Free Illinois Residential Lease & Rental Agreement Template
Illinois regulates the security deposit by deadline rather than by dollar limit: miss the thirty-day itemised statement and the whole deposit goes back within forty-five days, whatever the damage was. Below are the sections that decide that, then a lease you can generate with Illinois already selected.
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Illinois rules landlords must follow
- Security deposit cap No dollar limit in the two deposit Acts
Neither Illinois Act that governs residential deposits sets a maximum. The Security Deposit Return Act regulates how a deposit must be accounted for, and the Security Deposit Interest Act regulates interest in larger buildings; neither fixes a number of months. Home-rule cities such as Chicago and Evanston layer their own ordinances on top, so check the municipal code where the unit is.
765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act); 765 ILCS 715 (Security Deposit Interest Act) · second source
- Deposit return deadline 30 days to itemise · 45 days or all of it back
A lessor may not withhold any part of the deposit for property damage unless, within 30 days of the date the tenant vacated or the right of possession ended — whichever is later — the lessor furnishes an itemised statement of the damage and the estimated or actual cost of each item, with paid receipts attached. Delivery may be in person, by postmarked mail, or by email to an address the tenant verified. If that statement is not furnished, the lessor “shall return the security deposit in full within 45 days.”
- Ending a month-to-month tenancy 30 days · 7 days week-to-week
In a tenancy for any term less than one year other than week-to-week, where the tenant holds over without special agreement, the landlord may terminate by 30 days’ notice in writing. A week-to-week tenancy takes 7 days’ written notice. Both are subject to Section 9-207.5, which sets longer notice for covered residential tenancies.
- Interest on the deposit Buildings of 25 or more units
A lessor of residential real property “containing 25 or more units in either a single building or a complex of buildings located on contiguous parcels of real property” who receives a security deposit must pay the tenant interest, computed from the date of the deposit. Below that size the state Act imposes no interest obligation.
Required disclosures
- Lead-based paint (federal)
- For any housing built before 1978, federal law requires the landlord to disclose known lead-based paint and hazards, give the EPA pamphlet “Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home,” and include a lead warning in the lease. 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 24 CFR Part 35 / 40 CFR Part 745
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FAQ
Illinois lease questions
- How much security deposit can a Illinois landlord charge?
- Neither Illinois Act that governs residential deposits sets a maximum. The Security Deposit Return Act regulates how a deposit must be accounted for, and the Security Deposit Interest Act regulates interest in larger buildings; neither fixes a number of months. Home-rule cities such as Chicago and Evanston layer their own ordinances on top, so check the municipal code where the unit is.
- How long does a Illinois landlord have to return the deposit?
- A lessor may not withhold any part of the deposit for property damage unless, within 30 days of the date the tenant vacated or the right of possession ended — whichever is later — the lessor furnishes an itemised statement of the damage and the estimated or actual cost of each item, with paid receipts attached. Delivery may be in person, by postmarked mail, or by email to an address the tenant verified. If that statement is not furnished, the lessor “shall return the security deposit in full within 45 days.”
- How much notice is required to end a month-to-month lease in Illinois?
- In a tenancy for any term less than one year other than week-to-week, where the tenant holds over without special agreement, the landlord may terminate by 30 days’ notice in writing. A week-to-week tenancy takes 7 days’ written notice. Both are subject to Section 9-207.5, which sets longer notice for covered residential tenancies.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. Free Contract Generator provides self-help templates and general information, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Landlord-tenant law is state- and city-specific and changes; confirm the current rules and consult a licensed attorney for your situation.
Rules on this page were checked against the official source cited beside each item on September 6, 2026. Laws change — confirm the current rule before you rely on it. This page is general information, not legal advice.