Quick answer: In Illinois a landlord gives a written demand with at least 5 days to pay overdue rent, a 10-day notice to quit for a lease default, and 30 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy. Only then can it file an eviction case. Chicago and some other places have their own notice rules.
This Illinois eviction notice calculator applies 735 ILCS 5/9-209, 9-210 and 9-207. Choose the reason and enter the date the notice was served: it shows the last day of the notice period and the earliest day the landlord can file. It does not say how long the court process takes: see the Illinois eviction timeline calculator.
Illinois eviction notice rules at a glance
| Rule | What Illinois says |
|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | A written demand giving not less than 5 days after service (735 ILCS 5/9-209) |
| Required statement | That only full payment waives the right to terminate the lease unless the landlord agrees in writing to continue it for a partial payment (9-209) |
| Lease default | No more than 10 days’ notice to quit (9-210) |
| Month-to-month | 30 days’ written notice for tenancies under a year (9-207(b)) |
| Week-to-week | 7 days’ written notice (9-207(a)) |
| Year-to-year | 60 days’ written notice (9-205) |
| Service | Delivery, a person 13 or over on the premises, certified or registered mail with return receipt, or posting if no one is in possession (9-211) |
| Counting | First day excluded; a last day that is a Saturday, Sunday or holiday is excluded (5 ILCS 70/1.11) |
How does the Illinois eviction notice work?
- Unpaid rent. See the Illinois 5-day notice for unpaid rent.
- Lease defaults and ending a tenancy. See the Illinois 10-day notice and the 30-day notice.
- What a landlord may not do. See Illinois self-help evictions and lockouts.
What does this eviction notice calculator check?
It adds the notice period to the date of service under 5 ILCS 70/1.11: the first day is not counted and a last day that is a Saturday, Sunday or one of the state holidays in 10 ILCS 5/1-6 is excluded too, and it treats the next business day as the earliest filing day. It does not check the wording of the notice, how it was served or whether a city ordinance such as Chicago’s requires more. It also shows the 30-day federal date for a covered dwelling, which you should check with an attorney.
Related Illinois landlord-tenant calculators
These four calculators cover the same tenancy from different angles. From here you can go to the Illinois security deposit return deadline calculator for the date the landlord must refund or itemize the deposit, the Illinois security deposit limit calculator for the most a landlord may ask for as a deposit and the Illinois eviction timeline calculator for the earliest legal dates once an eviction case starts. Each one cites its own Illinois statutes and shows only what the law says.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does an Illinois landlord have to give for unpaid rent?
A written demand giving not less than 5 days after service to pay, or the lease will be terminated.
What must the 5-day notice say?
That only full payment of the rent demanded waives the right to terminate the lease, unless the landlord agrees in writing to continue it in exchange for a partial payment.
How much notice for a lease violation?
No more than 10 days’ notice to quit.
How much notice ends a month-to-month tenancy in Illinois?
30 days’ written notice.
How must the notice be served?
By delivery, by leaving it with a person aged 13 or over on the premises, by certified or registered mail with a returned receipt, or by posting if no one is in possession.
Can a landlord change the locks after the notice period?
No. It must file an eviction case and obtain an eviction order enforced by the sheriff.