An action to collect a debt arising from a violation of a municipal ordinance may not be filed more than 7 years after the date of adjudication.
13-227.Collection of debt arising from a municipal violation.
Article XIII. Limitations · Part 2. Personal Actions · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceA municipality has 7 years from the date of adjudication to file suit collecting a debt owed because of a municipal ordinance violation.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/13-227
Plain-English Summary
This section sets the deadline for a municipality to go after unpaid debt tied to an ordinance violation. An action to collect a debt arising from a violation of a municipal ordinance may not be filed more than 7 years after the date of adjudication.
By anchoring the deadline to the date of adjudication, rather than to the date of the violation itself or the date the debt first became due, the section gives municipalities a fixed and predictable window measured from the point the violation was already resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a municipality have to collect an unpaid ordinance fine in Illinois?
No more than 7 years after the date of adjudication.
Does the 7-year period run from the date of the violation?
No. It runs from the date of adjudication, not from the date the underlying ordinance violation occurred.
What kind of debt does this section cover?
A debt arising from a violation of a municipal ordinance.
What happens if a municipality tries to collect after 7 years from adjudication?
The section states the action may not be filed after that 7-year mark, barring the collection suit.
Does this section apply to state-level violations as well as municipal ones?
No. It's limited to debt arising from a violation of a municipal ordinance.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 102-192, eff. 7-30-21.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
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