Illinois Landlord-Tenant Law

Maximum deposit

Illinois state law sets no maximum security deposit, but suburban Cook County caps deposits at 1.5 months' rent for covered units (765 ILCS 710; 765 ILCS 705). (765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act — silent on amount), 765 ILCS 705 (Landlord and Tenant Act — silent on amount))

Return deadline

A landlord who keeps any part of a deposit for damage must send an itemized statement with receipts within 30 days after the tenant vacates (or possession ends, if later); otherwise the full deposit is due within 45 days after move-out (765 ILCS 710/1(a)). (765 ILCS 710/1(a), P.A. 103-224 (SB 1741), eff. 1-1-2024)

• In effect since January 1, 2024.
• Before January 1, 2024: The Security Deposit Return Act applied only to lessors of residential property containing 5 or more units.

Itemized deductions

To withhold any part of the deposit for damage, the landlord must deliver an itemized statement of damage and repair costs, with paid receipts or copies attached (or receipts within 30 days if estimates were given), within 30 days (765 ILCS 710/1(a)). (765 ILCS 710/1(a)-(b))

Interest on deposits

Landlords with 25 or more units in a building or contiguous complex must pay interest on deposits held over 6 months, paying accrued interest of $5 or more within 30 days after each 12-month rental period and all remaining interest when the tenancy ends (765 ILCS 715/1-2). (765 ILCS 715/1, 765 ILCS 715/2, 765 ILCS 715/3)

Penalty for wrongful withholding

A landlord who refuses to supply the itemized statement, or supplies it in bad faith, and fails to return the deposit on time owes twice the deposit due plus court costs and attorney's fees (765 ILCS 710/1(c)). (765 ILCS 710/1(c), 765 ILCS 715/2)

Late-fee limit

Illinois has no statewide cap on residential late fees, so any fee should be stated in the lease and reasonable; Chicago and suburban Cook County impose their own caps (765 ILCS 705). (765 ILCS 705 (Landlord and Tenant Act — no late-fee provision), 735 ILCS 5/9-201 to 9-218 (silent on late fees))

Grace period

Illinois law sets no grace period before a residential late fee may be charged; follow the lease and any local ordinance (765 ILCS 705). (765 ILCS 705 (Landlord and Tenant Act — silent))

Illinois has no statewide statute on landlord entry, so access is governed by the lease; in Chicago the RLTO requires 2 days' notice except in emergencies (765 ILCS 705). (765 ILCS 705 (Landlord and Tenant Act — no entry provision))

A landlord may end a month-to-month (or any under-one-year periodic) tenancy with 30 days' written notice, and a week-to-week tenancy with 7 days' notice (735 ILCS 5/9-207). (735 ILCS 5/9-207, 735 ILCS 5/9-205)

Illinois has no statute on rent-increase notice; because a month-to-month tenancy takes 30 days' written notice to end, give at least 30 days' written notice before raising rent (and 7 days for week-to-week) (735 ILCS 5/9-207). (735 ILCS 5/9-207 (termination notice; no rent-increase provision))

Illinois has no rent control, and state law prohibits cities and counties, including home-rule units, from enacting or enforcing rent control (50 ILCS 825/5, 825/10). (50 ILCS 825/5, 50 ILCS 825/10)

Illinois landlords must give lead (pre-1978), radon, flood and Safer Homes rights disclosures with the lease, plus a written utility-allocation formula when billing for master-metered utilities (420 ILCS 46/26; 765 ILCS 705/25; 765 ILCS 752/20; 765 ILCS 740/5). (420 ILCS 46/26, 765 ILCS 705/25, 765 ILCS 752/20, 765 ILCS 740/5, 410 ILCS 45/9.1, 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart F)

• Federal lead-based paint disclosure and EPA pamphlet (Housing built before 1978) — 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart F
• Illinois Department of Public Health lead informational brochure; plus written notice of any prior lead-hazard mitigation notice before lease renewal (Before signing a lease for a dwelling unit built before 1978) — 410 ILCS 45/9.1
• IEMA 'Radon Guide for Tenants' pamphlet, Disclosure of Information on Radon Hazards to Tenants form, and any reports showing a radon hazard (At application / before the lease (leases entered on or after 1-1-2024)) — 420 ILCS 46/26
• Flood disclosure: FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area status and known flooding; for lower-level units, flooding in the last 10 years (in the lease, signed by both parties) (Before signing a lease or renewal (leases on or after 1-1-2025)) — 765 ILCS 705/25
• IDHR Summary of Rights for Safer Homes (domestic/sexual violence housing protections) as page 1 of the lease, signed by each tenant (Every new or renewal written residential lease on or after 1-1-2026) — 765 ILCS 752/20
• Written formula for allocating master-metered utility costs among tenants (Before billing tenants for a share of master-metered utilities) — 765 ILCS 740/5(a)

Unpaid rent

For unpaid rent, the landlord must serve a written demand giving the tenant at least 5 days to pay before the lease may be terminated and an eviction filed (735 ILCS 5/9-209). (735 ILCS 5/9-209, 735 ILCS 5/9-211 (service))

Lease violations

For a breach of lease terms other than rent, the landlord may terminate with a 10-day written notice to quit; the statute does not require an opportunity to cure (735 ILCS 5/9-210). (735 ILCS 5/9-210)