Lost something in Chicago? Review your report options.
Create a free public listing, add six months of automatic monitoring for $12, or choose $25 team-assisted search with manual research, direct service contact, and local social sharing.
What did you lose?
If there isn’t an adequate suggestion, select “Other – My item isn’t listed” and enter the item’s category. You can provide details later.
Publishing your report is free and your details stay private. The assisted search is a separate paid service, described in the Terms.
Recent activity
Illinois : the holding period depends on value: six months for items under $100, one year above. (765 ILCS 1020)
Reported in Chicago
- Bag hard trolleyedOctober 16
- CameraOctober 12
- Wrislet clutch gray/silver bag with documentsOctober 8
Across the United States
- Wrislet clutch gray/silver bag with documents · Chicago, IL, October 8
- Ring TM on top · Greensboro, NC, October 8
- Keys · Sarasota, FL, October 8
- Keys · Brookline, MA, October 7
- Camera · Monterey, CA, October 7
How reporting works in Chicago
1. Tell us what & where
Record the item details, date and location before contacting the relevant office.
2. Choose a report option
The free listing publishes your report. The $12 option adds six months of automatic monitoring, a ReportLost certificate, an anonymous case address, and printable QR stickers. The $25 option adds manual research, direct contact with relevant services, report submission, local social sharing, and 12 months of monitoring.
3. Search and review possible matches
The paid option includes 12 months of public-web monitoring. Potential matches are reviewed before notification.
Chicago has separate lost-property processes for the CTA, airports, venues and public agencies. Use the official links below to identify the channel relevant to where the item was lost. ReportLost offers a free public listing, six-month automatic monitoring for $12, and $25 team-assisted search with manual research, direct contact with relevant services, local social sharing, and 12-month monitoring.
Holding and collection policies vary by office. Contact the service responsible for the loss location to confirm its current process.
Where to report — depending on where you lost it
Chicago's lost-and-found agencies handle different locations. Use the links below to identify the relevant office.
CTA bus or 'L' train (and Metra)
Report your item to the CTA online or through the Ventra app. Left it on a Metra commuter train? That's a separate lost-and-found — use Metra's form instead.
Rideshare or taxi
Uber and Lyft both have an in-app "I lost an item" option that connects you to your driver. For a metered cab, phone the company with your trip time and route. We help you pull those details together.
Turned in to the police (CPD)
Recovered property is held by the CPD's Evidence & Recovered Property Section. Bring your inventory receipt and a photo ID. Heads up: you generally have 30 days to claim it before it can be disposed of.
O'Hare or Midway
O'Hare's Lost & Found is in Terminal 2 (lower level); Midway has its own Communication Center. Security-checkpoint items go through TSA, and anything left on the plane or at the gate is handled by your airline.
Street, park, shop or venue
Ask the front desk or security first — stadiums, museums, hotels and Union Station keep their own lost & found. For items lost outdoors, a public listing can share details with local residents.
Lost pet (dog, cat, other)
Watch the Chicago Animal Care & Control listings on petharbor.com/chicago, text LOST to 1-855-LOST312 for step-by-step help, and post to Petco Love Lost. A microchip is the single best way to be reunited — keep yours up to date.
Create a Chicago lost-item report
Document the item and review the relevant local reporting channels.
Create a reportWhich Chicago neighborhood did you lose it in?
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own transit stops, police district and hotspots. The area helps identify the relevant transit hub, police district or venue.
The Loop & River North
Downtown offices, Millennium Park, Union Station and the busiest CTA transfers. Rush-hour crowds mean plenty of phones and wallets left on the 'L'.
North Side (Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wrigleyville)
Game days at Wrigley, lakefront paths and a dense bar scene — check the venue first, then CTA Lost & Found.
Wicker Park & Logan Square
The Blue Line to O'Hare runs through here, so items lost on the way to the airport often turn up on this corridor.
South Side (Hyde Park, Bronzeville)
The University of Chicago, Metra Electric and the Museum of Science and Industry. Campus and museum desks keep their own lost & found.
West Loop & Pilsen
Restaurant Row, the United Center and a growing transit hub. Venues and rideshares are the first places to check.
Local community channels in Chicago
These are separate community channels where you can share a report. Each group has its own posting rules; ReportLost does not post to them on your behalf:
Neighborhood & “Chicago Lost & Found” groups
r/chicago, r/AskChicago
Your block — especially useful for pets
Tag the CTA line, station or venue
Local lost-pet & community pages
UChicago, Loop offices, residential
Chicago lost & found — frequently asked questions
Where do I report an item left on a CTA bus or 'L' train?
Submit a lost-item report to CTA online (via transitchicago.com/lostandfound), through the Ventra app, or by contacting Customer Service. If it happened on a Metra commuter train instead, use Metra's separate lost-and-found.
Does the Chicago Police Department keep lost property?
Recovered property is handled by the CPD's Evidence & Recovered Property Section (1011 S. Homan Ave). If your inventory receipt says the item is available for return, bring it with a photo ID. Claim it within 30 days — after that it can be sold, donated or destroyed under city code.
I lost something at O'Hare or Midway.
For O'Hare, contact the airport Lost & Found (Terminal 2, lower level). For Midway, call the Communication Center. Items left at a TSA checkpoint go through TSA, and anything left on the plane or at the gate is handled by your airline.
What about an Uber, Lyft or taxi?
Open the app's lost-item help to reach your driver (Uber and Lyft both offer this). For a metered cab, call the taxi company with your pickup time and route.
My pet went missing in Chicago — what's the first step?
Check the Chicago Animal Care & Control listings (petharbor.com/chicago), text LOST to 1-855-LOST312 for guidance, and post to Petco Love Lost. Have any shelter or vet scan for a microchip and keep your registration current.
Is ReportLost.org an official city service?
No, ReportLost is independent. We provide information about relevant official channels and offer optional team-assisted outreach. Official lost-and-found offices hold and release recovered items.
Lost & found in nearby cities
Choose a report option
Free listing, $12 automatic search, or $25 team-assisted search.
Start my report →ReportLost.org is an independent service and is not affiliated with the CTA, the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Department of Aviation, Chicago Animal Care & Control or the City of Chicago. Official lost-and-found offices retain and release found property.