Rent increases in Illinois
Source: 735 ILCS 5/9-205, 5/9-207; 50 ILCS 825 (Rent Control Preemption Act); Landlord Retaliation Act (P.A. 103-0831) · Checked against the statute
- Notice
- 7–60 days
- Statewide cap
- No statewide cap
- During a lease
- Not during a fixed-term lease
- Local rent control
- Banned by state law
When can a rent increase start in Illinois?
Choose the state and the date the notice is given.
How much notice is required
Illinois has no rent-increase statute; the landlord changes the rent by giving the notice needed to end a periodic tenancy. The Attorney General says a month-to-month landlord may raise rent by any amount with 30 days' notice (7 days for week-to-week). The termination statutes require written notice. (735 ILCS 5/9-207, 5/9-205; Illinois AG, Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws)
No separate rent-increase rule: the periods below are the notice to end a periodic tenancy.
| Applies to | When | Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Month-to-month | — | 30 days |
| Week-to-week | — | 7 days |
| Year-to-year | — | 60 days |
- The notice must be in writing.
Example: a notice handed over on November 2, 2026 in Illinois
Earliest date the new rent can start, with rent due on the 1st, worked out from the Illinois rule above:
- For a month-to-month tenant of 1 year raising rent 5% or a month-to-month tenant of 3 years raising rent 12%: Wednesday, December 2, 2026
- For a week-to-week tenant raising rent 5%: Monday, November 9, 2026
Raising rent during a lease
The landlord cannot raise the rent during a fixed-term lease, e.g. before a one-year lease expires. (Illinois AG, Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws)
City and county rent control
Local governments, including home-rule units, may not control the amount of rent for private residential or commercial property. (50 ILCS 825/5, 825/10)
- Chicago: Fair Notice Ordinance: to raise rent (or end/not renew) the landlord must give written notice 30 days ahead if the tenant has lived there less than 6 months, 60 days for 6 months to 3 years, and 120 days for more than 3 years; applies to fixed-term and month-to-month tenancies, even in small owner-occupied buildings. Without proper notice the tenant may stay at the old rent for up to 60 days (120 days for 3+ years) after notice is given.
Retaliatory rent increases
A landlord may not knowingly increase rent because a tenant in good faith complained of code violations, sought help from a community group, requested repairs, joined a tenant union, testified, or used a legal right. Protected activity within one year before the increase creates a rebuttable presumption of retaliation. Remedies include up to 2 months' rent or twice damages plus attorney fees. (Landlord Retaliation Act, P.A. 103-0831 §§ 5, 10, 20 (repealed the Retaliatory Eviction Act, 765 ILCS 720))
Also good to know
- Year-to-year notice may be given any time within the 4 months before the last 60 days of the year (735 ILCS 5/9-205).
- Subsidized housing has separate federal rules.
Other Illinois renting rules in numbers
- Security deposit
- No statewide limit. Return deadline: 30 days after move-out.
- Tenant's notice to move out
- 1 rental period, ending with a rental period
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 5 days (pay or move out)
- How a written notice is delivered (eviction-notice rules)
- Hand it to the tenant; leave it with a person 13 or older who lives in or possesses the unit; or send it by certified or registered mail with a return receipt. Posting is allowed only if no one is in actual possession (735 ILCS 5/9-211).
- Notice for other lease violations
- 10 days (notice to vacate, no right to fix)
- Small claims court limit
- $10,000 — where most deposit and rent disputes are filed.
- Repairs
- Time to repair: 14 days. Repair and deduct: allowed with limits; withholding rent: allowed with limits.
- Deposit kept wrongly
- A landlord who refuses to give the itemized statement, or gives it in bad faith, and fails to return the deposit on time owes twice the deposit due plus court costs and attorney's fees. Willful failure to pay required interest costs an amount equal to the deposit plus costs and fees.
- Lawful reasons to end a lease early
- Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; Military service (state law)
Sources
- 735 ILCS 5/9-207 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- 735 ILCS 5/9-205 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- 50 ILCS 825/5 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- 50 ILCS 825/10 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Public Act 103-0831 (Landlord Retaliation Act) Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Illinois Attorney General: Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- City of Chicago: Know Your Rights – Fair Notice Ordinance Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Chicago ordinance SO2020-2862 (Fair Notice amendments to § 5-12-130(j)), linked from City of Chicago Fair Notice page Retrieved October 15, 2026.
Laws change. This page was checked against the sources above on October 15, 2026. It is legal information, not legal advice; for a dispute, contact your state's legal aid. See our methodology.