Illinois Eviction Laws
Illinois rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Written demand giving not less than 5 days after service to pay; if unpaid, landlord may end the lease and file for eviction. 735 ILCS 5/9-209
The rules in Illinois
| Notice for unpaid rent | Written demand giving not less than 5 days after service to pay; if unpaid, landlord may end the lease and file for eviction. To keep partial payments from invalidating the notice, it must state that only FULL PAYMENT waives the right to terminate. Service methods: 735 ILCS 5/9-211 (personal delivery, person 13+ residing on premises, certified/registered mail, or posting if no one in possession). Source: 735 ILCS 5/9-209 |
|---|---|
| Notice for lease violations | 10 days' written notice to quit after default in any lease term (other than rent). Statute does not require an opportunity to cure. A 5-day notice applies for Class X felony on premises when a HUD drug-free lease addendum was signed (765 ILCS 705/5). Source: 735 ILCS 5/9-210 |
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | Self-help eviction not allowed: a landlord must go to court and may not evict by turning off utilities, locking the tenant out, changing locks, or removing belongings; only a sheriff may physically evict. No specific statewide statute with a penalty for lockouts was located; Chicago RLTO imposes daily fines for lockouts. If a landlord fails to pay utilities it owes, tenants may terminate or pay and deduct (765 ILCS 735/1). |
How an eviction case works in Illinois
Eviction cases are heard in: Circuit Court of the county where the property is located.
- Serve written notice: 5-day demand for rent, 10-day notice for lease violation, or 30-day (month-to-month) / 7-day (week-to-week) / 60-day (year-to-year) termination notice
- File an eviction complaint; the clerk issues a summons (residential eviction summons must include the Court-Based Rental Assistance notice in English and Spanish)
- Hearing/trial on the return date; tenant may have a jury trial and present defenses
- Eviction order (judgment for possession and any rent)
- Order is filed with the sheriff for enforcement; it expires if not enforced within 120 days unless extended
- Sheriff carries out the eviction (only the sheriff may physically remove the tenant)
Landlords: how to evict a tenant in Illinois — steps, costs, timeline and forms.
Eviction court and fees by county
- Cook County (Chicago)
- DuPage County (Wheaton)
- Lake County (Waukegan)
- Kane County (Aurora / Elgin / Geneva)
- Will County (Joliet)
- Winnebago County (Rockford)
- Champaign County (Champaign / Urbana)
- St. Clair County (Belleville / East St. Louis)
- Madison County (Edwardsville / Granite City / Alton)
- Peoria County
- McLean County
- Sangamon County
- McHenry County
- Rock Island County
- DeKalb County
Free calculators
- Notice Deadline Calculator — Enter the date a notice was delivered and see the date it runs out under your state's law.
Templates
Related questions
- Can a landlord evict you without going to court, change the locks or shut off utilities?
- How long does an eviction take?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before an eviction?
Illinois vs. neighboring states
| State | Notice for unpaid rent | Notice for lease violations | Lockouts & utility shutoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Written demand giving not less than 5 days after service to pay; if unpaid, landlord may end the lease and file for eviction. To keep partial payments from invalidating the notice, it must state that only FULL PAYMENT waives the right to terminate. 735 ILCS 5/9-209 | 10 days' written notice to quit after default in any lease term (other than rent). 735 ILCS 5/9-210 | Self-help eviction not allowed: a landlord must go to court and may not evict by turning off utilities, locking the tenant out, changing locks, or removing belongings; only a sheriff may physically evict. Illinois AG fact sheet 'The Eviction Process' |
| Indiana | Not less than 10 days' notice to pay or vacate, unless the parties agreed otherwise or the tenant pays in full within the notice period. IC 32-31-1-6, 32-31-1-7 | No statute — Indiana law sets no notice period for ending a tenancy over a lease violation other than unpaid rent; the lease terms govern. No notice is needed at all when a fixed-term lease ends on its stated date, a tenant at will commits waste, or the tenant is a tenant at sufferance (IC 32-31-1-8). IC 32-31-1-1 to 32-31-1-22 (chapter checked); IC 32-31-1-8; IC 32-31-7-7 | Except by court order, landlord may not change locks, remove doors/windows/fixtures/appliances, or interrupt or shut off electricity, gas, water or other essential services (emergencies, good-faith repairs and necessary construction excepted), and may not seize or withhold tenant property to enforce rent. Tenant may petition for an emergency possessory order; the court must hold a hearing within 3 business days and may order possession restored, plus damages at a later hearing. IC 32-31-5-5, 32-31-5-6; IC 32-31-6-3, 32-31-6-5, 32-31-6-6, 32-31-6-9 |
| Iowa | 3 days' written notice of nonpayment and of the landlord's intent to terminate if rent is not paid within that period. After that notice, no separate 3-day notice to quit is required before filing. Iowa Code § 562A.27(2); § 648.3(1) | 7 days' written notice specifying the breach; the lease terminates if the breach is not remedied within 7 days. A repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months allows termination on 7 days' notice without a right to cure. For a clear and present danger to others, a single 3-day notice of termination and notice to quit. Iowa Code § 562A.27(1); § 562A.27A | If the landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant or willfully interrupts electric, gas, water or other essential services, the tenant may recover possession (or terminate the lease) and recover actual damages, punitive damages up to twice the monthly rent, and reasonable attorney fees. Iowa Code § 562A.26 |
| Kentucky | URLTA areas: 7 days' written notice to pay or the lease terminates. Non-URLTA areas: no statutory pre-filing notice period for nonpayment was found; terms are governed by the lease. KRS 383.660(2) | URLTA areas: written notice specifying the breach; lease terminates on a date at least 14 days after receipt if not remedied (statute says 'remedied in fifteen (15) days'). A repeat within 6 months allows termination on 14 days' notice without cure. Non-URLTA areas: no statute. KRS 383.660(1) | URLTA areas: if the landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant or willfully interrupts heat, water, hot water, electric, gas or other essential service, the tenant may recover possession or terminate and recover up to 3 months' rent plus reasonable attorney fees. Statewide: a landlord's entry on the possession of a tenant at will or by sufferance is a forcible entry, remediable through a forcible entry and detainer action in District Court. KRS 383.655; KRS 383.200(2)(b), 383.210 |
| Missouri | No fixed pay-or-quit notice period. Landlord must demand the rent; if it is unpaid, landlord may file a rent-and-possession statement. The one-month termination notice of 441.060 is not required before filing. RSMo 535.020 | 10 days' notice to vacate for breach of a written lease condition, unauthorized assignment/sublet, or waste (violations of 441.030), and for illegal use under 441.020 (gambling, bawdyhouse, controlled substances). The statute provides no right to cure. RSMo 441.030, 441.040, 441.020 | Prohibited. A landlord who removes or excludes a tenant or the tenant's property without judicial process and court order, or removes doors or locks, is guilty of forcible entry and detainer. The same applies to willfully interrupting essential services (electric, gas, water, sewer) unless done for health or safety reasons. Tenant can sue under Ch. 534, which awards double damages and double monthly rents/profits until restitution. RSMo 441.233; 534.330 |
| Wisconsin | Month-to-month/week-to-week: 5-day pay-or-vacate notice, or (month-to-month only) a 14-day notice to vacate with no right to cure. Lease of 1 year or less: 5-day pay-or-vacate; if the tenant was late within the past year, a 14-day notice to vacate. Lease over 1 year: 30-day notice to pay. Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)(a), (2)(a), (3)(a) | Periodic tenants and leases of 1 year or less: 5-day notice to remedy or vacate; for a repeat breach within one year, a 14-day notice to vacate with no cure. Lease over 1 year: 30-day notice to comply. Criminal or drug-related activity: 5-day notice to vacate, no cure. Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)(b), (2)(b), (3)(a), (3m) | Prohibited. Landlords may not exclude, forcibly evict, or constructively evict a tenant (including by cutting off heat, water, or electricity) except through ch. 799 court eviction. They also may not seize the tenant's property. A lease clause authorizing non-judicial eviction voids the lease. Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.09(4), (7); Wis. Stat. § 704.44(2m) |
City rules that may add to state law
More Illinois rental law
- Illinois Security Deposit Law
- Illinois Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Illinois
- Illinois Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Illinois Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Illinois
- Squatters' Rights in Illinois
- Illinois Rental Fee Rules
- Illinois Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Illinois Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Illinois Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Illinois Landlord Selling the House
- Illinois Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Illinois Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Illinois landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Illinois
Compare eviction in all 50 states and DC →
Illinois Eviction Laws FAQ
How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Illinois?
Written demand giving not less than 5 days after service to pay; if unpaid, landlord may end the lease and file for eviction. To keep partial payments from invalidating the notice, it must state that only FULL PAYMENT waives the right to terminate. (735 ILCS 5/9-209)
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Illinois?
10 days' written notice to quit after default in any lease term (other than rent). (735 ILCS 5/9-210)
Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Illinois?
Self-help eviction not allowed: a landlord must go to court and may not evict by turning off utilities, locking the tenant out, changing locks, or removing belongings; only a sheriff may physically evict. (Illinois AG fact sheet 'The Eviction Process')
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.