Illinois gives renters real protections, and one of them is newer than most people realize: since January 1, 2023, source-of-income discrimination is illegal statewide under the Illinois Human Rights Act, so a landlord cannot refuse you just because you would pay with a Housing Choice Voucher. There is no statewide rent control (the 1997 Rent Control Preemption Act bars local rent caps), but the Eviction Act, the Security Deposit Return Act, and — in Chicago and suburban Cook County — strong local ordinances fill in the rest. The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is the state housing agency. This page covers the statewide rules, the eviction timeline, and links to the Illinois city we cover.
- 211 — free, 24/7 — for any housing emergency anywhere in Illinois
- Illinois Dept. of Human Rights (voucher / source-of-income discrimination): 1-800-662-3942 · dhr.illinois.gov
- IHDA (state housing agency): ihda.org
- Illinois Legal Aid Online: illinoislegalaid.org
- HUD fair housing: 1-800-669-9777
Public Housing & Vouchers in Illinois
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and public housing are run by local authorities — the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is the largest, the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) covers the suburbs, and dozens of others serve the rest of the state. The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) finances affordable apartments and allocates Low-Income Housing Tax Credits — search HUD’s LIHTC database or read how to find LIHTC housing.
Apply to several authorities at once — you are not limited to your home city. Use HUD’s PHA directory or our how to find your PHA and how to apply for Section 8 guides. For CHA waitlists and Chicago programs, see the Chicago guide.
Source-of-Income Protection (Statewide Since 2023)
This is the protection most Illinois renters don’t know about. Effective January 1, 2023, HB 2775 amended the Illinois Human Rights Act to make source of income a protected class statewide. A landlord with one or more units cannot refuse you, charge you more, or advertise “no vouchers” because you would pay part of the rent with a Housing Choice Voucher, SSI, SSDI, veterans’ benefits, child support, or other lawful income. If you already live somewhere and then receive a voucher, the landlord must accept it and cooperate with reasonable program steps such as an inspection.
- Statewide complaints: Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), 1-800-662-3942
- Chicago: the Chicago Commission on Human Relations also enforces the city’s ordinance
- Suburban Cook County: the Cook County Commission on Human Rights enforces the county ordinance
Read our source-of-income protections guide for how to document a refusal and file.
Rent Control in Illinois
There is no rent control in Illinois, and the Rent Control Preemption Act of 1997 (50 ILCS 825) bars cities and counties from adopting it. Advocates have pushed to repeal the ban (the “Lift the Ban” campaign), but as of 2026 it remains law, so neither the state nor Chicago can cap how much your rent rises at renewal. Your protection against a sudden increase comes from your lease term and the required notice before a month-to-month increase.
Emergency Rental Assistance in Illinois
The state’s pandemic-era programs (IHDA ERA and the Court-Based Rental Assistance Program, CBRAP) are no longer taking new applications. Current help:
- illinoishousinghelp.org — IHDA’s hub for any rental-assistance program that reopens; check it before assuming nothing is available
- Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) funds homelessness prevention through local agencies — dial 211 or contact your community action agency
- LIHEAP lowers utility bills (in Chicago through CEDA; elsewhere through local agencies) so more income is free for rent — see utility assistance programs
- The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and St. Vincent de Paul provide one-time emergency help across the state
See our emergency rental assistance guide for the national picture.
Illinois Tenant Law: Key Protections at a Glance
Quick Reference: Illinois (IL)
- Source-of-income protection: yes — statewide since January 1, 2023 (Illinois Human Rights Act)
- Rent control: none — barred by the Rent Control Preemption Act (50 ILCS 825)
- Security deposit limit: no statewide cap (Chicago caps and regulates deposits)
- Deposit return: if the landlord keeps any of it for damage, an itemized statement within 30 days; otherwise the full deposit back within 45 days (Security Deposit Return Act, 765 ILCS 710 — all landlords since 2024)
- Eviction notice (nonpayment): 5 days (735 ILCS 5/9-209) — full payment within 5 days stops it
- Eviction notice (lease violation): 10 days (735 ILCS 5/9-210)
- Notice to end month-to-month: 30 days (longer in Chicago/Cook County)
- Self-help eviction: illegal — the landlord must use the courts
Security deposits
Illinois sets no statewide cap on the deposit amount. The Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) applies to all residential landlords (the old 5-unit threshold was removed effective 2024). If the landlord keeps any of your deposit for damage, they must send an itemized statement with paid receipts within 30 days; if they send none, they must return the full deposit within 45 days. The Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 715) requires interest for buildings with 25+ units. Chicago’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) goes further, with strict deadlines and double-deposit penalties — see the Chicago guide. See also how to recover your security deposit.
Eviction process & how long it takes
Illinois eviction runs through the Eviction Act (735 ILCS 5, Article IX), and self-help eviction — lockouts, removing belongings, shutting off utilities — is illegal. The sequence is:
- Written notice: a 5-day notice for nonpayment (full payment within those 5 days stops the eviction), a 10-day notice for lease violations, or a 30-day notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
- Eviction case filed in circuit court; you are served a summons with a court date
- Court hearing: appear and raise defenses (improper notice, conditions, payment, retaliation, source-of-income discrimination). Many tenants qualify for free legal aid
- Order and enforcement: if the landlord wins, only the county sheriff can carry out the eviction — in Cook County this can add weeks
Realistically, an Illinois eviction often takes one to three months, and longer if contested or in busy Cook County. You may be able to ask the court to seal the eviction record in some circumstances (735 ILCS 5/9-121) — ask legal aid whether your case qualifies. Read how to avoid eviction and get help at IllinoisLegalAid.org.
Chicago & Cook County
If you rent in the city or the suburbs, you likely have stronger local protections on top of state law. Chicago’s RLTO and the Cook County Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance (RTLO, effective 2021) add rules on deposits, notices, repairs, and interest. The Chicago guide has CHA waitlists, named rental-assistance programs, and shelter contacts:
Where to Get Help in Illinois
Free legal aid: Illinois Legal Aid Online connects renters to local legal-aid offices; in Chicago, the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing also helps with eviction defense.
Source-of-income / discrimination: the Illinois Department of Human Rights (1-800-662-3942) enforces the statewide protection.
State housing agency: IHDA for programs and affordable-housing search.
Find your local PHA: HUD’s PHA directory or our how to find your PHA guide.
211 helpline: dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.org for rental help, shelters, and utility assistance.
HUD fair housing: file at hud.gov/reporthousingdiscrimination or call 1-800-669-9777.
Next Steps
Not sure where to start? Our Where to Start tool routes you to the right mix of Illinois programs in about two minutes based on whether your need is an emergency or long-term.
If you have an eviction notice or court date, do not wait: find a legal-aid lawyer through IllinoisLegalAid.org and read eviction prevention. If a landlord refused your voucher, that is illegal statewide — file with IDHR.