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Illinois, United States

Illinois Eviction Notice

Create a proper Illinois eviction notice — pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination — and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.

Reflects current Illinois rules · 2026 Official source linked Free PDF · no signup · nothing uploaded

Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.

What happens after the notice in Illinois

If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are Illinois’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.

Each point links to the Illinois source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.

Illinois notice periods · as of 2026

Non-payment of rent
5 days
Lease violation (cure)
10 days
End month-to-month
30 days

Source: 735 ILCS 5/9-209; 5/9-210; 5/9-207 · verify ↗. Using the wrong number can void the notice — confirm the current rule before you serve it.

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Types of eviction notice

  • Pay or quit — for unpaid rent: pay by the deadline or move out.
  • Cure or quit — for a lease violation: fix it by the deadline or move out.
  • Unconditional / termination — to end a month-to-month tenancy or for serious violations.

Illinois notice period & service

The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by Illinois law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current Illinois eviction rules before serving.

If the tenant moves out still owing rent, the notice won’t collect it. Put the amount and a deadline in writing with a Illinois demand letter for payment; if it’s ignored, you can file in Illinois small claims court, where the limit is $10,000.

Frequently asked questions

How many days notice do I have to give in Illinois?

In Illinois, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 5 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: 735 ILCS 5/9-209; 5/9-210; 5/9-207. Notice periods for lease violations or ending a tenancy differ — see the box on this page and confirm current law before serving.

How do I serve the notice in Illinois?

States set rules for delivery — often personal delivery, leaving it with an adult at the home, and/or mailing a copy. Keep proof of how and when you served it. Improper service is a common reason eviction cases get dismissed, so follow Illinois’s method carefully.

Do I need a lawyer?

Not always for the notice itself, but eviction is technical and a small mistake can restart the clock. For contested cases, commercial properties, or if the tenant has an attorney, it’s worth consulting a landlord-tenant lawyer in Illinois.

Where does a landlord file an eviction case in Illinois?

If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files in the Circuit Court (the case is called a(n) eviction (Eviction Act, 735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.) action). Source: Illinois Supreme Court approved form instructions: How to File & Present an Eviction Case, E-I 3511.4 (06/24).

How must an eviction notice be served in Illinois?

Deliver to a tenant/occupant named on the notice; leave with an occupant age 13+; certified/registered mail with return receipt; or post on the property if no one is in actual possession. Source: Illinois Supreme Court approved form: Affidavit of Service of a Demand or Notice, E-AD 3513.2 (11/21) (implementing 735 ILCS 5/9-211).

What does it cost to file an eviction in Illinois?

Varies by county (set by each Circuit Clerk under the Clerks of Courts Act; fee waiver available via Application for Waiver of Court Fees) Source: How to File & Present an Eviction Case, E-I 3511.4 (06/24).

How does Illinois compare? See the notice periods in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute. Not sure which notice applies? Try the 2-question wizard.

How Illinois compares

Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Illinois: 735 ILCS 5/9-209; 5/9-210; 5/9-207 ↗.

Notice to pay rent or quit

Notice to pay rent or quit: 5 days, exactly the national median.

This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.

Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Indiana (10 days), Iowa (3 days), Kentucky (7 days), Missouri (no statutory rule), Wisconsin (5 days).

Notice to cure a lease violation

Notice to cure a lease violation: 10 days — below the national median of 14 days across the 38 states with a statutory rule.

This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 6 other states.

Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Indiana (no statutory rule), Iowa (7 days), Kentucky (14 days), Missouri (10 days), Wisconsin (5 days).

Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy

Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days, exactly the national median.

This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 36 other states.

Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Indiana (30 days), Iowa (30 days), Kentucky (30 days), Missouri (30 days), Wisconsin (28 days).

The rest of what Illinois requires

The figures below are Illinois's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Illinois page for that document.

Security deposit cap · as of 2026
No statutory limit 765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act) ↗
Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
45 days after move-out 765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act) ↗
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
30 days 765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act) ↗
Small claims limit · as of 2026
$10,000 Ill. Sup. Ct. Rules 281-289; 705 ILCS 105/27.1b (fees) ↗
Where you file · as of 2026
Small claims in the Circuit Court (simplified procedure under Supreme Court Rules 281-289) · filing fee Varies by county — set by county ordinance within Supreme Court fee schedules under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b; commonly ~$89 for the smallest claims up to ~$250-$330 for claims near $10,000 depending on county (Cook County runs higher). Check the circuit clerk's fee schedule for your county. Ill. Sup. Ct. Rules 281-289; 705 ILCS 105/27.1b (fees) ↗
Rental application fee · as of July 2026
Limited to the actual cost of screening Illinois General Assembly ↗
Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
Not required Illinois SoS / DMV.ORG ↗
Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
Notarization required · 1 witness 755 ILCS 45/3-3 ↗
LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules 805 ILCS 180/1-5 (definition); 805 ILCS 180/15-5 (operating agreement, scope) ↗
Recording a deed · as of 2026
County Recorder of Deeds (in Cook County the Recorder of Deeds office was merged into the County Clerk in Dec. 2020) · no witnesses 765 ILCS 5/10; 765 ILCS 5/20 ↗

Eviction notice in other states

More Illinois legal forms

Different state? See eviction notices by state →