Des Plaines, IL Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)

Des Plaines has not enacted a local just-cause eviction ordinance. Eviction in Illinois is governed by the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act, which requires landlords to provide statutory notice before filing an eviction lawsuit. For nonpayment of rent, a 5-day notice (735 ILCS 5/9-209) is required. For other lease violations, a 10-day notice (735 ILCS 5/9-210) is required. To terminate a month-to-month tenancy without cause, a 30-day notice (735 ILCS 5/9-207) is required. After the notice period expires, the landlord may file a forcible entry and detainer action in Cook County Circuit Court. The tenant has the right to appear and contest. Self-help eviction (changing locks, removing belongings, shutting off utilities) is illegal under 765 ILCS 705/9 and exposes the landlord to civil damages. Cook County's Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance (RTLO), enacted in 2021, applies to residential rentals in unincorporated Cook County and provides additional tenant protections, but Des Plaines as an incorporated municipality is not directly covered. Federal CARES Act 30-day notice requirements continue to apply to federally-backed properties.