The Notice Before an Eviction
735 ILCS 5/9-209 — 5 days to pay rent that is due, or 10 days after another default in the lease
| The reason | The written notice | After it runs |
|---|---|---|
| The reasonRent that is due and unpaid | The written noticeNot less than 5 days after service to pay | After it runsThe landlord may treat the lease as ended and file for eviction without further notice |
| The reasonDefault in another term of the lease | The written notice10 days to quit and deliver possession | After it runsNo other notice or demand is necessary |
Who handles this in Illinois: Illinois Legal Aid Online and Eviction Help Illinois; and legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Illinois directory.Holding a paper like this? Read my paper can read one for you, free with an account.
Partial payments. A partial payment that does not total the amount demanded by the end of the notice period does not invalidate the notice, unless the landlord agrees in writing to continue the lease for it. To have that effect, the notice must prominently say that only full payment of the rent demanded waives the landlord's right to terminate the lease under it.
- Handing a written or printed copy to the tenant.
- Leaving it with someone 13 years of age or older who lives on or is in possession of the premises.
- Sending it by certified or registered mail with a returned receipt from the tenant.
- Posting it on the premises, only where no one is in actual possession of them.
A notice starts the process; the eviction itself is a court case, and whether a particular notice was valid is a question for a licensed Illinois attorney.
Sources for this section (4)
- 735 ILCS 5/9-209 — Demand for rent - eviction action
- 735 ILCS 5/9-210 — Notice to quit
- 735 ILCS 5/9-211 — Service of demand or notice
- 735 ILCS 5/9-208 — Further demand
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Illinois attorney.