Illinois has approximately 1.4 million renters statewide — and Chicago alone is one of the largest renter cities in the USA. Illinois is considered a tenant-friendly state, with strong protections at the state level and even stronger protections for Chicago renters under the powerful Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO).
This guide covers everything Illinois renters need to know in 2026 — including the major new laws that took effect January 1, 2026, which most landlords hope you do not know about.
💡 Free Tool: Use our AI Tenant Rights Checker to instantly understand your Illinois or Chicago tenant rights based on your exact situation — free, no signup needed.
🆕 2026 Illinois Law Updates — What Changed
1. Summary of Rights for Safer Homes (Jan 1, 2026): Every Illinois landlord must now include a state-issued Summary of Rights as the first page of every new or renewed lease. This covers domestic violence protections and early lease termination rights.
2. Minors Cannot Be Named in Eviction Filings (2026): Effective 2026, landlords in Illinois may no longer list minors as defendants in eviction court filings.
3. Chicago Security Deposit Interest Rate (2026): The City of Chicago has set the 2026 security deposit interest rate at 0.01%. Landlords must pay this annually or face penalties.
Illinois Tenant Rights — Quick Reference
| Topic | State Law | Chicago RLTO |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit return (no deductions) | 30 days (5+ units) | 30 days |
| Security deposit return (with deductions) | 45 days + itemized list | 30 days + itemized list |
| Deposit interest required | 25+ units, 6+ months held | ALL landlords, annually |
| 2026 deposit interest rate | 0.005% | 0.01% |
| Landlord entry notice | Reasonable (24 hrs) | 2 days written notice |
| Entry hours allowed | Reasonable hours | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM |
| Eviction notice — non-payment | 5-day notice | 5-day notice |
| Eviction notice — lease violation | 10-day notice | 10-day notice |
| Month-to-month termination notice | 30 days | 30–120 days (by tenure) |
| Rent control | None (prohibited by state) | None |
| Governing law | 765 ILCS 710–740 | Chicago Municipal Code §5-12 |
Two Layers of Protection: State Law + Chicago RLTO
Illinois renters are protected by two sets of laws depending on where they live:
- Illinois State Law — applies to all renters statewide, including the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act and the Residential Tenants' Right to Repair Act
- Chicago RLTO — applies to most Chicago renters and provides significantly stronger protections than state law on deposits, entry, eviction notice, and retaliation
- Cook County RTLO — applies to renters in suburban Cook County (outside Chicago), provides protections similar to the Chicago RLTO
⚖️ Key Illinois Laws
State: Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710), Residential Tenants' Right to Repair Act (765 ILCS 735), Illinois Human Rights Act
Chicago: Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) — Municipal Code §5-12
Cook County: Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance (RTLO)
Security Deposit Rights in Illinois
Illinois has some of the strongest security deposit laws in the country — especially in Chicago, where violations can result in the landlord owing you twice the deposit amount plus attorney fees.
State Law — Illinois Security Deposit Return Act
- No maximum deposit cap (except mobile homes: 1 month's rent)
- Landlords with 5+ units must return deposits within 30 days (no deductions) or 45 days (with itemized deductions)
- Landlords with 25+ units must pay interest on deposits held over 6 months (currently 0.005%/year)
- Itemized deduction list must include receipts or estimates
Chicago RLTO — Stronger Deposit Rules
If you live in Chicago, your landlord must follow ALL of these additional rules:
- Written receipt required at the time of deposit collection — if not provided, you may demand the deposit back immediately
- Deposit must be kept in a separate interest-bearing account at an Illinois bank — cannot be mixed with landlord's personal funds
- Annual interest must be paid within 30 days after each 12-month rental period (2026 rate: 0.01%)
- Deposit returned within 30 days of move-out, with itemized deductions and receipts
🚩 Chicago Penalty: If your Chicago landlord fails to comply with RLTO deposit rules — wrong account, no receipt, late return, missing interest — you can sue for twice the deposit amount plus court costs and attorney fees. This is one of the strongest tenant remedies in any US city.
✅ Pro Tip: When you move out, send your landlord a written move-out notice with your forwarding address via certified mail. This officially starts the 30/45-day return clock and creates a paper trail.
Right to a Habitable Home
Illinois law gives every renter an implied warranty of habitability — your landlord must keep your unit fit for human living, regardless of what your lease says. This cannot be waived in a lease.
What Your Landlord Must Maintain
- Structurally sound building — roof, walls, floors, stairs, windows
- Working heating system (required by law in Illinois)
- Working plumbing with hot and cold running water
- Working electrical systems
- Freedom from pests, rodents, and insects
- Clean and safe common areas
- Working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
- Compliance with all local housing and building codes
Illinois Residential Tenants' Right to Repair Act
If your landlord fails to make essential repairs, Illinois law gives you the right to repair and deduct:
- Notify your landlord of the problem in writing
- Wait a reasonable time for repairs (14 days for most issues)
- If not fixed — have the repair done yourself by a licensed contractor
- Deduct the cost from your next rent payment (up to $500 or half a month's rent, whichever is more)
- Provide your landlord with receipts for the repair costs
✅ Always document repairs in writing. Text or email your landlord describing the problem with photos. This creates a legal record. If they ignore multiple written requests, you have strong grounds for repair-and-deduct or rent withholding.
Eviction Laws in Illinois
Illinois has detailed eviction procedures, and landlords who skip steps or make procedural errors can have their eviction case dismissed entirely — giving you more time and leverage.
Required Notice Before Eviction
- Non-payment of rent: 5-day written notice to pay or vacate
- Lease violation: 10-day written notice to fix the violation or vacate
- Serious/uncurable violation: 10-day unconditional notice to vacate
- Month-to-month ending: 30 days written notice statewide
- Chicago — longer non-renewal notice by tenure:
- Under 3 years tenancy: 60 days notice
- 3+ years tenancy: 120 days notice
The Court Process
After the notice period, if you have not paid or vacated, your landlord must file an eviction lawsuit in circuit court. You will be served with a summons and have the right to respond and appear in court. A judge must issue a final order before any eviction can proceed — and only the sheriff can physically remove you. Your landlord cannot do it themselves.
🚩 Illegal Eviction Warning: In Illinois, it is illegal for your landlord to change locks, remove your belongings, shut off utilities, or physically remove you without a court order. Under the Chicago RLTO, doing any of these can result in your landlord owing you actual damages + 2 months rent + attorney fees. Document everything and call the police if this happens.
Chicago Right to Cure — One-Time Protection
Chicago's Fair Notice Ordinance gives tenants a powerful one-time right: if you are being evicted for non-payment of rent, you can stop the eviction at any time before a judge's final order by paying all unpaid rent plus the landlord's court filing fees. This right can only be used once per tenancy, but it is a crucial protection that many renters do not know about.
Retaliatory Eviction is Illegal
Under Illinois law and the Chicago RLTO, your landlord cannot evict you or raise your rent in retaliation for:
- Reporting code violations to the city or county
- Joining a tenant union or organizing with neighbors
- Complaining about repairs to the landlord
- Exercising any legal right under Illinois or Chicago law
Landlord Entry Rights in Illinois
Chicago RLTO — 2 Days Notice Required
If you live in Chicago, your landlord must give you at least 2 days (48 hours) written notice before entering your unit for non-emergency purposes. Entry can only occur between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Repeated entry without proper notice is a violation of the RLTO and can result in penalties.
Cook County Outside Chicago
The Cook County RTLO also requires 2 days notice before entry, with similar hours restrictions, for most suburban Cook County rentals.
Statewide (Outside Chicago/Cook County)
Illinois state law does not specify a fixed notice period, but courts generally interpret the implied covenant of quiet enjoyment to require approximately 24 hours reasonable notice. Check your lease — many leases specify a notice period that you can hold your landlord to.
No Rent Control in Illinois
Illinois state law (50 ILCS 825 — the Rent Control Preemption Act) prohibits all cities and counties from enacting rent control, including Chicago. This means landlords in Illinois can raise rent by any amount when your lease renews.
However, in Chicago, landlords must give proper notice of rent increases:
- Month-to-month tenants: At least 30 days written notice before a rent increase
- Fixed-term lease: Rent cannot be raised during the lease term unless the lease explicitly allows it
- Long-term tenants: Under the Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance, longer-term tenants may be entitled to 60 or 120 days notice before non-renewal
2026 New Law — Summary of Rights for Safer Homes
Starting January 1, 2026, every Illinois landlord must attach a state-issued Summary of Rights for Safer Homes as the first page of every new lease and every lease renewal. This document explains domestic violence and sexual violence protections including:
- The right to terminate a lease early if you or a household member faces domestic or sexual violence
- The right to have your locks changed in qualifying situations
- Protections against landlord retaliation for disclosing victim status
🚩 If your landlord gave you a new or renewed lease in 2026 without the Summary of Rights for Safer Homes as the first page, they are in violation of Illinois law. Document this.
Where to Get Help in Illinois
- Metropolitan Tenants Organization (Chicago) — tenants-rights.org | (773) 292-4988
- Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing — lcbh.org (free legal help for low-income Chicago renters)
- CARPLS Legal Aid — carpls.org (free legal advice hotline)
- Illinois Legal Aid Online — illinoislegalaid.org (free legal info and forms)
- Chicago Renting Right — chicago.gov/rentingright (official Chicago renter resource)
- Chicago Tenants Rights Organization — free monthly meetings for renters
- Cook County Legal Aid — cookcountylegalaid.org
🤖 Check Your Illinois Tenant Rights — Free
Describe your situation and our AI tool will instantly explain your rights under Illinois law and the Chicago RLTO — no signup, no cost.
Check My Rights Free →Frequently Asked Questions
Illinois tenants are protected by state law and — if you live in Chicago — by the Chicago RLTO. Your rights include a habitable home, security deposit return within 30-45 days, protection from illegal eviction and retaliation, and privacy rights. As of 2026, all new leases must include a Summary of Rights for Safer Homes as the first page.
Under Illinois state law: 30 days if no deductions (for landlords with 5+ units), or 45 days with an itemized statement. In Chicago under the RLTO: 30 days with itemized deductions and receipts. Missing these deadlines can mean the landlord owes you twice the deposit amount plus attorney fees in Chicago.
The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) is a powerful local law that gives Chicago renters much stronger protections than state law. It applies to most Chicago rental units. Key protections: 2 days notice before entry, security deposit interest, written deposit receipt, 2x deposit penalty for violations, and strong anti-retaliation protections. Check if your unit is covered at chicago.gov/rentingright.
No. Illinois requires written notice before any eviction — 5 days for non-payment, 10 days for lease violations. After notice, the landlord must file in court. Only a sheriff can physically remove you after a judge's final order. Landlords cannot change locks, shut off utilities, or remove your belongings — these are illegal self-help evictions.
No. Illinois state law (50 ILCS 825) prohibits all cities — including Chicago — from enacting rent control. Landlords can raise rent by any amount at lease renewal. However, Chicago landlords must give proper advance notice: 30 days for month-to-month tenants, and 60-120 days for longer-term tenants under the Fair Notice Ordinance.
Yes — in some cases. Statewide: landlords with 25+ units must pay interest (0.005%/year) on deposits held over 6 months. In Chicago: ALL landlords must pay annual interest (2026 rate: 0.01%) and must provide a written receipt at collection. Failure to comply in Chicago can result in return of the full deposit plus penalties.
In Chicago: at least 2 days (48 hours) written notice, entry only between 8 AM and 8 PM. In suburban Cook County: similar 2-day notice under the RTLO. Statewide: no fixed statute, but courts generally require approximately 24 hours reasonable notice. Emergency entry is allowed without notice for genuine emergencies only.