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Illinois · Moving out

Illinois notice to vacate — the 30 days rule and a free letter

Illinois’ month-to-month rule sits in the eviction article of the Code of Civil Procedure: 735 ILCS 5/9-207 requires 30 days’ written notice to terminate a tenancy of less than a year (7 days for week-to-week). One honest caveat — the section is worded for landlords, and Illinois courts and practice apply the same 30 days to tenant notices; your lease may state it outright. Timing is strict: the notice must end on the last day of a rental period, so with rent due the 1st, a notice delivered June 10 can’t end the tenancy June 30 — it runs to July 31. Chicago is nearly its own state: the Fair Notice ordinance makes landlords give 30/60/120 days by length of occupancy, and the RLTO layers deposit and disclosure rules on most Chicago apartments. Statewide, the Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) — which applies to buildings with 5+ units — gives landlords 30 days to itemize deductions and 45 days to refund; in smaller buildings your lease and local ordinance control.

30 daystenant month-to-month notice · 735 ILCS 5/9-207

Not legal advice — general information for Illinois. Last reviewed: July 2026.

Notice-period check

Your date clears the state minimum

August 7, 2026 gives 35 days' notice — at or above Illinois's 30 days minimum for month-to-month tenants (735 ILCS 5/9-207). If your lease requires more, the lease controls.

Most statutes count notice to the end of a rental period — if rent is due on the 1st, plan to move out on the last day of a month.

[Tenant name(s)]

[Rental address]

July 3, 2026

[Landlord / property manager name]

Landlord / Property Manager

RE: Notice of intent to vacate — [Rental address]

Dear [Landlord / property manager name],

Please accept this letter as my written notice of intent to vacate the rental unit at [Rental address]. My tenancy will end and I will deliver possession of the premises no later than August 7, 2026. This provides at least 30 days of written notice, as required for month-to-month tenancies in Illinois (735 ILCS 5/9-207).

I will remove all personal belongings, return all keys and access devices, and leave the unit in clean condition, normal wear and tear excepted. Please contact me to schedule a move-out inspection.

I will provide a forwarding address for the return of my security deposit before my move-out date.

This notice is delivered via certified mail with return receipt requested on July 3, 2026.

Sincerely,

[Tenant name(s)]
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Illinois notice rules

  • ✓Give at least 30 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy (735 ILCS 5/9-207); week-to-week tenancies need only 7 days.
  • ✓End on a period boundary: Illinois notices must terminate on the last day of a rental period — mid-month end dates don’t work the way they do in California or Texas.
  • ✓The statute is worded landlord-side; courts apply the same 30 days to tenants, but check your lease — Chicago leases in particular often spell out their own notice terms.
  • ✓Use a provable delivery method — certified mail with return receipt or hand delivery with a signed, dated copy; § 9-211 lists how landlord notices are served and mirroring it is the safe play.
  • ✓In buildings with 5+ units, the Security Deposit Return Act gives the landlord 30 days to send an itemized statement and 45 days to refund — include your forwarding address in the letter.
  • ✓Chicago tenants: the RLTO adds deposit interest and its own return rules, and the CBA/city summary attached to your lease is worth re-reading before you send notice.

For landlords

Statewide, landlords use the same 30-day written notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-207 (60 days for year-to-year tenancies under § 9-205). In Chicago, the Fair Notice ordinance requires 30 days’ notice for occupancy under 6 months, 60 days for 6 months–3 years, and 120 days past 3 years before termination, non-renewal, or any rent increase — and short notice extends how long the tenant may stay.

Worked example with real dates

Tomás rents month-to-month in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood at $1,650, rent due the 1st, and wants out by June 30, 2026. Illinois’ 30-day rule with the period-boundary requirement means his written notice must be in the landlord’s hands by May 31 — he delivers it May 26 by certified mail naming June 30, keeping the receipt. Had he waited until June 10, the earliest lawful end date would jump to July 31. His building has twelve units, so the Security Deposit Return Act applies: after he returns the keys June 30, the landlord has until July 30 to send any itemized damage statement and until August 14 (45 days) to refund the $1,650 — plus RLTO deposit interest if held over six months. Meanwhile, because Tomás has lived there two years, his landlord going the other direction would owe him 60 days under Chicago’s Fair Notice ordinance — the asymmetry runs in the tenant’s favor here.

Illinois notice to vacate FAQ

Is the 30-day rule in Illinois actually written for tenants?

Not literally — 735 ILCS 5/9-207 says the landlord may terminate with 30 days’ written notice. Illinois courts and universal practice apply the same 30 days to tenant notices, and most leases make it mutual in writing. Treat 30 days ending on a period boundary as your floor, and follow your lease if it demands more.

How much notice does a Chicago landlord owe me under Fair Notice?

Chicago’s Fair Notice ordinance (2020) requires landlords to give 30 days’ written notice if you’ve lived there under 6 months, 60 days for 6 months to 3 years, and 120 days past 3 years — before termination, non-renewal, or any rent increase. If they give less, you can stay up to 60 days (or 120 for 3+ year tenancies) from when notice was actually delivered, at the old rent.

When do I get my security deposit back in Illinois?

In buildings with 5 or more units, the Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) requires an itemized statement of deductions within 30 days of move-out and the refund within 45 days — bad-faith withholding can cost the landlord twice the deposit plus fees. In buildings with fewer than 5 units there is no statewide deadline, so your lease and local ordinance (Chicago’s RLTO, Cook County’s RTLO) control — check which one covers your address.

Can I end my Illinois tenancy in the middle of the month?

Generally no. Illinois 30-day notices must terminate at the end of a rental period — if rent runs the 1st through the last day of the month, your notice needs to name the last day of a month and be delivered at least 30 days before it. A mid-month date typically just makes the notice defective, pushing your effective date (and rent liability) to the end of the following period.

Sources

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