Housing & Tenant · Rent Increase Notice
Rent Increase Notice in Illinois
How many days of advance notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect in Illinois, how a fixed-term lease is treated, and what to check, cited to the statute.
The notice periods in Illinois
How much warning is required before a higher rent can take effect, and how a fixed lease is treated.
Illinois has no statute that specifically sets a rent-increase notice. On a month-to-month tenancy, a landlord can raise the rent only by giving the same notice used to end or change the tenancy, shown below. During a fixed-term lease the rent is locked.
| When | Notice in Illinois | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Week-to-week tenancy | 7 days | A rent change on a week-to-week tenancy takes the 7-day notice used to end it (735 ILCS 5/9-207). |
| Month-to-month (term under one year) | 30 days | A rent increase takes effect only if the landlord gives the notice used to end the tenancy, which is 30 days for a term of less than one year (735 ILCS 5/9-207). The tenant then accepts the new rent or the tenancy ends. |
| Year-to-year tenancy | 60 days | A year-to-year tenancy takes the 60-day notice used to end it (735 ILCS 5/9-205). |
| Fixed-term lease | None mid-term | During a fixed-term lease the rent is fixed for the term unless the lease allows a change. A landlord can raise it at renewal, not in the middle of the term. |
| Local ordinance | Varies | Chicago and Cook County require advance notice of a rent increase or non-renewal, tiered by how long the tenant has lived there: 30 days under six months, 60 days from six months to three years, and 120 days for more than three years. These local periods are far longer than the state default, so Chicago-area tenants should rely on the local rule. |
| If notice is skipped | Not effective | Because there is no separate rent-increase statute, a landlord cannot lawfully raise the rent mid-tenancy without the notice that ends or changes the periodic tenancy. Until that notice runs, the prior rent applies. |
| Statute | 735 ILCS 5/9-207 | The controlling statute for this notice period. Read the full text through the source link below. |
Next steps if your rent is going up
Concrete, neutral steps to check a rent increase in Illinois. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Confirm your tenancy type
The notice depends on your rent period. A month-to-month tenancy takes the 30-day notice, week-to-week 7 days, and year-to-year 60 days. A fixed lease locks the rent until it ends.
- Check for a Chicago or Cook County rule
If your home is in Chicago or suburban Cook County, a Fair Notice ordinance requires much longer notice of a rent increase, tiered by how long you have lived there: 30, 60, or 120 days. That local rule usually gives you far more warning than the state default.
- Get the increase in writing
Ask for the rent increase in writing with a clear effective date, and keep it with your lease and payment records, so you can show what rent was owed and from when if a dispute arises.
- Get free Illinois tenant help
Illinois Legal Aid Online explains what to check when your rent goes up and points to local help. Use it to confirm whether a Chicago or Cook County rule gives you a longer notice.
If your rent is going up, you can check whether the notice was proper and whether any limit applies. This resource explains your rights.
→ Illinois Legal Aid OnlineThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Read your own lease and check for a local ordinance, since either can change the notice that applies to your home.
What Illinois renters get wrong
Illinois has no statewide rent-increase notice law, and state law bars cities from capping rent amounts. But local governments can still set notice rules, and that is where the real protection is for many tenants. Outside Chicago and Cook County, a landlord raising the rent on a month-to-month tenancy is ending the old arrangement, so the notice comes from the termination rule in 735 ILCS 5/9-207: 30 days for a tenancy of less than a year, with 7 days for week-to-week and 60 days for year-to-year. Inside a fixed-term lease the rent is locked until renewal. The big exception is the Chicago and Cook County Fair Notice rule, which requires advance notice of a rent increase or non-renewal tiered by how long you have lived there: 30 days under six months, 60 days from six months to three years, and 120 days beyond three years. So a long-term Chicago tenant can be owed four months of warning, far more than the state default. The practical step is to check whether a local ordinance covers your home before you accept a higher rent.
Common questions
How much notice for a rent increase in Illinois?
Illinois has no statewide rent-increase statute. On a month-to-month tenancy, a landlord raises rent by giving the 30-day notice used to end the tenancy (735 ILCS 5/9-207). Chicago and Cook County require far longer notice, tiered by how long you have lived there.
What is the Chicago rent-increase notice rule?
Chicago and Cook County require advance notice of a rent increase or non-renewal based on length of tenancy: 30 days if you have lived there under six months, 60 days from six months to three years, and 120 days for more than three years. These are much longer than the state default.
Can an Illinois landlord raise rent during a lease?
Not during a fixed-term lease unless the lease allows a mid-term increase. The rent is set for the term. A landlord can raise it at renewal or, on a month-to-month tenancy, by giving the 30-day notice used to change the arrangement.
Is there a limit on how much rent can go up in Illinois?
No. Illinois bars local rent control under the Rent Control Preemption Act, and there is no statewide cap on the amount. This page covers only the notice a landlord must give, since there is no amount limit to report. Cities can still set notice rules, as Chicago does.
Does my Illinois lease control rent increases?
Outside Chicago and Cook County, often yes. Because there is no statewide rent-increase law, your written lease and the 30-day termination rule set your rights. Inside a fixed lease the rent is locked until renewal. In Chicago or Cook County, the local Fair Notice rule adds a longer notice period.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.