Illinois security deposit deadline & deductions
It depends on what you are doing — generally within 30–45 days, depending on itemization and building size
- Deadline
- 30 days if for the itemized statement with receipts, in a covered building; 45 days if for the refund itself; the requirements vary with building size
- Itemized statement
- Required by statute
- Receipts
- No threshold verified
- Statute
- 765 ILCS 710
Its shortest count, 30 days, sits mid-range: 8 of the 26 states verified here are shorter, 5 are longer.
For covered buildings, an itemized statement with receipts is due within 30 days, and the refund within 45 days; requirements vary with building size.
When the Illinois clock runs out
The deadline runs from the end of the tenancy, not from when you get around to inspecting. Illinois sets more than one count, so every one of them is worked out below — which applies depends on the condition beside it:
| Tenant moves out | 30 days — if for the itemized statement with receipts, in a covered building | 45 days — if for the refund itself; the requirements vary with building size |
|---|---|---|
| January 31, 2026 | March 2, 2026 | March 17, 2026 |
| April 15, 2026 | May 15, 2026 | May 30, 2026 |
| July 31, 2026 | August 30, 2026 | September 14, 2026 |
| November 30, 2026 | December 30, 2026 | January 14, 2027 |
Does Illinois require an itemized statement?
Yes — Illinois requires an itemized written statement of any deductions rather than a lump sum, under 765 ILCS 710. Each charge needs to stand on its own: what was damaged, and what it cost to put right.
What you can actually charge for
Illinois statute sets the deadline and the paperwork; it does not publish a table of what a worn carpet is worth. The defensible method — charging only the useful life the tenant used up early, and excluding normal wear — is the same in every state, and is explained on the calculator, which builds the itemized statement and puts the Illinois deadline on it.
Next: Illinois deposit return letter · move-in report · every state’s deadline
Illinois rule last checked 2026-07-23 against 765 ILCS 710. General information, not legal advice — confirm the current statute before sending a deduction statement.
Everything else we’ve researched about Illinois
Same state, the problems either side of this one. Each carries its own statute and the date we last checked it.
Questions people ask
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Illinois?
- Illinois: For covered buildings, an itemized statement with receipts is due within 30 days, and the refund within 45 days; requirements vary with building size. (765 ILCS 710). Its shortest count, 30 days, sits mid-range: 8 of the 26 states verified here are shorter, 5 are longer.
- Does Illinois require an itemized statement of deductions?
- Yes. Illinois requires an itemized written statement of any deductions rather than a lump sum (765 ILCS 710).
- Do I need receipts for deductions in Illinois?
- No threshold verified. Illinois's statute, as verified here, does not set a dollar figure above which receipts are required (765 ILCS 710). That does not make an undocumented charge safe: every deduction still has to be reasonable and documented, and a receipt or invoice is what makes it so.