A Chicago Boot Notice Gives You 24 Hours. Here Is What It Costs If You Miss the Deadline.

Walk down some Chicago blocks and yellow boots sit on car after car. The orange notice left on each windshield spells out what the city requires, and how fast.

What gets a car booted

According to the City of Chicago Department of Finance notice we photographed on Oct. 9, 2026, a car is booted for having three or more final determinations of liability, or two final determinations that are more than one year past the date of issuance. The notice says the unpaid tickets can be for parking, compliance, red light or speed camera violations. The City of Chicago municipal code sets the same threshold.

How to get the boot off

The notice says you must pay every outstanding ticket in final determination status, plus any associated fees including a $100 boot fee, or enroll in a payment plan. The deadline is 24 hours from when the boot was applied, "or request a 24-hour extension from the date and time reflected" on the notice. If you do neither, the notice says the vehicle will be towed and impounded.

You can pay online through the QR code on the notice or at chicago.gov/chibootrelease, or at a city payment center. The notice lists a phone number for the 24 hour extension, 312 744 7275, open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and says an online request can be made at any hour through the QR code.

What a tow adds

Under the heading "Consequences for failure to pay or contest," the notice states: "A tow fee of $250 will apply, plus storage fees of $50 per day for passenger vehicles." The notice says the pound will store a vehicle for 21 days and lists a phone number for a 15 day storage extension.

How the math works

Using the notice's fees, a driver who owes $300 in final tickets would pay $400 to have the boot removed: the $300 plus the $100 boot fee. If the car is towed, three days in the pound adds the $250 tow fee and $150 in storage, so the total reaches $800 before any other costs.

Contesting a boot

The notice says you must contest in person, within 21 days of the date on the notice, at the Central Hearing Facility or a Neighborhood Hearing Facility. It directs readers to the Department of Administrative Hearings.

Our view

A 24 hour window to find hundreds of dollars is short. The notice does offer one 24 hour extension by phone or online, and a payment plan option, which are worth knowing before the deadline runs out.

Our question

Photos and video: ReoFact.