The Illinois timeline, with dates
Here is the order of events when rent due on the 1st goes unpaid, using Illinois's numbers and an example notice served on the 5th.
- The 1stRent is due (the example due date used throughout this page).
- Late feeNo statewide residential late-fee cap or grace period; fees must be reasonable. Chicago's RLTO sets its own limit.
- The 5th (example)You serve the notice: 5-day written demand for rent; lease terminates if not paid within the period (735 ILCS 5/9-209).
- Not before the 10thThe 5-day period runs out. The exact last day depends on how the statute counts days and on how the notice was delivered.
- Earliest filingIf rent is still unpaid once the notice period has fully run, you can file an eviction case.
The dates are the earliest the numbers allow, not a promise: how days are counted, weekends, and the way the notice is delivered can all push them later. Read 735 ILCS 5/9-209 before you serve anything.
The notice for unpaid rent
5-day written demand for rent; lease terminates if not paid within the period. 735 ILCS 5/9-209
Among the 31 states we have verified, 13 require less notice (3 of them none at all), 2 others use the same 5 days as Illinois, and 14 require a longer one. Among states that require a notice, the median is 7 days.
Late fees and the grace period
No statewide residential late-fee cap or grace period; fees must be reasonable. Chicago's RLTO sets its own limit.
Illinois has no statutory dollar or percentage cap. 12 of the 31 verified states cap late fees by statute, and 10 set a grace period before one can be charged.
What else to know in Illinois
Notes from our review: The '$20 / 20%' late-fee figure circulating online belongs to Illinois' self-storage act, not residential leases - do not use it. Chicago RLTO: $10 for the first $500 of monthly rent plus 5% of the excess (Mun. Code § 5-12-140(h), secondary).
Cities and counties can add their own rules on top of the state’s. At “covered properties” under the federal CARES Act — generally those with a federally backed mortgage or federal subsidies — a 30-day notice to vacate for nonpayment is required in every state.
Illinois and its neighbors
| State | Notice | Grace period | Late-fee cap | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 5 days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Verified |
| Indiana | 10 days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Verified |
| Iowa | 3 days | None statewide | Statutory cap (see guide) | Verified |
| Kentucky | 7 days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Unverified |
| Missouri | No fixed number of days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Verified |
| Wisconsin | 5 days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Unverified |
Notice periods across the 31 verified states
| Notice before filing | States |
|---|---|
| No pre-filing notice | 3 |
| 3 days | 10 |
| 5 days | 3 |
| 7 days | 3 |
| 10 days | 5 |
| 14 days | 6 |
| No fixed number | 1 |
Sources
- Notice for unpaid rent: 735 ILCS 5/9-209
- Late fees and grace period: no statute found that sets a cap or grace period
- Status: verified — the notice rule was read in statute text (or a verbatim copy of it) for our September 14, 2026 review.