Illinois Tenant Rights Guide

Last updated: April 2026

Illinois has no rent control (preempted statewide). The Chicago RLTO applies in Chicago and some suburbs. Statewide, the Security Deposit Return Act and habitability rules protect all renters. Effective January 1, 2026, the Safer Homes Act (Public Act 103-1031) also requires landlords to attach the Illinois Department of Human Rights Summary of Rights to every residential lease.

Illinois at a Glance

Rent control: None
Statewide rent cap: None — landlords can raise rent by any amount
Preemption: Illinois state law (50 ILCS 825/5, the Rent Control Preemption Act) prohibits local rent control. Chicago, Evanston, and other cities cannot enact ordinances under this preemption.

What Protections Illinois Tenants Do Have

Even without rent control, Illinois law gives renters meaningful rights in these areas:

Security Deposit

Chicago RLTO requires return within 30 days with itemized statement; wrongful withholding entitles tenant to twice the deposit plus interest (Chicago Muni. Code § 5-12-080). The statewide Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/1) applies only to residential buildings with 5 or more units: the lessor must furnish an itemized statement within 30 days of the tenant vacating, and if none is furnished must return the full deposit within 45 days. Buildings with fewer than 5 units have no statutory return deadline (lease and common law govern), and Illinois has no statewide cap on the deposit amount.

Notice to Terminate

Month-to-month tenancies require at least 30 days written notice statewide.

Habitability

Landlords must maintain habitable conditions under Illinois common law and, in Chicago, under the RLTO.

Anti-Retaliation

Landlords cannot retaliate for code complaints or exercising legal rights (765 ILCS 720/1). Effective January 1, 2025, the Landlord Retaliation Act (765 ILCS 721) adds a one-year presumption that adverse landlord action taken after a tenant's protected activity is retaliatory.

Eviction

Landlords must serve written notice and obtain court judgment. Self-help eviction is prohibited. Effective January 1, 2026, House Bill 3566 (Public Act 104-0317) prohibits naming minors as defendants in eviction actions, and Senate Bill 1563 allows owners to have police remove certain unauthorized occupants under the criminal trespass statute without filing a full eviction case.

Safer Homes Lease Attachment

Effective January 1, 2026, Illinois landlords must attach the Illinois Department of Human Rights Summary of Rights for Safer Homes as the first page of each written residential lease, including new rentals and renewals (Summary of Rights for Safer Homes Act, Public Act 103-1031).

Unauthorized Occupants

Effective January 1, 2026, Senate Bill 1563 / Public Act 104-0029 clarifies that the Eviction Article does not prevent law enforcement from enforcing criminal trespass laws or removing persons or property when criminal trespass applies.

Check your address to see what tenant protections apply to your rental.

Major Cities in Illinois

Addison — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Algonquin — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Alsip — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Alton — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Antioch — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Arlington Heights — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Aurora — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
Barrington — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bartlett — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Batavia — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Beach Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Belleville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bellwood — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Belvidere — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bensenville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Berwyn — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bloomingdale — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bloomington — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Blue Island — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bolingbrook — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bourbonnais — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bradley — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Bridgeview — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Brookfield — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Buffalo Grove — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Burbank — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Burr Ridge — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Cahokia Heights — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Calumet City — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Campton Hills — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Canton — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Carbondale — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Carol Stream — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Carpentersville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Cary — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Centralia — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Champaign — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
Channahon — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Charleston — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Chatham — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Chicago — No rent control (preempted); strong RLTO tenant protections.
Chicago Heights — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Chicago Ridge — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Cicero — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Collinsville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Columbia — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Country Club Hills — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Crest Hill — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Crestwood — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Crystal Lake — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Danville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Darien — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
DeKalb — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Decatur — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Deerfield — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Des Plaines — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Dixon — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Dolton — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Downers Grove — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
East Moline — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
East Peoria — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
East St. Louis — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Edwardsville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Effingham — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Elgin — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
Elk Grove Village — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Elmhurst — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Elmwood Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Evanston — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Evergreen Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Fairview Heights — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Forest Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Fox Lake — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Frankfort — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Franklin Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Freeport — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Galesburg — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Geneva — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Glen Carbon — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Glen Ellyn — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Glendale Heights — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Glenview — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Godfrey — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Granite City — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Grayslake — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Gurnee — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Hanover Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Harvey — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Hazel Crest — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Herrin — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Hickory Hills — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Highland Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Hinsdale — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Hoffman Estates — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Homer Glen — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Homewood — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Huntley — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Jacksonville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Joliet — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
Justice — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Kankakee — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Kewanee — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
La Grange — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
La Grange Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lake Forest — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lake Zurich — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lake in the Hills — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lansing — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lemont — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Libertyville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lincoln — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lincolnwood — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lindenhurst — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lisle — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lockport — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lombard — No — Illinois state law prohibits rent control statewide (50 ILCS 825/5). Landlords may raise rent by
Loves Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Lyons — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Machesney Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Macomb — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Mahomet — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Manhattan — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Marion — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Markham — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Matteson — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Mattoon — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Maywood — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
McHenry — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Melrose Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Midlothian — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Minooka — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Mokena — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Moline — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Montgomery — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Morris — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Morton — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Morton Grove — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Mount Prospect — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Mount Vernon — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Mundelein — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Naperville — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
New Lenox — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Niles — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Normal — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Norridge — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
North Aurora — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
North Chicago — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Northbrook — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Northlake — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
O'Fallon — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Oak Forest — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Oak Lawn — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Oak Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Orland Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Oswego — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Ottawa — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Palatine — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Palos Heights — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Palos Hills — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Park Forest — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Park Ridge — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Pekin — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Peoria — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
Pingree Grove — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Plainfield — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Plano — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Pontiac — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Prospect Heights — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Quincy — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Rantoul — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Richton Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
River Forest — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
River Grove — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Riverdale — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Rock Island — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Rockford — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
Rolling Meadows — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Romeoville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Roscoe — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Roselle — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Round Lake — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Round Lake Beach — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Schaumburg — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Schiller Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Shiloh — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Shorewood — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Skokie — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
South Elgin — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
South Holland — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Springfield — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
St. Charles — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Sterling — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Streamwood — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Streator — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Summit — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Swansea — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Sycamore — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Taylorville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Tinley Park — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Troy — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Urbana — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Vernon Hills — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Villa Park — No — Illinois state law prohibits rent control statewide (50 ILCS 825/5). Landlords may raise rent by
Warrenville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Washington — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Waterloo — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Wauconda — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Waukegan — No rent control; Illinois state law applies.
West Chicago — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Westchester — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Western Springs — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Westmont — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Wheaton — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Wheeling — No — Illinois state law prohibits rent control statewide (50 ILCS 825/5). Landlords may raise rent by
Wilmette — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Winfield — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Winnetka — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Wood Dale — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Wood River — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Woodridge — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Woodstock — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Worth — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Yorkville — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.
Zion — No rent control; Illinois state protections apply.

Illinois Tenant Resources

These organizations offer free or low-cost help to Illinois renters:

Illinois Legal Aid Online — Free legal information and referrals for Illinois tenants.
Lawyers Committee for Better Housing — Chicago-area tenant legal services and eviction defense.
Prairie State Legal Services — Free legal aid for low-income residents across northern Illinois.

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