Illinois Eviction Laws

Illinois notice periods for ending a tenancy and starting an eviction, each as LeaseCraft read it in the statute at the official source, with its citation and read date (most recently ).

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Illinois notice periods

Periods are as the statute states them: some are minimums, some apply unless the lease sets another. "Lease controls" means there is no statutory period; "No pre-suit notice" means none is required before filing.

SituationNotice periodSource
Unpaid rent 5 calendar days 735 ILCS 5/9-209
Read
Lease violation 10 calendar days 735 ILCS 5/9-210
Read
Ending the tenancy without a chance to cure 10 calendar days 735 ILCS 5/9-210; 735 ILCS 5/9-120
Read
Ending a month-to-month tenancy 30 calendar days 735 ILCS 5/9-207(b)
Read
Tenant staying after the lease ends Lease controls 735 ILCS 5/9-207 (holding over, tenancies < 1 year)
Read
Ending a week-to-week tenancy 7 calendar days 735 ILCS 5/9-207(a)
Read

What the Illinois statute says

Unpaid rent 5 calendar days
  • Landlord may, any time after rent is due, demand payment and notify the tenant in writing that unless payment is made within a time stated in the notice, not less than 5 days after SERVICE, the lease will be terminated (735 ILCS 5/9-209).
  • Notice must prominently state the FULL PAYMENT sentence (see eviction_notice_form) or it is invalid.
  • If tenant fails to pay within the time stated, landlord may consider the lease ended and file without further notice or demand.

Exceptions

  • Collection of past-due rent after the eviction suit is filed does not invalidate the suit; acceptance of partial payment before filing waives the notice unless landlord agreed in writing to continue the lease for partial payment.
Lease violation 10 calendar days
  • Default in any term of the lease: no more than 10 days' notice to quit is necessary (735 ILCS 5/9-210). The STATUTE GRANTS NO RIGHT TO CURE — the statutory form says the landlord 'ha[s] elected to terminate your lease'.
  • Notice must be signed by the lessor or agent and state the character of the default; may be substantially in the statutory form.
Ending the tenancy without a chance to cure 10 calendar days
  • Any lease default: 10-day notice to quit with no statutory cure right (735 ILCS 5/9-210).
  • Use of the premises for a felony or Class A misdemeanor (735 ILCS 5/9-120): lease void at lessor's option; eviction may be filed if tenant has not vacated within 5 days after RECEIPT of a written notice to vacate.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy 30 calendar days
  • Tenancy for any term less than one year other than week-to-week (includes month-to-month): landlord may terminate by 30 days' written notice (735 ILCS 5/9-207(b)), except as provided in 9-207.5 (post-foreclosure tenancies).

Exceptions

  • Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance requires 30/60/120 days depending on length of tenancy (local overlay, not researched).
Tenant staying after the lease ends Lease controls
  • 9-207 itself applies to tenants 'holding over without special agreement' under tenancies of less than one year (30 days / 7 days). Year-to-year tenancies (9-205, 60 days before year end) and holdover after a fixed term (9-202 double rent) were not read.
Ending a week-to-week tenancy 7 calendar days
  • Week-to-week tenancy: landlord may terminate by 7 days' written notice (735 ILCS 5/9-207(a)).

Just cause, delivery, form and local rules in Illinois

How the notice may be delivered

735 ILCS 5/9-211: deliver a written/printed copy to the tenant; or leave it with a person aged 13 or older residing on or in possession of the premises; or send by certified or registered mail with return receipt from the addressee; or, only when no one is in actual possession, post on the premises.

735 ILCS 5/9-211 · read

Required form or contents

Mandatory contents, no mandatory form: the 5-day nonpayment notice must prominently state 'Only FULL PAYMENT of the rent demanded in this notice will waive the landlord's right to terminate the lease under this notice, unless the landlord agrees in writing to continue the lease in exchange for receiving partial payment.' (735 ILCS 5/9-209). The 10-day notice 'may be substantially in the following form' (735 ILCS 5/9-210 statutory form) and must be signed by the lessor or agent.

735 ILCS 5/9-209; 735 ILCS 5/9-210 · read

Statewide just-cause rule

No statewide just-cause requirement

  • No statewide good-cause requirement in the Eviction Act (735 ILCS 5/Art. IX); periodic tenancies terminable on 30/7 days' notice without cause.

735 ILCS 5/9-207 · read

City and county rules

Could not verify LeaseCraft has not verified this at the official source (Chicago Mun. Code ch. 5-12; Cook County Code ch. 42, art. IV (RTLO)), so this page states no rule.

For Illinois landlords

  • Find the period for your situation in the table above and count it from the day the notice is delivered.
  • Deliver the notice the way Illinois law allows and keep a record of how and when.
  • A notice is not a court order and does not by itself remove a tenant.

For Illinois tenants

  • Compare the notice you received with the period for its situation in the table above and the date it reached you.
  • A notice is not a court order. If a case is filed, the court papers say how and by when to respond.
  • Local legal aid and tenant organizations can explain your options.

How an eviction generally proceeds

A general outline, not Illinois law: the steps, their names and their deadlines differ by state and court. The Illinois rules LeaseCraft has verified are the ones above.

  1. Written notice. The landlord gives the notice the situation calls for and waits out its period.
  2. Court filing. If the tenant has not paid, cured or left, the landlord files an eviction case in court.
  3. Hearing. Both sides can be heard; the tenant may raise defenses such as an improper notice.
  4. Judgment. The court decides who has the right to the property.
  5. Removal. If the court rules for the landlord, removal follows its order. A notice is not a court order and does not by itself remove a tenant.

Illinois eviction questions

  • 5 calendar days, under 735 ILCS 5/9-209. Landlord may, any time after rent is due, demand payment and notify the tenant in writing that unless payment is made within a time stated in the notice, not less than 5 days after SERVICE, the lease will be terminated (735 ILCS 5/9-209). LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.

  • 10 calendar days, under 735 ILCS 5/9-210. Default in any term of the lease: no more than 10 days' notice to quit is necessary (735 ILCS 5/9-210). The STATUTE GRANTS NO RIGHT TO CURE — the statutory form says the landlord 'ha[s] elected to terminate your lease'. LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.

  • 30 calendar days, under 735 ILCS 5/9-207(b). Tenancy for any term less than one year other than week-to-week (includes month-to-month): landlord may terminate by 30 days' written notice (735 ILCS 5/9-207(b)), except as provided in 9-207.5 (post-foreclosure tenancies). LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.

  • 735 ILCS 5/9-211: deliver a written/printed copy to the tenant; or leave it with a person aged 13 or older residing on or in possession of the premises; or send by certified or registered mail with return receipt from the addressee; or, only when no one is in actual possession, post on the premises. Source: 735 ILCS 5/9-211. LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.

  • No statewide just-cause requirement, under 735 ILCS 5/9-207. No statewide good-cause requirement in the Eviction Act (735 ILCS 5/Art. IX); periodic tenancies terminable on 30/7 days' notice without cause. LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.

  • 7 calendar days, under 735 ILCS 5/9-207(a). Week-to-week tenancy: landlord may terminate by 7 days' written notice (735 ILCS 5/9-207(a)). LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.

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Cities and counties can add rules. LeaseCraft is not a law firm and this is not legal advice.