North Chicago Phone Directory

The North Chicago phone directory covers every city department and office in this Lake County community. North Chicago is home to about 30,600 residents and sits along the shore of Lake Michigan, just south of Waukegan. The city runs its own police force, fire department, and public works division. This page brings the main numbers together so you can call the right office without guessing. Whether you need City Hall, the water plant, or a building permit, the number is here.

North Chicago City Hall Contact Info

City Hall is the central government building for North Chicago. It sits at 1850 Lewis Avenue, North Chicago, IL 60064. The main phone number is 847-596-8600. Call this line and the receptionist can help with general questions or transfer you to a specific department. Walk-ins are welcome during business hours.

Office hours run Monday through Friday. The building closes on weekends and most state holidays. If you need a specific department, calling first is a good idea. Some offices keep different hours or need appointments for certain services.

The City of North Chicago website has a contact page and department listings with phone numbers and email addresses for key staff.

The state website links to local government pages, which helps if you need to figure out whether your issue falls under city, county, or state control.

The City Clerk's Office handles public records, council meeting minutes, and official city documents. This is also where FOIA requests go. If you need a copy of an ordinance, a meeting agenda, or any other public document, the clerk is the contact. Call the main line at 847-596-8600 and ask for the clerk's office.

Key North Chicago Department Contacts

North Chicago has several departments that residents call regularly. Here are the most used lines. Keeping these numbers handy means you can skip the switchboard and go straight to the office you need.

• City Hall Main Line: 847-596-8600
• Fire Department (non-emergency): 847-596-8782
• Fire Station #2: 847-596-8830
• Public Works Service Center: 847-596-8870
• Water Plant: 847-596-8881

Most administrative offices are inside City Hall on Lewis Avenue. The fire stations and public works buildings have their own locations. All phone numbers listed here connect to the department during business hours. After hours, lines go to voicemail except for emergency services. For any emergency, dial 911.

North Chicago contracts its police services rather than running a standalone department. That is an important detail. For police matters, see the section below.

North Chicago Police Services

Police service in North Chicago works differently than in some other cities. The city has worked with outside agencies for certain law enforcement functions. For non-emergency police matters, call the main City Hall line at 847-596-8600 and ask to be connected to the right contact. For all emergencies, dial 911. Dispatch will send the right officers to your location.

If you need a copy of a police report or want to check on a case, start with City Hall. Staff can tell you which office handles records requests and how to get copies. Some records may need a written FOIA request depending on the type of document.

The North Chicago Police page on the city website has more details on how police services are structured and who to contact for specific issues. Animal control matters also route through the police function in North Chicago.

North Chicago Fire Department Numbers

The North Chicago Fire Department answers at 847-596-8782 for non-emergency calls. Station #2 sits at 3501 Buckley Road, and you can reach it directly at 847-596-8830. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911. The fire department also handles ambulance service within the city.

Use the non-emergency line for questions about fire inspections, smoke detector programs, burn permits, or safety checks. If you have a billing question from an ambulance run, call during business hours and ask for the administrative staff. They process medical transport bills and can walk you through any charges.

The North Chicago phone directory includes both fire station numbers because residents sometimes need the one closest to their address. If you are not sure which station serves your area, call 847-596-8782 and ask.

North Chicago Public Works Phone Directory

Public Works in North Chicago runs out of two main locations. The Service Center is at 1421 Renken Drive and picks up at 847-596-8870. The Water Plant is at 35 Lakeview Drive and answers at 847-596-8881. Between these two offices, they cover streets, sidewalks, water service, sewer lines, storm drains, and snow removal.

If you have a water billing question, try the Water Plant at 847-596-8881 first. For street issues like potholes, broken curbs, or streetlight outages, call the Service Center at 847-596-8870. Both offices keep regular business hours on weekdays.

For after-hours emergencies like water main breaks or sewer backups, call 911. Dispatch can get a public works crew out if needed. Non-emergency issues can wait until the next business day. Leave a voicemail at the Service Center and staff will follow up.

North Chicago FOIA and Public Records

The City of North Chicago follows the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) for all public records requests. Submit your request to the City Clerk by mail, in person, or through the city website. The city has five business days to respond. Phone directories, staff lists, and department contact sheets are all public records under this law.

Simple requests are usually free. Larger requests that need a lot of copying may come with a small fee. The clerk will let you know about any cost before doing the work. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The law says you have the right to ask.

Under the Illinois Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205), North Chicago must keep and preserve its official records. This covers contact directories, meeting minutes, and organizational documents. Even archived records are available if you submit a request to the clerk.

The state contact page can point you to agencies that work above the city level, from licensing boards to state regulatory offices.

How to Use This North Chicago Phone Directory

Start by identifying what you need. Most general questions go to City Hall at 847-596-8600. Fire calls go to 847-596-8782. Public works issues go to 847-596-8870 or 847-596-8881. If your issue involves county services like property taxes or court filings, you need Lake County instead.

A few tips for calling North Chicago offices:

• Call 847-596-8600 for the main switchboard
• Have your address or account number ready
• Morning calls tend to have shorter wait times
• Check the city website for online forms before calling
• Leave a voicemail if no one picks up
• For all emergencies, dial 911

Most City Hall offices close in the late afternoon on weekdays. There are no weekend hours for general city business. Fire and police services run around the clock. If you leave a voicemail at a department, staff typically return calls the same day or by the next morning. The North Chicago phone directory numbers on this page are current as of 2026.

North Chicago is also home to the Naval Station Great Lakes, the Navy's only boot camp. If you need to contact the base, that is a separate phone system from the city. The city website may have links or guidance on reaching base services for residents who live near the installation.

Nearby Cities Phone Directory

Waukegan is the closest city to North Chicago that has a phone directory page on this site. Gurnee, Highland Park, and Lake Forest are also nearby but do not have dedicated pages here at this time.

Lake County Phone Directory

North Chicago is part of Lake County. County offices handle property taxes, vital records, court filings, and services that sit outside city control. If your question involves the county rather than the city, use the Lake County phone directory page for the right contact info. The county seat is in Waukegan, which borders North Chicago to the north.