Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 13-20 § 13-20-700
Insurance and indemnification (Chicago Building Inspection Code (Chapter 13-20))
Operative Text
(a) Every general contractor in the business of erecting, maintaining, or removing signs or structures shall maintain liability insurance in the amount required under Section 4-36-090 . (b) Every general contractor who erects, maintains, or removes a sign or sign structure; every person who erects, maintains, or removes a sign or sign structure where this Code does not require a general contractor under Section 13-20-560 (a)(1); and the owner of the real property and the lessee of the real property where the sign is located shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the City of Chicago, its officials, and employees from any claims, damages, liabilities, losses, actions, suits, or judgments which may be presented, sustained, brought, or obtained against the City of Chicago or against any of its officials, or employees because of the maintenance, alteration, or removal of any sign or sign structure, or by reason of any crash, caused by or resulting therefrom. (Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 4-24-12, p. 25060, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 10-28-15, p. 11951, Art. VI, § 45; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-16, p. 37901, Art. II, § 44; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. IV, § 20; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-21, p. 41319, Art. VII, § 1)
Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 13-20 § 13-20-700 establishes two related obligations for parties involved with signs and sign structures in Chicago. First, general contractors engaged in erecting, maintaining, or removing signs must carry liability insurance at the level set by Section 4-36-090. Second, general contractors, certain non-contractor individuals who perform sign work, and both the property owner and any lessee where a sign is located must indemnify and hold harmless the City of Chicago, its officials, and employees against claims or damages arising from sign maintenance, alteration, removal, or any resulting crash.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners should be aware that under Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 13-20 § 13-20-700, owning real property where a sign is located creates an indemnification obligation toward the City of Chicago. Compliant property owners typically ensure that any sign-related contracts clearly allocate responsibility among the parties and that general contractors they engage carry the insurance required by Section 4-36-090. Owners who also lease their property to others should confirm that lease agreements address how indemnification duties under this provision are handled between the owner and lessee.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Lessees of real property where a sign is located are directly named in Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 13-20 § 13-20-700 as parties who must indemnify the City of Chicago against claims arising from sign maintenance, alteration, removal, or related crashes. Tenants who discover they have signed a lease covering property with signage may want to review their lease terms to understand how indemnification responsibilities are allocated between themselves and the property owner. Consulting a tenant-rights organization or reviewing the provision with a knowledgeable professional can help clarify what obligations a lessee may carry under this section.
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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