Illinois local government websites

• Townships are sometimes called "towns" locally but aren't incorporated towns. An elected township supervisor is the chief administrative officer. (U.S. Census Bureau (opens in a new tab))
• Each county is run by a county board, except Cook County, which has the Board of Commissioners of Cook County. (U.S. Census Bureau (opens in a new tab))
• Special districts are a big share of Illinois government: 894 drainage and flood control districts, 845 fire protection districts, 396 park districts and 360 library districts. (U.S. Census Bureau (opens in a new tab))

• The annual schedule of regular meetings stays on the site "until a new public notice of the schedule of regular meetings is approved." (5 ILCS 120/2.02 (opens in a new tab))
• Special, rescheduled and reconvened meetings need 48 hours' notice, including the agenda. (5 ILCS 120/2.02 (opens in a new tab))
• The agenda must give the general subject matter of any resolution or ordinance that will be up for final action. (5 ILCS 120/2.02 (opens in a new tab))
• Missing a website posting doesn't invalidate the meeting, and outages outside the body's control don't either. (5 ILCS 120/2.02 (opens in a new tab))
• Changing the whole regular schedule takes 10 days' notice by newspaper publication, plus posting at the principal office. (5 ILCS 120/2.03 (opens in a new tab))

The website duties are written for "a public body that has a website that the full-time staff of the public body maintains." A site run by volunteers or part-time staff may fall outside that wording, which is a question for your attorney and a good reason to post anyway. New for 2026: no regular or special meeting may be held on a general primary, general, consolidated primary or consolidated election day, home rule or not (P.A. 104-0438 (opens in a new tab); IML fact sheet (opens in a new tab)). (5 ILCS 120/2.02 (opens in a new tab))

• Closed meetings require a verbatim audio or video recording. (5 ILCS 120/2.06 (opens in a new tab))
• With a quorum physically present, a member may attend by video or audio for illness or disability, work or public body business, a family or other emergency, unexpected childcare, or, since 2026, active military duty. The body must have adopted rules allowing it. (5 ILCS 120/7 (opens in a new tab); Public Act 104-0438 (SB 243) (opens in a new tab))
• Fully remote meetings are allowed only under a disaster declaration. Then the 48-hour notice goes on the website, the public gets a phone number or web link to attend, and the body keeps a verbatim recording. (5 ILCS 120/7 (opens in a new tab))

Illinois doesn't require ordinary meetings to be livestreamed or recordings to be posted online. (5 ILCS 120/7 (opens in a new tab))

• The description covers the body's purpose, a block diagram of its functional subdivisions, the total operating budget, its offices, approximate staff counts, and its boards, commissions and committees. (Public Act 104-0438 (SB 243) (opens in a new tab))
• A body can't require a standard request form, so an online form works as an option but never as the only way in. (5 ILCS 140/3 (opens in a new tab))
• Electronic requests must appear in full in the message body. Staff don't have to open attachments or links to read one, and must tell the requester within five business days if that's the problem. (Public Act 104-0438 (SB 243) (opens in a new tab))
• The deadline is five business days, with one extension of up to five more. Commercial requests get 21 working days. (5 ILCS 140/3 (opens in a new tab); 5 ILCS 140/3.1 (opens in a new tab))
• The first 50 pages of black-and-white copies are free, then no more than 15 cents a page. Electronic records cost only the recording medium. (5 ILCS 140/6 (opens in a new tab))
• Every public body designates a FOIA officer, who completes Public Access Counselor training within 30 days and then every year. (5 ILCS 140/3.5 (opens in a new tab))

A requester who is denied may ask the Attorney General's Public Access Counselor to review it within 60 calendar days (PAC guide (opens in a new tab)).

• Within six business days after approving a budget, an IMRF employer posts the total compensation package for each employee over $75,000 a year, and posts any package of $150,000 or more at least six days before approving it. (5 ILCS 120/7.3 (opens in a new tab))
• IMRF employers with a website link to IMRF's employer cost and participation page (opens in a new tab). The statute says it doesn't require a municipality to have a website. (40 ILCS 5/7-135.5 (opens in a new tab))
• Social media doesn't count for the email-your-officials rule. The link has to be "easily accessible from the ... home page." (50 ILCS 205/20 (opens in a new tab))
• Municipalities and counties with a website post the auditor's management letter and audited financial statements, which board members receive within 60 days after an audit closes. (65 ILCS 5/8-8-10.5 (opens in a new tab))
• Counties post the budget meeting notice and proposed budget on their website if they keep one. (55 ILCS 5/6-1001 (opens in a new tab))
• A municipality using design-build posts its notice of intent online at least 14 days before issuing the request for proposals. (65 ILCS 5/11-39.2-15 (opens in a new tab))
• Professional services notices for architects, engineers and surveyors may be an advertisement on the political subdivision's website. (50 ILCS 510/4 (opens in a new tab))

• Ordinances that impose a penalty or make an appropriation are printed in book or pamphlet form or published once in a newspaper within 30 days. Municipalities under 500 people with no newspaper may post in three prominent places. Website posting isn't an alternative. (65 ILCS 5/1-2-4 (opens in a new tab))
• When a special assessment estimate exceeds $1,000,000, the ordinance may be posted on the municipality's website in full at least 10 days before action. (65 ILCS 5/9-2-13 (opens in a new tab))

An online ordinance code still helps residents. It just doesn't replace publication. (65 ILCS 5/1-2-4 (opens in a new tab))

About 98% of these governments fall on the 2028 date, but the 53 large suburban townships, with 33 between 50,000 and 99,999 and 20 between 100,000 and 199,999, are on the earlier one. The counts use 2021 estimates, and ADA.gov says most governments find their population in 2020 Census data (ADA.gov (opens in a new tab)). (U.S. Census Bureau (opens in a new tab))

The interim final rule took effect on publication, and comments closed June 22, 2026 (Federal Register (opens in a new tab)). Illinois' own Information Technology Accessibility Act covers state entities and says the term "does not include units of local government" (30 ILCS 587/10 (opens in a new tab)). See our ADA Title II deadlines guide for what's exempt.

The point of contact is reported to the Statewide Chief Information Security Officer (20 ILCS 1375/5-35 (opens in a new tab)). Illinois doesn't require local governments to use a .gov domain, though cities, towns, townships, counties and special districts are all eligible for one free (get.gov (opens in a new tab)).

• Illinois Municipal League (opens in a new tab), and its OMA posting fact sheet (opens in a new tab).
• Township Officials of Illinois (opens in a new tab) and the Illinois Association of County Board Members and Commissioners (opens in a new tab).
• Municipal Clerks of Illinois (opens in a new tab) for municipal clerks.
• Every public body designates people for Open Meetings Act training and reports them to the Public Access Counselor. Members of municipal bodies may take a course from an organization that represents municipalities instead of the Attorney General's. (5 ILCS 120/1.05 (opens in a new tab))

• Units that buy from a state contract report those purchases each year. (30 ILCS 525/2 (opens in a new tab))
• The City of Wheaton's Resolution R-2025-80 (opens in a new tab) cites the Act and says the city participates in Sourcewell.
• The Suburban Purchasing Cooperative's categories are mostly vehicles and supplies, plus telecommunications and an alliance with Sourcewell. (Suburban Purchasing Cooperative (opens in a new tab))