Illinois renter rights: the basics for first-time renters

Last reviewed: October 2026 · First Apartment Kit

Illinois has no single statewide residential landlord-tenant code. Renter rights come from several state laws plus local ordinances, and Chicago and some suburbs add a lot more. Here's the statewide baseline for first-time renters, from the Illinois Attorney General's guide and the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS).

Quick facts

Security deposit max	No statewide limit (often 1 month's rent)
Deposit returned within	45 days after you move out; if the landlord keeps money for damage, an itemized statement with receipts is due within 30 days
Deposit interest	Required if the deposit is held 6+ months in a building or complex with 25+ units
Late fee cap	No fixed statewide cap — must be "reasonable" (check local rules; Chicago has a cap)
Rent increases	No statewide cap; 30 days' notice on month-to-month, none during a fixed-term lease
Month-to-month: notice to end	30 days' written notice
Landlord entry	No statewide notice rule — check your lease and local rules
Unpaid rent notice	5-day written notice to pay

Quick facts are simplified. Read the sections below for exceptions, and check your city or county too.

Security deposits

Amount: state law sets no limit, though one month's rent is common. Some cities set their own rules.
Return: under the Security Deposit Return Act, a landlord who keeps any of the deposit for damage must give you an itemized statement with paid receipts (or estimates) within 30 days after you move out. Otherwise the full deposit is due within 45 days. A 2024 amendment removed the old five-unit threshold, so the Act now covers residential landlords generally.
Penalty: a landlord found to have acted in bad faith can owe twice the deposit plus court costs and attorney's fees.
Interest: buildings with 25 or more units must pay interest on deposits held at least six months.

Rent increases and late fees

Illinois has no statewide cap on rent. During a fixed-term lease the rent can't be raised unless the lease allows it. On a month-to-month tenancy the landlord must give 30 days' notice (7 days for week-to-week). Landlords may charge a reasonable late fee, and some cities, including Chicago, set specific limits.

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

To end a month-to-month tenancy, give 30 days' written notice unless your lease requires more. Giving proper written notice also protects your deposit. A landlord must likewise give written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy.

When the landlord can come in

Illinois has no statewide statute on landlord entry notice, so your lease controls. Chicago's ordinance and some other local ordinances do require advance notice. If you live in a city with its own landlord-tenant ordinance, check it.

Repairs and living conditions

Landlords must keep the unit fit to live in, make necessary repairs, and comply with state and local health and housing codes. If repairs aren't made:

Notify the landlord in writing and keep copies.
Report code violations to your city or county inspector. Retaliating against you for that is illegal.
The AG's guide notes that withholding a reasonable part of the rent after the landlord fails to make repairs (after notice) can be a defense in an eviction case. It is risky, so get legal advice before withholding.

Write it all down from day one. The 12-page First Apartment Move-In Kit has a first-week timeline, lease and building facts, a utilities board, room-by-room unpacking, and a first-month money sheet — so your lease facts, notice dates, and move-in notes live in one place. $9.99 on Etsy. Undated.

Get the kit — $9.99 on Etsy

Eviction basics

A landlord must file a lawsuit to evict. Lockouts, changing the locks, removing your belongings, or shutting off utilities to force you out are not allowed. The landlord must first give a written notice: 5 days to pay overdue rent, or 10 days for a lease violation. Paying the full rent during the 5-day notice period is a defense. If a case is filed, you'll be served a summons and must appear in court.

Retaliation and discrimination

The Illinois Retaliatory Eviction Act bars a landlord from ending or refusing to renew your tenancy because you complained to a government authority, such as a housing inspector. Discrimination is illegal under federal law and the Illinois Human Rights Act. File complaints with the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

City and county rules

Local rules matter a lot in Illinois. Chicago's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance adds deposit, interest, entry-notice, late-fee, and repair rules, and Evanston, Urbana, Oak Park, Mount Prospect, and suburban Cook County have their own. Check your city or county.

Move-in checklist for Illinois renters

☐ Get a written lease and read all of it before signing
☐ Get a receipt for the deposit and any move-in money
☐ Photograph every room, dated, before you unpack
☐ Fill out (or write your own) move-in condition list and keep a copy
☐ Note the rent due date, grace period, and late fee
☐ Write down how to request repairs, and do it in writing
☐ Save the landlord's legal name and address for notices
☐ Put your notice deadline for moving out in your calendar

Still apartment hunting? Our list of questions to ask a landlord before signing a lease covers deposits, fees, repairs, and move-out rules you will want answered in writing.

Where to get help in Illinois

Illinois Attorney General — Homeownership and rental issues — the AG's overview of tenant rights.
Illinois Department of Human Rights — housing discrimination complaints.
Illinois Courts — Eviction help — court forms and eviction information.
Find free legal aid near you — the federal Legal Services Corporation's directory of local legal aid offices.
File a housing discrimination complaint with HUD — the federal fair housing agency.

Official sources

These are the official state law and government pages we checked for every fact on this page. The law itself controls if anything here differs.

Not legal advice; laws change and cities may add rules. Check the official sources below or a local legal aid office. This page is a plain-language summary written by First Apartment Kit, not the law itself. Last reviewed: October 2026.

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