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Make your Illinois lease
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Illinois Residential Lease Agreement
Page 1: Summary of Illinois housing protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence
Attach the summary prepared by the Illinois Department of Human Rights as the first page of this Lease. Each Tenant signs the acknowledgment of receipt at the bottom of each page of the summary (765 ILCS 752/20).
1. Parties
This Residential Lease Agreement (the "Lease") is between ("Landlord") and ("Tenant"). If more than one person signs as Tenant, each of them is fully responsible for all of Tenant's obligations under this Lease.
2. Property
Landlord rents to Tenant the residence at (the "Property"), including (parking, storage, appliances or furniture included, if any).
3. Term
This Lease begins on and ends on . If Tenant stays after the end date with Landlord's written consent, the tenancy continues from month to month on the same terms unless the parties sign a new lease or the law where the Property is located provides otherwise.
4. Rent
Tenant will pay rent of per month, in advance, on or before the day of each month, by .
If this Lease starts on a day other than the rent due day, rent for the first partial month is , calculated by dividing the monthly rent by the number of days in that month and multiplying by the number of days Tenant has the Property.
5. Late charges and returned payments
If rent is not received in full within days after it is due, Tenant will pay a late charge of . Tenant will pay for any payment returned unpaid by the bank. No late charge or fee will be more than the law where the Property is located allows.
6. Security deposit
Tenant will pay a security deposit of before moving in. Landlord will hold, apply and return the deposit as required by the law where the Property is located. After Tenant moves out, Landlord will return the deposit, less any lawful deductions with a written itemized list, within the time that law requires. Tenant may not use the deposit as the last month's rent without Landlord's written consent.
7. Occupants and use
Only Tenant and these people may live at the Property: . Tenant will use the Property only as a private residence, follow all laws, and not disturb neighbors.
8. Utilities
Tenant will pay for these utilities and services: . Landlord will pay for all other utilities and services, if any, that serve the Property.
9. Pets
Pets allowed (describe, or write "none"): Pet deposit, if any: . This does not limit assistance animals that Landlord must allow under fair housing law.
10. Smoking
Smoking rules:
11. Maintenance and repairs
Tenant will keep the Property clean and safe, use appliances and fixtures properly, and promptly report any needed repairs to Landlord in writing. Landlord will make repairs the law requires. Tenant will pay for damage caused by Tenant, other occupants or guests, beyond normal wear and tear.
12. Alterations and locks
Tenant will not paint, make alterations, or add or change locks without Landlord's written consent.
13. Landlord entry
Landlord may enter the Property at reasonable times to inspect, make repairs or show it, after giving Tenant at least hours' notice, or any longer notice the law requires. Landlord may enter without notice in an emergency.
14. Subletting and assignment
Tenant will not sublet the Property or assign this Lease without Landlord's written consent.
15. Moving out
When this Lease ends, Tenant will leave the Property clean and in the same condition as at move-in except for normal wear and tear, return all keys, and give Landlord a forwarding address in writing.
16. Paying rent (765 ILCS 705/3.5 and 705/4)
Tenant is not required to pay rent or other amounts by electronic funds transfer. If a payment portal charges Tenant a transaction fee, Tenant may instead pay by paper check or cash delivered to Landlord or Landlord's office, or by another method that carries no fee.
17. Security deposit return (765 ILCS 710)
To keep any part of the deposit for damage, Landlord will, within 30 days after Tenant vacates or Tenant's right of possession ends, whichever is later, deliver an itemized statement of the damage and the cost of each repair with paid receipts or copies, in person, by mail to Tenant's last known address or by email to a verified email address Tenant provides. Otherwise Landlord will return the full deposit within 45 days after Tenant vacates. Agreed costs for specific cleaning or repairs: .
18. Locks and local rules
Landlord changed or rekeyed the lock to the unit before Tenant took possession. ☐ Property is in Chicago and covered by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance: the City's RLTO summary is attached.
19. Flood disclosure (765 ILCS 705/25)
(Landlord) ☐ is or ☐ is not aware that the rental property is located in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area ("100-year floodplain"). The property has experienced flooding ☐ times in the last 10 years. Even if the rental property is not in a Special Flood Hazard Area ("100-year floodplain"), the dwelling may still be susceptible to flooding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maintains a flood map on its Internet website that is searchable by address, at no cost, to determine if a dwelling is located in a flood hazard area. (Landlord) ☐ is or ☐ is not aware that the rental property you are renting has flooded at least once in the last 10 years. The rental property has flooded ☐ times in the last 10 years. Even if the dwelling has not flooded in the last 10 years, the dwelling may still be susceptible to flooding. Most tenant insurance policies do not cover damage or loss incurred in a flood. You are encouraged to examine your policy to determine whether you are covered. If you are not, flood insurance may be available through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program to cover your personal property in the event of a flood. Information regarding flood risks can be found at the dnr.illinois.gov (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), fema.gov (FEMA), and ready.gov/flood (U.S. National public service). Landlords are required to disclose the above information pursuant to Section 25 of the Landlord and Tenant Act. A landlord's failure to comply with Section 25 of the Landlord and Tenant Act shall entitle the tenant to remedies as defined in that Section.
20. Disclosures
Was the Property built before 1978? If yes, the federal lead-based paint disclosure, signed by both parties, is attached, and Tenant received the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home.
Other disclosures or addenda attached:
21. Notices
Notices to Landlord go to: . Notices to Tenant go to the Property address, or to any other address Tenant gives Landlord in writing.
22. Governing law and entire agreement
This Lease is governed by the law of Illinois, where the Property is located. If any part of this Lease is invalid or conflicts with that law, that part is limited to what the law allows and the rest of the Lease stays in effect. This Lease, with any attached addenda, is the entire agreement. Any change must be in writing and signed by Landlord and Tenant.
23. Additional terms
Signatures
This Illinois lease agreement template is built for 2026: it reserves page 1 for the survivor rights summary now required on every lease, includes the statutory flood disclosure form, and adds the rent payment and deposit terms Illinois law sets. Everything you type stays in your browser.
What changed in Illinois leases, 2024 to 2027
From January 1, 2026, a landlord "shall attach a copy of the summary of this Act as the first page of any written residential lease they enter into with a tenant, including for a new rental or renewal," with each tenant signing every page (765 ILCS 752/20). Missing it can cost the greater of actual damages up to $2,000 or $100 per tenant (752/30).
For leases signed after January 1, 2027, "All non-optional fees, regardless of whether they are one-time fees or recurring fees, shall be explicitly contained on the first page of a lease agreement," or the tenant does not owe them (705/35). The same section caps application fees, including background checks, at $50 with a narrow exception, and bans fees for lease renewal, after-hours maintenance requests and move-in or move-out walk-throughs (705/35(c)). It does not apply to owner-occupied buildings of 6 units or fewer (705/35(e)).
Illinois lease rules at a glance
| Rule | Illinois | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit limit | No statewide cap in the deposit statutes; local rules may apply | 765 ILCS 705, 710, 715 |
| Deposit return | Itemized statement with receipts within 30 days to keep anything for damage; otherwise full refund within 45 days | 710/1; 710/1 |
| Deposit interest | Owners of 25 or more units pay interest on deposits held over 6 months | 715/1 |
| Paying rent | Cannot require EFT; offer a fee-free method if the portal charges a fee | 705/4; 705/3.5 |
| Flood disclosure | In the lease, signed by both, before signing; lower-level units disclose 10 years of flooding | 705/25; 705/25(c) |
| Survivor rights summary | State summary attached as page 1 of every lease and renewal from January 1, 2026 | 752/20 |
| Screening fee | None if the applicant brings a qualifying reusable screening report | 705/30 |
| Fees in leases signed after Jan 1, 2027 | All non-optional fees on page 1; $50 application fee limit; listed fees banned | 705/35 |
| Locks | Change or rekey before each new tenant | 705/15 |
From the Illinois Compiled Statutes on ilga.gov, read November 2, 2026; effective dates from each section's source note (P.A. 104-479, P.A. 103-224). A template, not legal advice.
The Illinois flood disclosure
Every landlord must disclose in writing before signing whether the rental is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area and any flooding the landlord knows of, and the disclosure "shall also be included in the written lease or the written renewal lease and shall be signed by both parties" (705/25(b)). Garden, basement and first floor units must also disclose flooding in the last 10 years (705/25(c)). The lease above prints the statute's form with checkboxes. If you skip it and the tenant learns the unit is in the floodplain, the tenant may end the lease and get prepaid rent back (705/25(e)).
Security deposits in Illinois
To keep any part of a deposit for damage, send an itemized statement "within 30 days of the date that the lessee vacated the leased premises or within 30 days of the date the lessee's right of possession ends, whichever is later," with receipts, by hand, mail or email to a verified address (765 ILCS 710/1). Without it, the full deposit is due within 45 days. A lease may fix the cost of specific cleaning or repairs in advance (710/1). Bad faith can cost twice the deposit (710/1).
Illinois lease agreement template for Chicago
Chicago's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance adds its own rules. Its summary "must be attached to each written lease agreement and lease renewal," using the version effective May 1, 2024 (City of Chicago). The ordinance does not cover "units in owner-occupied buildings with six units or less," among other exemptions. Tick the Chicago box in the lease and attach the City's summary.
Filling in the IL lease agreement
- Print the Department of Human Rights summary and place it in front of the lease.
- Complete the flood form honestly, using FEMA's free flood map.
- Offer at least one way to pay rent that carries no fee.
- Change or rekey the lock before move-in.
- At move-out, send the itemized statement within 30 days with the deposit return letter.
Screening applicants first? See the rental application fee guide. For a rolling agreement use the month-to-month lease. The general version is our lease agreement template.
Frequently asked questions
What must be on the first page of an Illinois lease in 2026?
The Illinois Department of Human Rights summary of housing protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, with each tenant's signature on every page, for new leases and renewals from January 1, 2026.
Does an Illinois lease need a flood disclosure?
Yes. Before signing, the landlord discloses whether the unit is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area and any known flooding, in the lease, signed by both parties.
How long does an Illinois landlord have to return a deposit?
An itemized statement with receipts within 30 days to keep anything for damage; otherwise the full deposit within 45 days of move-out.
Is there a security deposit limit in Illinois?
The state deposit statutes set no maximum. Chicago and other cities can add their own rules.
Can an Illinois landlord require rent to be paid online?
No. A landlord cannot require payment by electronic funds transfer, and if a payment portal charges a fee, a fee-free way to pay must be offered.