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Rental Inspections in Illinois (2026)

28 rules on the books across Illinois, 20 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.

Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions

Inspection Programs

Proactive rental inspection programs, registration requirements, systematic and periodic inspection cycles, what inspectors check, and the fees landlords pay to fund them.

Bolingbrook

Significant Restrictions

Bolingbrook requires a passed code compliance inspection and an approved rental occupancy permit before any leased…

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Evanston

Significant Restrictions

Every dwelling unit rented in Evanston for the first time must be registered with the Community Development Department…

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Oak Lawn

Significant Restrictions

Oak Lawn requires an annual code compliance inspection and signed occupancy permit before any non-owner occupied rental…

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Peoria

Significant Restrictions

Peoria requires every registered dwelling to be inspected by the landlord and tenant before move-in and at least once a…

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Schaumburg

Significant Restrictions

Schaumburg requires every landlord to hold a rental license from the finance department before renting a residential…

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Waukegan

Significant Restrictions

Waukegan inspects at least 33 1/3 percent of a licensed rental building's units every year, cycling every unit through…

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Winnebago County

Significant Restrictions

Winnebago County requires every rooming house operator to hold an annual health department license, tying renewal to…

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Aurora

Some Restrictions

Aurora, Illinois requires a mandatory follow-up inspection after every rental code violation, escalating uncorrected…

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Champaign

Some Restrictions

Under Municipal Code Sec. 22-21.1(3), Champaign inspects the exterior and common areas of every R-2, R-4 or…

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Chicago

Some Restrictions

Chicago does not have a mandatory systematic rental inspection program like some other major cities. Instead, the city…

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Cook County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Cook County requires a Department inspection of every licensed rental unit at least once every four…

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Elgin

Some Restrictions

Elgin conditions every rental license on a physical inspection: the licensing inspection must occur within one hundred…

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Joliet

Some Restrictions

Every covered rental property in Joliet, from single-family rentals to hotels, goes through a biennial inspection under…

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Kane County

Some Restrictions

Before Kane County will license a short-term rental, the owner must document an approved inspection of the well, water…

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Oak Park

Some Restrictions

The Village of Oak Park inspects licensed rental housing under Village Code § 12-2-6: the Neighborhood Services…

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Skokie

Some Restrictions

Skokie runs a mandatory, ongoing inspection program for every building that contains a registered residential rental…

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Tinley Park

Some Restrictions

Tinley Park inspects the exterior and public areas of rental buildings before issuing or renewing a residential rental…

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Lake County

Light Restrictions

Lake County treats renting out living quarters the Health Officer finds unfit for habitation as a public nuisance, but…

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Tenant Complaint Process

How tenants can file complaints about code violations, what triggers a city inspection, and protections against landlord retaliation for reporting issues.

Cicero

Some Restrictions

A Cicero landlord's failure to provide required heat cannot even be found a violation until a tenant's complaint…

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Cook County

Some Restrictions

Tenants in unincorporated Cook County can file a complaint with the Department of Public Health, which must investigate…

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Evanston

Some Restrictions

Evanston's code official can enter and inspect a rental unit once there is reasonable cause, typically a tenant's…

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Joliet

Some Restrictions

A Joliet rental property that already earned an inspection waiver isn't exempt from an unannounced check: Sec…

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Oak Lawn

Some Restrictions

Oak Lawn's Director of Inspectional Services must get a Cook County Circuit Court warrant to inspect a rental unit…

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Peoria

Some Restrictions

Peoria tenants can complain directly to the city about a building, housing or health code violation, or an illegal…

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Schaumburg

Some Restrictions

Every Schaumburg rental agreement must warn tenants that the unit can be regularly inspected or investigated in…

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Springfield

Some Restrictions

When a Springfield property owner or occupant refuses to let a building or housing inspector in, the inspector can ask…

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Tinley Park

Some Restrictions

Under the Village Code's condominium conversion chapter, Tinley Park's Building Commissioner cannot force entry into a…

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Skokie

Light Restrictions

Skokie lets a tenant, not just the owner or operator, trigger a fuller rental inspection. Section 22-509(D) normally…

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