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Is it against the law to sleep in your car in Illinois?
I’m taking a road trip from Detroit to visit my sister in St. Louis. I plan on stopping in Illinois along the way, but I don’t want to pay for a hotel room. Can I sleep in my car in Illinois?
Eric Schad · Answered on Feb 25, 2022
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
In Illinois, it’s not against the law to sleep in your car. So if you want to road trip through Illinois or stop along the way, you shouldn’t have any issues.
The only law that Illinois has on the books is that you can only park in rest areas for three hours. Additionally, you’re not allowed to sleep overnight or camp in rest areas. Due to this law, you will need to find a safe place to sleep overnight.
Some of the top places to consider are:
- Truck stops
- Well-lit parking lots
- Walmart parking lots
- Residential streets, although you may face some problems from residents if they don’t recognize your car.
Make sure that you pack blankets and pillows to make your sleep more comfortable. In addition, pack an emergency kit and consider roadside assistance or towing and labor coverage to err on the side of caution.
If you haven’t reviewed your car insurance recently, you may also want to check your policy and compare rates before you head out on your road trip. A good place to start is with the Jerry app.
Jerry is a licensed insurance broker that will collect quotes from over 50 top-rated insurers in minutes. After you find a great rate, Jerry can help you buy new insurance and cancel your old policy. Users save an average of $887 per year.
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