Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance: 2026 Updates
If you own rental property in Chicago, the Fair Notice Ordinance isn't just a rule you should know about; it can cost you months of income and serious legal headaches if you get it wrong.
In April 2026, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Alderman Anthony Quezada reasserted and strengthened the original intent of the Fair Notice Ordinance, making clear that Chicago intends to enforce these protections with full force. If your leasing processes haven't been reviewed recently, now is the time to adjust if needed.
Here’s what you need to know about what the Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance requires and what Chicago landlords and property owners need to do to stay compliant.
What Is the Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance?
The Fair Notice Ordinance was approved by the Chicago City Council in July 2020. It amended the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) to create a tiered notice system that scales with tenancy length. Simply put: the longer a tenant has lived in your unit, the more advance notice you are required to give before you raise rent, decline to renew a lease, or terminate their tenancy.
Before the Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance, landlords only needed to provide 30 days' notice regardless of how long a tenant had lived in a unit. The city changed that, and the new 2026 update makes it clear that those tenant protections are here to stay.
These rules apply to all Chicago rental units, including owner-occupied buildings with six or fewer units. It does not matter if your tenant has a formal year-long lease or a month-to-month arrangement; the tiered notice requirements apply once they pass the six-month threshold.
READ MORE: Chicago Landlord Compliance Requirements and RLTO Explained
The Notice Requirements: A Clear Breakdown
Chicago Lease Non-Renewal and Termination Notice Requirements
Tenancy Length: Required Notice
Less than 6 months: 30 days
6 months to 3 years: 60 days
More than 3 years: 120 days
Chicago Rent Increases Notice Requirements
The same tiered structure applies to rent increases:
Tenancy Length: Required Notice
Less than 6 months: 30 days
6 months to 3 years: 60 days
More than 3 years: 120 days
Important note: Verbal notice does not count. All notices must be in writing, served in person, by certified mail, or by whichever delivery method is specified in the lease. Always keep records and proof of delivery, as it matters greatly in a dispute.
One Critical Fair Ordinance Detail Most Landlords Miss
One of the most common compliance mistakes PRG Management property managers see involves how the notice periods are counted. Under the Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance, the notice period begins on the first of the month following the date you serve the notice, not on the day it's delivered.
That means if you serve a 60-day notice on March 15th, day one is April 1st, and the notice period doesn't expire until the end of May. If you serve it anytime in March, the result is the same. Serving a notice that terminates a tenancy mid-month will be considered defective and will be dismissed immediately by a judge if you proceed to eviction court.
For long-term tenants of more than three years, that's 120 days beginning on the first of the following month. That's effectively five months of planning time you need to build into your rental calendar for possible unit turnover and marketing.
What Happens If Landlords Don't Give Proper Notice?
If a landlord fails to provide the correct notice, the tenant has the right to remain in the unit for the full required notice period and at the prior rent amount. Beyond the timeline issue, improper notice can invalidate a planned rent increase entirely. You'll need to restart the notice clock, which means you lose months of rental income at the new rate.
When Notice Requirements Don't Apply
The Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance's extended notice requirements are not triggered in every situation; there are exceptions. Chicago landlords are not required to provide the tiered notice if the rental agreement was terminated due to:
Non-payment of rent
Material lease violations
Disturbance of other tenants
Abandonment of the unit
In these cases, the standard eviction process under the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) applies.
The Tenant's One-Time Right to Cure
The Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance also gives tenants a one-time right to cure in eviction cases regarding non-payment of rent. A tenant can stop an eviction by paying all unpaid rent plus the landlord's court filing fees (not attorney's fees) at any point before a judge issues a formal eviction order. This is known as an "order of possession."
This right can only be used once per tenancy. Once this right is exercised, the eviction case must be vacated and the lawsuit dismissed. Chicago landlords should be aware that this right exists and factor it into how they approach non-payment and eviction situations.
2026 Update: The City Is Reinforcing Enforcement
The April 2026 update to the Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance, passed by Mayor Johnson and Alderman Quezada, wasn't a complete rewrite of the original law but rather a deliberate signal that Chicago supports tenants' rights through the current Fair Notice Ordinance requirements. The city moved to reassert the original intent of the 2020 Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance, tightening up any lingering ambiguities and strengthening its enforceability.
For Chicago landlords and property owners, this means compliance is not something you can be careless about. The city is paying even more attention, and tenants are becoming increasingly aware of their rights.
Fair Notice Ordinance for Cook County and the Suburbs
For Illinois landlords with properties in suburban Cook County, the Cook County Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance (RTLO) established its own notice requirements. In effect since June 2021, the key provisions include:
60 days' notice required for lease non-renewal
Tenants are not required to acknowledge or respond to renewal notices more than 60 days before lease expiration
Landlords must attach a summary of the RTLO to every lease and renewal
Late fees are capped at $10 for the first $1,000 in monthly rent, plus 5% on anything above $1,000
Security deposits are capped at 1.5x monthly rent
Tenants also have a one-time "pay and stay" right in non-payment eviction cases
The Cook County RTLO does not apply to the City of Chicago, Evanston, or Mount Prospect, as those municipalities have their own ordinances. It also exempts owner-occupied buildings with six or fewer units from most provisions (except anti-lockout protections).
For Illinois landlords in Kane, DuPage, Will, and Lake Counties, there is no equivalent tiered notice ordinance. Illinois state law applies, which only requires 30 days for month-to-month tenancies and 60 days for year-to-year tenancies. However, given the clear trajectory of tenant protection legislation in the Chicagoland area, if you own multiple properties, defaulting to the most protective notice timelines across your entire portfolio is a smart risk-management decision.
Additional 2026 Compliance Items Chicago Landlords Should Know
The Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance isn't the only change affecting Chicago rental properties in 2026. A few additional compliance items worth taking note of:
Summary of Rights for Safer Homes Act (effective January 1, 2026): Illinois now requires that a specific summary be the very first page of any written lease or renewal. If you're using an old lease template, it may already be out of compliance. Request your updated Chicago residential lease here.
Security deposit interest rate: The City of Chicago has set the 2026 security deposit interest rate at 0.01%. Failing to pay this interest (or failing to provide a proper receipt) carries significant financial penalties.
Eviction filings and minors (HB 3566): Effective 2026, eviction filings in Illinois may no longer identify children. Your lease should clearly distinguish "leaseholders" (the adults responsible for rent) from "authorized occupants." Notices should reference adult tenants only, using "and unknown occupants" for everyone else. Failure to do this correctly can result in a case being dismissed entirely.
Quick Reference: Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance at a Glance
Applies to: All Chicago residential rental units (including owner-occupied buildings with 6 or fewer units)
Covers: Lease non-renewals, lease terminations, and rent increases
Notice tiers:
Under 6 months → 30 days
6 months to 3 years → 60 days
Over 3 years → 120 days
Notice must be: Written and properly served; verbal notice is not valid
Notice clock starts: On the first of the month following delivery
Exceptions: Non-payment of rent, lease violations, disturbance of others, abandonment
Tenant's right to cure: One-time right to pay back rent + filing fees before the order of possession is issued
Staying Compliant Is a Full-Time Job, PRG Management Makes It Simple
Chicago is one of the most regulation-forward rental markets in the country, and it gets more complex every year. Staying current requires systems with checks and balances to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
At PRG Management, we handle the compliance details so you don't have to. From notice deadlines and lease renewals to updated documents and tenant communications, we keep your investments protected. Whether you own a three-flat in Logan Square or a portfolio across the North Side and South Loop, we're here to help you operate your Chicago rental properties with confidence.
Save yourself the headache and timesink of chasing compliance on your own. Contact PRG Management today for rental management support.