucky this winter with snow it's been very mild. Did I just jinx us? However, when it does snow do you have to legally shovel your walkway/sidewalks?

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Well, the answer is kind of complicated because it's both yes and no. Let me explain. In the state of Illinois, it says:

There is a law in Illinois to address the liability of homeowners if someone falls on their icy sidewalk. It is called the Illinois Snow and Ice Removal Act. It protects the homeowner from being legally responsible for injuries unless the homeowner acted in a way that was “willful or wanton”.  The law does not protect business owners or commercial properties.

Now here's where it gets a bit tricky, every city/town has its own laws and ordinances that residents have to follow, and in Quincy, you MUST have your sidewalk shovels when it snows.

14.607 Sidewalks --- The surface of the sidewalk over any such structure must be kept clear of snow and ice, and free from all dirt and obstruction of any kind by the person holding the permit. Any such person must keep the sidewalk over such structure in good repair and free from all defects of any kind.

So, it seems that here in Quincy you are going to want to make sure that your sidewalks are clear of ice and snow for people to walk on safely. This (I think) has to do with several kids walking to and from school each morning that don't take the bus or parents who don't drive them. When you do shovel, make sure that you don't put any snow or ice in the street or gutter this snow plow doesn't have to redo the streets.

I couldn't find if you would get fined for not shoveling your sidewalk, but I can't imagine having an ordinance in the city and not having consequences for not following them.