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.
Maintained by the SealForms editorial team · 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.
- What the case is called. In Illinois an eviction lawsuit is a(n) eviction (Eviction Act, 735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.) action. — Illinois Supreme Court approved form: Getting Started – Eviction Complaint, E-G 3514.3 (06/24) ↗
- Where to file. If the tenant doesn’t comply with the notice, the landlord files in the Circuit Court. — Illinois Supreme Court approved form instructions: How to File & Present an Eviction Case, E-I 3511.4 (06/24) ↗
- How to serve the notice. 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. — 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) ↗
- Filing fee. Varies by county (set by each Circuit Clerk under the Clerks of Courts Act; fee waiver available via Application for Waiver of Court Fees) — How to File & Present an Eviction Case, E-I 3511.4 (06/24) ↗
- Official notice form. Illinois’s courts publish an official notice form — compare it with the one you generate here. — Illinois Supreme Court approved form: Notice of Termination for Non-Payment of Rent, E-TR 3505.2 (12/21) ↗
- No self-help. Eviction without a court order is unlawful; landlord may not change locks or shut off utilities (see 735 ILCS 5/9-101). — How to File & Present an Eviction Case, E-I 3511.4 (06/24), Illinois Supreme Court approved instructions ↗
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.
Live preview · updates as you type
Notice to Pay or Quit / Vacate
State of Illinois
Date: __________. To: __________ ("Tenant"), and all occupants of __________ (the "Premises").
You are hereby notified that you are in violation of your tenancy for the following reason: __________ . Amount due, if applicable: $______.
You are required, within ____ days as required by Illinois law, on or before__________, to cure the violation (or pay the amount due) OR to vacate and surrender the Premises. If you fail to do so, the landlord may begin eviction proceedings in court.
This notice is given under the landlord-tenant laws of the State of Illinois. Nothing here waives the landlord’s rights.
Generated with SealFormsReflects Illinois law · verified 2026
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.
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.
Is an eviction notice the same as eviction?
No. The notice is the required first step — it gives the tenant a chance to pay, fix the problem, or move out by a deadline. If they don’t, you then file an eviction (unlawful detainer) case in court. You cannot lock out or remove a tenant yourself; only a court and law enforcement can carry out an eviction.
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).
Eviction notice in other states
More Illinois legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →