Illinois · Notice to Vacate Requirements
Illinois Notice to Vacate: 5 days Pay-or-Quit, 30 days (month-to-month) No-Fault
Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/9-209) requires a 5-day written notice to pay rent or vacate before an eviction suit can be filed. For lease violations, a 10-day cure notice is required. Month-to-month tenancies require 30 days' notice to terminate. Chicago tenants have additional protections: the Chicago Just Cause for Eviction ordinance (effective 2022) requires landlords to state one of 16 specific reasons for termination, and provides for 60-day relocation assistance in no-fault terminations.
Chicago's Just Cause for Eviction ordinance (2022) requires one of 16 specific reasons to evict, Chicago tenants have some of the strongest protections in the Midwest.
Pay-or-quit notice
5 days
735 ILCS 5/9-209
Cure notice (violation)
10 days to cure a lease violation
No-fault / termination
30 days (month-to-month)
Important: Illinois has no statewide just cause requirement. Chicago enacted a Just Cause for Eviction ordinance (Chicago Municipal Code § 5-12-130) effective in 2022, requiring one of 16 enumerated just causes for evictions of tenants in Chicago.
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Illinois Notice to Vacate FAQs
How much notice is required to vacate in Illinois?▾
5 days for non-payment of rent. 10 days for lease violations. 30 days for month-to-month no-fault terminations (statewide). Chicago: 60-day minimum for covered just cause situations under the Chicago Just Cause ordinance. 735 ILCS 5/9-209; Chicago Municipal Code § 5-12-130.
Does Illinois require just cause to evict a tenant?▾
Statewide: no. Chicago: yes. Chicago's Just Cause for Eviction ordinance (effective January 2022) requires landlords to state one of 16 enumerated reasons. No-fault just causes (owner move-in, substantial rehab, withdrawal) require 120 days' notice and one or two months' relocation assistance.
Do I need a lawyer to serve a notice to vacate?▾
Not required to serve a notice. Chicago landlords should review RLTO compliance carefully, procedural defects can void the eviction. Eviction Help Illinois (1-855-631-0811) provides free statewide tenant and landlord guidance.
What happens if a tenant stays after a Illinois vacate notice?▾
File for eviction (Forcible Entry and Detainer) in the Circuit Court of the county. Illinois courts typically schedule eviction hearings within 3-6 weeks of filing.
Notice to vacate requirements by state
Eviction notice requirements change frequently. Verify current rules in your jurisdiction before serving. kweldoc is a document drafting tool, not a law firm.