Skip to content
Oakclause

Rental Application Fee Laws in Illinois

Illinois bars application or screening fees when an applicant provides a qualifying reusable screening report prepared within the previous 30 days, and for leases entered into after January 1, 2027 caps application fees, including background checks, at $50 with a narrow exception.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Illinois at a glance

Fee limit
$50 for leases after Jan. 1, 2027, incl. background checks
A higher third-party check cost may be billed only with receipts within 14 days. Owner-occupied buildings of 6 or fewer units are exempt.
Dollar cap
$50 (leases after Jan. 1, 2027)
765 ILCS 705/35, added by Public Act 104-0479, effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Portable screening report rule
Yes, no fee if a qualifying report is provided
The report must be prepared within the previous 30 days by a consumer credit reporting agency at the applicant's request and expense (765 ILCS 705/30, effective Jan. 1, 2025).

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Illinois

How much can a landlord charge for a rental application in Illinois?

Fee limit in Illinois: $50 for leases after Jan. 1, 2027, incl. background checks. A higher third-party check cost may be billed only with receipts within 14 days. Owner-occupied buildings of 6 or fewer units are exempt.

Is there a fixed dollar cap on rental application fees in Illinois?

Dollar cap in Illinois: $50 (leases after Jan. 1, 2027). 765 ILCS 705/35, added by Public Act 104-0479, effective Jan. 1, 2027.

Does Illinois law address reusable (portable) tenant screening reports?

Yes, no fee if a qualifying report is provided. Portable screening report rule in Illinois: yes, no fee if a qualifying report is provided. The report must be prepared within the previous 30 days by a consumer credit reporting agency at the applicant's request and expense (765 ILCS 705/30, effective Jan. 1, 2025).

Where do the Illinois rental application fee laws come from?

The rules above come from 765 ILCS 705/30 and 765 ILCS 705/35. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Before collecting a fee, landlords can tell applicants in writing how much it is, what it pays for, and the screening criteria that will be used. Several statutes require some of this disclosure, and it also reduces disputes when an application is denied.

Keep a copy of the invoice or receipt from the screening company. Where the law ties the fee to actual cost or requires an itemized receipt, that record shows the fee was lawful.

Check local law as well as state law. In many states a city or county ordinance can set a lower limit or add refund and notice rules, and the stricter rule usually applies. A few states bar local rules on application fees.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.