Illinois Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026)
Last reviewed: July 2026
Illinois has no statewide deposit cap, but larger landlords must return deposits within 45 days with itemized deductions sent within 30. Rent control is preempted statewide, while Chicago's RLTO layers on entry notice, deposit interest, and fee rules for most city rentals. Nonpayment evictions start with a 5-day notice.
General information, not legal advice. Verify with the current statute or a local attorney before acting.
Illinois landlord-tenant rules at a glance
| Security deposit limit | No statewide limit (Chicago and Cook County ordinances add rules) |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | 45 days (itemized deduction statement within 30 days) for landlords with 5+ units |
| Notice to enter | No statewide statute, Chicago requires 48 hours' notice |
| Rent control | Preempted statewide (Rent Control Preemption Act of 1997) |
| Eviction notice (nonpayment) | 5-day notice to pay or quit |
| Late fee rule | No statewide cap; Chicago caps fees at $10 plus 5% of amounts over $500 |
| Month-to-month termination | 30 days |
| Governing statute | Illinois Security Deposit Return Act and related statutes (765 ILCS 710, 715, 720) |
Security deposits in Illinois
The deposit rule in Illinois is: No statewide limit (Chicago and Cook County ordinances add rules). After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit within 45 days (itemized deduction statement within 30 days) for landlords with 5+ units, typically with an itemized statement for any amounts withheld. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other charges the statute or lease allows — routine repainting and carpet aging from ordinary use generally cannot be charged to the tenant. Both parties should document the unit’s condition at move-in and move-out; disputes usually turn on that evidence.
Landlord entry and tenant privacy
Illinois’s entry rule is: No statewide statute, Chicago requires 48 hours' notice. Entry is generally limited to legitimate purposes such as repairs, inspections, and showings, and emergencies allow immediate entry everywhere. Where the statute is silent or vague, courts fall back on the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment, so landlords should give written notice and enter at reasonable hours regardless of the statutory minimum.
Rent increases and rent control
Rent control status in Illinois: Preempted statewide (Rent Control Preemption Act of 1997). Even without rent control, a landlord cannot raise rent mid-lease unless the lease allows it, and periodic tenancies require proper advance notice of an increase — commonly the same notice period used to terminate (30 days in Illinois). Retaliatory increases after a tenant exercises a legal right are prohibited in most states.
Eviction process overview
For unpaid rent, Illinois requires: 5-day notice to pay or quit. If the tenant does not pay or leave, the landlord files an eviction case (the name varies: unlawful detainer, summary process, forcible entry and detainer), serves the tenant, and attends a hearing. Only a court judgment followed by a sheriff or constable can remove a tenant — lockouts and utility shutoffs are illegal in every state. Timelines vary from a few weeks to several months depending on court backlog and whether the tenant contests the case.
Late fees
Illinois’s late fee rule: No statewide cap; Chicago caps fees at $10 plus 5% of amounts over $500. Even where no statutory cap exists, courts can strike down fees that operate as penalties rather than reasonable estimates of the landlord’s actual cost, and the fee must appear in the written lease to be enforceable.
Ending a lease or month-to-month tenancy
To end a month-to-month tenancy in Illinois, the required notice is: 30 days. Fixed-term leases end on their own schedule unless renewed, though some states and cities require just cause or additional notice even at lease end. Notice should always be written, dated, and delivered by a method the statute recognizes.
Is Illinois landlord-friendly or tenant-friendly?
Illinois is generally considered moderate. Statewide rules are middle-of-the-road, but Chicago's Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance adds substantial tenant protections that dominate the state's biggest rental market.
Official source
The governing law is the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act and related statutes (765 ILCS 710, 715, 720). Read the current text at the state’s official legislative site: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp.
Illinois landlord-tenant law FAQs
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Illinois?
- Security deposits in Illinois are governed by the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act and related statutes (765 ILCS 710, 715, 720). The deposit rule is: No statewide limit (Chicago and Cook County ordinances add rules). After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit (minus properly documented deductions) within 45 days (itemized deduction statement within 30 days) for landlords with 5+ units. Landlords who miss the deadline or take undocumented deductions can owe the tenant damages, so both sides should document the unit's condition at move-in and move-out and keep an itemized statement of any charges. Deposit rules are amended fairly often, so verify the current statute before relying on a specific number.
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Illinois?
- For nonpayment of rent, Illinois requires: 5-day notice to pay or quit. That notice is only the first step, a landlord cannot legally remove a tenant without then filing an eviction case and winning a court judgment, and self-help evictions (changing locks, shutting off utilities) are prohibited. Local courts and city ordinances can add procedural steps, so check the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act and related statutes (765 ILCS 710, 715, 720) and local rules before starting an eviction.
- Can a landlord enter a rental property without permission in Illinois?
- Illinois's entry rule is: No statewide statute, Chicago requires 48 hours' notice. Genuine emergencies (fire, flooding, gas leaks) are a standard exception in every state, and lease clauses can add detail but generally cannot strip a tenant's right to quiet enjoyment. For ending a month-to-month tenancy, Illinois requires 30 days of notice. When in doubt, put entry requests and termination notices in writing and confirm the current rule in the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act and related statutes (765 ILCS 710, 715, 720).
Compare nearby states
Related Lofty resources
- Rental property calculator — model cash flow with Illinois vacancy and eviction-cost assumptions.
- Rental income investing guide — how landlord-tenant rules feed into returns.
- All 50 states + DC compared
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change — verify with the current statute or a local attorney before acting. Rules reflect widely documented statutes as of July 2026; cities and counties in Illinois may add their own requirements.