Security deposit return deadline in Illinois
In Illinois buildings with 5 or more units, a landlord has 30 days to send a list of damage deductions and 45 days to return the deposit.
- Deadline
- 30-45 days (5+ unit buildings)
- What the landlord must send
- Within 30 days of move-out, the landlord must give an itemized statement of damage with paid receipts (or estimates); if not, the full deposit is due within 45 days.
- If the landlord gets it wrong
- A landlord who refuses to supply the statement or return the deposit owes twice the deposit plus court costs and attorney fees.
The statute covers buildings with 5 or more units (kept in the final version of P.A. 103-224 per the official ILGA bill status for SB 1741). Since January 1, 2024 the statement may be sent by e-mail to a verified address the tenant provides. Chicago has its own ordinance with stricter rules.
The law
765 ILCS 710/1. Read the statute.
Checked against the statute in October 2026. Laws change, so confirm the current rule before you rely on it.
What to do next
If the deadline has passed, or the landlord kept money without a proper list, put your request in writing. Ask for the deposit back by a specific date, and keep a copy. The free first letter in the Deposit Demand Letters kit does this for Illinois, and the deadline calculator works out your exact date from your move-out day.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
General information about Illinois law, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Deposit Demand Letters is a self-help template kit from Kits For That.