Illinois tenants get a cap on deposits, fees, and late charges

STATEWIDE PROTECTIONS-TENANTS

Introduced· 2026-02-04

Who's it for

Who's it for: Everyday People

What it means for you

8/10Helps you

Good for everyday people ·

Right removed

Plain‑English summary, cross‑checked against the official bill text.

This bill would stop landlords from charging tenants more than one month's rent upfront, cap application and late fees, and make sure tenants know their rights before signing a lease.

Our take

What we think, in plain words.

Right now, landlords in Illinois can charge whatever they want for deposits, application fees, and late payments, sometimes hundreds of dollars extra. This bill would set hard limits: deposits capped at one month's rent, application fees at $20 max, late fees at $50 or 5% of rent (whichever is less), and background checks at $20 or actual cost. It also says tenants can't sign away these protections. The Attorney General gets power to enforce it as a consumer fraud violation. The 'rightRemoved' badge applies because the bill explicitly voids any lease clause that tries to make tenants waive these new rights, meaning it's restoring and protecting tenant rights that were being erased by one-sided lease language. This is early-stage (just assigned to Judiciary committee) so now is when tenant advocates should push hard.

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The facts

What the bill actually says, no spin.

Landlords would be banned from requiring deposits over one month's rent (except seasonal or co-op housing)
Application fees capped at $20; background/credit checks at $20 or actual cost, whichever is lower
Late fees would max out at $50 or 5% of monthly rent, whichever is less, and only if rent is 5+ days overdue
Co-ops get a slightly higher tolerance (8% of maintenance fees for late charges)
Tenants must get a copy of their background check and the receipt if charged a fee
Any lease clause trying to waive these rights would be automatically void
Attorney General enforces the law; violations count as consumer fraud
Landlords must tell tenants about these caps before signing a lease
Seniors in retirement communities and assisted living are mostly exempt from the deposit cap