Horns and warning devices.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 9-76-040
in effect9-76-040 Horns and warning devices.
(a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon any roadway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance not less than 200 feet, but no horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
(b) No vehicle shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle, any siren, whistle or bell, except that this prohibition shall not apply to: (i) an authorized emergency vehicle as otherwise permitted in the traffic code; (ii) a city-owned or city-leased vehicle equipped with a siren, whistle, air-horn or bell, when such sound equipment is used in accordance with rules or guidelines developed by the Commissioner of Fleet and Facility Management; and (iii) a vehicle equipped with a siren, whistle or bell as otherwise permitted under the Illinois Vehicle Code, codified at 625 ILCS 5/1-100, et seq. when such sound equipment is used in accordance with applicable law.
(Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-13, p. 67481, Art. II, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-19, p. 11390, Art. III, § 15; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. I, § 15)
Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2646933Fetched: 10/24/2026