In Illinois, how much notice a landlord has to give for non-renewal of a lease depends on the type of tenancy and where the rental is located. State law sets a floor of 7 days for week-to-week rentals, 30 days for month-to-month or fixed terms under a year, and 60 days for a year-long lease.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 735 ILCS 5/9-207 – Notice to Terminate Tenancy for Less Than a Year2Illinois Attorney General. Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws Chicago and much of suburban Cook County require more.
State Law Minimums
The Illinois statute governing lease termination sets these minimum written notice periods:
- Year-to-year lease: at least 60 days before the term expires.2Illinois Attorney General. Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws
- Fixed term of less than one year (not week-to-week): at least 30 days.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 735 ILCS 5/9-207 – Notice to Terminate Tenancy for Less Than a Year
- Month-to-month tenancy: at least 30 days.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 735 ILCS 5/9-207 – Notice to Terminate Tenancy for Less Than a Year
- Week-to-week tenancy: at least 7 days.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 735 ILCS 5/9-207 – Notice to Terminate Tenancy for Less Than a Year
For a month-to-month tenancy, the notice period aligns with your rental cycle so the termination date lands on the last day of a rental period. If a landlord gives 30 days’ notice in the middle of a month, the termination date is the end of the following month, not 30 calendar days after the notice.
Your lease can require the landlord to give longer notice than the statute demands, and if it does, that term controls. A lease cannot waive the statutory minimum.
Chicago: 30, 60, or 120 Days Based on Length of Tenancy
Chicago’s Fair Notice Ordinance, at section 5-12-130(j) of the Municipal Code, ties the required notice to how long you have lived in the unit:
- Less than 6 months: at least 30 days’ written notice.3American Legal Publishing. Chicago Municipal Code 5-12-130 – Landlord Remedies
- 6 months to 3 years: at least 60 days.3American Legal Publishing. Chicago Municipal Code 5-12-130 – Landlord Remedies
- More than 3 years: at least 120 days.3American Legal Publishing. Chicago Municipal Code 5-12-130 – Landlord Remedies
These periods apply whether the landlord is ending a periodic tenancy, declining to renew a fixed-term lease, or raising your rent. They do not apply when the landlord is terminating for nonpayment of rent, a material lease violation, disturbance of neighbors, or abandonment.
Suburban Cook County: 60 Days
Renters in suburban Cook County outside Chicago may be covered by the Cook County Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance, which requires at least 60 days’ written notice for non-renewal regardless of how long you have lived in the unit. The ordinance also bars lease terms that force a tenant to give more notice before moving out than the landlord must give for non-renewal.4Cook County, Illinois. Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance
Not every suburb is covered. Some municipalities have opted out, and the ordinance doesn’t apply to owner-occupied buildings with six or fewer units. Check with your municipality if you’re unsure whether it covers your rental.
What the Notice Has to Look Like
Non-renewal notice must be in writing. The Illinois Supreme Court has approved a standardized form, and any valid notice will share its essentials: a clear statement that the lease will not be renewed and the specific date the tenancy ends.5Illinois Courts. Notice of Non-Renewal of Lease or Termination of Tenancy A verbal conversation, text message, or offhand mention doesn’t count.
Delivery should create a record you can prove later. Certified mail with return receipt is common because it documents when the tenant received the notice. If the landlord hands you the notice in person, note the date and keep a copy.
If the Landlord Gives Too Little Notice
Short notice or no written notice doesn’t force you out on the original lease end date. You don’t get a full new lease term, but you keep a protected period on the same terms.
Under state law, if the landlord owed you 60 days’ notice on a year-long lease and didn’t give it, you can remain up to 60 days past the original end date under the same lease terms, including the same rent.
Chicago’s ordinance is more specific. If the landlord fails to provide required notice, you may stay in the unit for up to 60 days after the landlord actually gives written notice, or up to 120 days if you have lived there more than three years. Your rent and lease terms during this holdover period stay the same as the month before the notice.3American Legal Publishing. Chicago Municipal Code 5-12-130 – Landlord Remedies
When Non-Renewal Is Illegal Even With Proper Notice
A landlord’s right to decline renewal has limits. Illinois law prohibits refusing to renew because a tenant reported a legitimate building code or health violation to a government agency, and any lease provision that tries to allow non-renewal for that reason is void.6Justia Law. Illinois Code 765 ILCS 720 – Retaliatory Eviction Act A non-renewal notice that follows shortly after you filed a complaint about, say, a broken furnace can support a retaliation claim on timing alone.
The Illinois Human Rights Act separately prohibits housing decisions based on race, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, age (40 and over), disability, familial status, sexual orientation, marital status, military status, and arrest record.7Illinois Department of Human Rights. Fair Housing Rights Under Illinois Law The discrimination doesn’t have to be stated outright. A pattern of conduct or suspicious timing can support a charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights.