A lease agreement is a document used to set out the rules for renting a property. Lumr's Illinois lease agreement template allows you to make a ready-to-sign document in minutes, with no separate software or account needed to get started.
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What Is an Illinois Lease Agreement?
Illinois lease agreement is a general term for a rental document signed by a landlord and a tenant.
It typically covers aspects like :
The monthly rent and the due date
The deposit amount and how it's held
Move-in and move-out dates, plus renewal terms
Repair responsibilities and any utilities the tenant pays directly
House rules on guests and subletting
A written lease protects both sides if a disagreement ever reaches court, whether over unpaid rent or property damage. It's the standard for any rental lease agreement Illinois tenants sign, house or apartment alike.
Mandatory Landlord Disclosures for Illinois Lease Agreements
Below is a table outlining the 4 main disclosures you must include in a lease agreement in the state.
Disclosure
Requirement
1. Radon hazard
Since 2024, landlords must give tenants the state's Radon Guide and disclose any known hazard; units on the third floor or higher are exempt.
2. Flood history
As of 2025, a landlord who knows the property has flooded, or sits in a FEMA flood zone, must disclose it in writing.
3. Shared utilities
If one meter covers more than a tenant's own unit, the landlord must put the cost-splitting formula in writing.
Important: Two of these disclosure rules are new within the past two years. Even a landlord who's rented out property for decades may not know about them yet.
Different rental situations may require different types of lease agreements. The right option usually depends on how long you plan to rent and how the property will be used.
Here are the main types of Illinois lease agreements:
Standard lease: The apartment lease agreement Illinois renters sign most often, a set term, usually a year, locked in until it ends.
Month-to-month lease: Rolls forward automatically until either side gives notice.
Rent-to-own lease: Combines renting now with the option to buy later.
Room rental agreement: One tenant, one bedroom, with the rest of the home shared.
Sublease agreement: The original tenant hands the space, or part of it, to someone new.
Commercial lease: For office, retail, or other business use rather than a residence.
Standard Lease Agreement in Illinois
Sign an Illinois standard lease agreement, and the terms hold steady for the length of the lease. Rent and the deposit amount stay fixed for that stretch, unless both sides agree otherwise.
Nothing forces a renewal when the term ends. The landlord and tenant can sign a new lease, or simply part ways once the last day arrives.
A landlord can end a standard lease early, but they can't just change the locks. It has to go through the courts.
Nonpayment triggers a 5-day written notice before eviction proceedings can start, and a lease violation gets 10 days to fix the problem instead.
Thirty days is the written notice either side needs to end an Illinois month-to-month lease agreement, under 735 ILCS 5/9-207. The tenancy keeps rolling forward until somebody sends that notice.
A rent increase works the same way. It needs the same 30 days' notice before taking effect, since Illinois treats a rent hike as changing the lease terms.
It suits anyone who isn't ready to commit for a full year, tenant or landlord alike.
A room lease agreement is used when a tenant rents one room in a home while sharing spaces like the kitchen, bathroom, or living room with other people.
The agreement should clearly explain which areas are private and which are shared. It should also cover rent, deposits, house rules, and each person's responsibilities.
The security deposit and disclosure rules covered above don't shrink just because the rented space did. A written agreement matters even more here, since roommates without one tend to argue over what's shared and what isn't.
A sublease agreement lets a tenant rent all or part of their home to another person. The original tenant usually stays on the main lease and remains responsible to the landlord.
Illinois has no law granting or blocking the right to sublet, so whatever the original lease says controls.
The subtenant, meanwhile, has no direct relationship with the landlord at all. Any dispute over rent or damage runs through the original tenant first.
A commercial lease agreement is used when a property is rented for business purposes, such as a shop, office, or warehouse.
Commercial leases are different from residential leases. Many protections that apply to people renting a home do not apply in the same way to business tenants.
Courts read business leases as agreements between equals, with no assumption that one side needs extra protection. Get unusual clauses reviewed by a lawyer before signing.
Follow the steps below to fill out and sign Lumr’s printable lease agreement for use in Illinois:
1
Name the landlord and tenants
Start by including the landlord's legal name and every tenant's name, plus how to reach each of them.
2
Detail the rental property
Give the address, unit number, and note anything extra, such as a parking spot or storage unit, that comes with it.
3
Set the term
State when the lease starts and ends, or its renewal terms if it's month-to-month.
4
Include the rent amount
You also need to include how much rent is due, on what date, and accepted payment methods.
5
Record the security deposit
Note the amount and where it's held. Illinois sets no dollar cap, but the lease should still specify how and when it comes back.
6
Sign and distribute copies
Once both parties sign, file the original somewhere safe, and make sure a copy goes to the tenant too.
FAQ
FAQs About Illinois Lease Agreement
A few questions come up on nearly every Illinois lease, answered directly below.
Is there a limit on security deposits in Illinois?
No statewide cap exists, so a landlord can set the deposit at whatever amount the lease states. Chicago's local ordinance does impose its own limits, so check city rules before assuming the state default applies.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Illinois?
Under the Security Deposit Return Act, an itemized damage statement is due within 30 days of move-out. Miss that window, and the landlord must return the full deposit within 45 days instead.
Does a lease agreement need to be notarized in Illinois?
No. A signature from each party is all that's legally required, regardless of the lease length. The one exception involves timing, not notarization: leases longer than a year must be in writing under the statute of frauds.
How much notice must a landlord give before entering the property in Illinois?
State law sets no fixed number of hours. Courts instead expect whatever notice is reasonable under the circumstances, and some Illinois cities layer on their own specific requirement.
How much can a landlord raise the rent in Illinois each year?
There's no statewide ceiling, and none is coming. The Rent Control Preemption Act blocks Illinois cities, Chicago included, from passing rent control laws of their own. A rent hike on a month-to-month lease still needs the same 30 days' notice as ending the tenancy.
Is a lease agreement legally binding in Illinois?
Yes, once both sides sign, whether it's a single page or a lengthy document. A verbal lease can bind both parties too, provided the term runs a year or less. Anything longer needs to be in writing to be enforceable.
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