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Illinois Notice to Vacate Letter

To end a month-to-month tenancy in Illinois, give your landlord 30 days of written notice.

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What Illinois law says

Notice a tenant must give
30 days
Form of notice
Written notice, dated, stating the date you will surrender the unit. Keep proof of delivery.
Deposit return after you leave
30 days to return the deposit; in buildings with five or more units the itemized statement is due within 30 days and receipts within 30 days of that (765 ILCS 710/1)

Citation: 735 ILCS 5/9-207

  • Chicago's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance adds its own notice rules.

State law is the floor. Your city or county may impose shorter deadlines or larger penalties, and your lease or contract may require more than the statute does — check both before you rely on the figures above.

Write your Illinois notice to vacate letter

Fill in the details and we will assemble the letter, with the Illinois statute cited for you. Nothing is sent until you review the finished page and pay.

Your information

This is who is on the lease and giving notice.

Who receives the letter

Send it to the person or company named on your lease as the landlord or agent.

The rental and your move-out

Count your state's notice period forward from the day this letter arrives.

Where to send your deposit

Your forwarding address starts the clock on the security deposit in most states.

Printed, stamped and mailed from $3.50. You can edit every word before it goes out.

Send this letter when

  • You are ending a month-to-month tenancy.
  • Your lease is about to expire and you do not intend to renew.
  • Your lease requires written notice before you move out.
  • You want your forwarding address documented so the security deposit deadline starts.
  • You want proof you gave notice in case the landlord later claims you did not.

Why certified mail matters in Illinois

The entire value of a vacate notice is proving when the landlord received it. A certified mail receipt settles that question before it becomes a dispute over an extra month's rent.

How it works

  1. 1

    Answer a few questions

    Names, addresses, dates and amounts. We assemble the letter and cite the statute that applies in your state.

  2. 2

    Review and edit

    Read the finished letter, change any wording you like, and see exactly what will be printed.

  3. 3

    We print and mail it

    Your letter is printed, folded, stamped and dropped in the mail — certified, if you want proof of delivery.

Illinois notice to vacate questions

How much notice do I have to give my landlord in Illinois?
To end a month-to-month tenancy in Illinois, give your landlord 30 days of written notice. That comes from 735 ILCS 5/9-207. If your lease requires a longer period, the lease controls — read it before you pick a move-out date.
Does the notice have to be in writing?
Yes, in practice. A verbal notice is nearly impossible to prove, and a landlord who disputes it can charge you for the rental periods you claim you gave notice for. Written notice with proof of delivery ends the argument.
When do I get my security deposit back in Illinois?
Within 30 days to return the deposit; in buildings with five or more units the itemized statement is due within 30 days and receipts within 30 days of that, under 765 ILCS 710/1, along with an itemized statement of anything withheld. Give the landlord a forwarding address in writing — this letter does that — because in many states the clock does not start until you do.
What if I need to leave before the notice period ends?
You generally still owe rent through the end of the notice period, even if you are already out. Some landlords will release you early if they re-rent the unit; get any such agreement in writing.
Should I send it by certified mail?
Yes. Certified mail with return receipt is the standard proof that your Illinois landlord received notice on a particular date, which is exactly what a rent dispute would turn on.

Other Illinois letters

Illinois security deposit demand

Demand the return of a security deposit your landlord is holding past the legal deadline.

Illinois debt validation

Make a debt collector prove the debt is yours — and stop collection until they do.

Illinois cease and desist

Formally demand that harassment, collection calls, or false statements stop — in writing, with proof.

Notice to vacate letters in other states

Deadlines, penalties and required notice periods differ by state. Pick yours to get the rules that apply to you.

This is not legal advice.

SendPaperMail is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and is not a substitute for an attorney. Our generators assemble a document from the information you enter and mail it for you. The statutes cited on these pages are provided for general information, may have been amended, and may not apply to your situation — city and county ordinances are frequently stricter than state law. If your matter is contested, involves a significant amount of money, or has a filing deadline, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.