Rental Property Rules in Chicago, IL (2026)
11 verified rental property rules for Chicago, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Chicago does not have rent control. Illinois law (the Rent Control Preemption Act of 1997, 50 ILCS 825) prohibits municipalities from enacting rent control measures. Tenant protections exist through the Chicago RLTO but do not include rent stabilization.
Chicago Rent Control Regulations
Few RestrictionsJust Cause Eviction
Chicago does not have a formal just cause eviction ordinance, but the RLTO (MCC 5-12) provides substantial eviction protections including anti-retaliation provisions, required notice periods, and prohibition of self-help evictions.
Chicago Just Cause Eviction Regulations
Some RestrictionsRental Registration
Chicago does not have a general rental property registration requirement for all landlords. However, the RLTO (MCC 5-12) imposes disclosure requirements, and specific licensing applies to shared housing (STR) operators and buildings with code violations.
Chicago Rental Registration Regulations
Some RestrictionsRelocation Assistance
Chicago tenants forced to vacate due to building code violations or condo conversion are entitled to relocation assistance. The RLTO and Condominium Ordinance require payments around $10,600 per unit, escalating annually, when landlords cause displacement.
Relocation Payments Required After Code-Forced Vacate Orders
Heavy RestrictionsSecurity Deposit Rules
Chicago's RLTO sets one of the strictest security deposit regimes in the country. Deposits cannot exceed two months' rent, must earn published interest paid each year, and require detailed written receipts and strict separate-account handling.
Two-Month Cap, Interest, and Strict Receipt Rules on Deposits
Heavy RestrictionsCash-for-Keys Agreements
Chicago landlords offering cash-for-keys to buy a tenant out of a lease must follow RLTO duty-of-good-faith rules under MCC 5-12-150. Coercive or undisclosed buyouts can expose landlords to retaliation damages and unfair-practices claims.
Cash-for-Keys Buyout Offers Must Follow RLTO Disclosure Rules
Heavy RestrictionsNo-Fault Evictions
Chicago's Fair Notice Ordinance MCC 5-14 requires landlords to give 60, 90, or 120 days' written notice before raising rent or terminating a lease without cause, scaled to how long the tenant has lived in the unit.
Fair Notice Ordinance Requires Up to 120 Days Before Non-Renewal
Heavy RestrictionsPass-Through Charges
When a Chicago landlord master-meters a building and bills utilities back to tenants, MCC 5-12-100 requires written disclosure of the formula, supporting bills on request, and bans markups beyond actual cost. Hidden pass-throughs are RLTO violations.
RLTO Limits Utility Pass-Throughs and Sub-Metering
Some RestrictionsTenant Anti-Harassment
Chicago bars landlord retaliation under RLTO MCC 5-12-150 and layers Cook County's Just Housing Amendment to limit criminal-record screening. Tenants asserting RLTO rights are protected by a presumption of retaliation for one year.
RLTO Retaliation Ban and Just Housing Bar Landlord Coercion
Heavy RestrictionsSource-of-Income Discrimination
The Chicago Human Rights Ordinance MCC 6-10 and the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance prohibit landlords from refusing applicants because their rent comes from a Housing Choice Voucher, SSI, or other lawful source.
Chicago Bars Refusal of Section 8 and Voucher Tenants
Heavy RestrictionsSection 8 Voucher Acceptance
The Chicago Housing Authority administers the Housing Choice (Section 8) Voucher program. Combined with MCC 6-10 source-of-income protection and 775 ILCS 5/3-102.1, landlords cannot refuse voucher tenants in Chicago.
CHA Vouchers Plus City Source-of-Income Protection
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Cook County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Chicago city rules.
Rental Property Rules in Cook County →