How long does an eviction take in Chicago?
For unpaid rent in Cook County, expect about 6 weeks from notice to lockout under Illinois's deadlines, or 3.5 to 14.5 weeks if it's contested. Cases go to Circuit Court of Cook County (eviction), enforced by the Cook County Sheriff.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
What would a rental in Chicago actually earn?
We'll prefill Chicago's numbers and include the eviction cost from this page.
- Median rent $1,486/mo
- Property tax 1.49%–1.51%
- Insurance $888–$1,313/yr (unverified)
- Vacancy 3.5%–3.7%
The Chicago eviction timeline
These deadlines come from Illinois law, as on the Illinois page; we found no separate city notice period for nonpayment. City rules and court backlogs are below.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
5 days5 days to pay or move (735 ILCS 5/9-209)
- 2
File and get a judgment
14–60 days · typical 28Summons must be served at least 7 days before the court date; tenant appears on that date
- 3
Judgment to lockout
5–14 days (national default)Tenant must leave by the date in the eviction order; the sheriff enforces it
- 4
If the tenant appeals
30-day window30 days to file a notice of appeal; the eviction is stayed only with a court-approved bond (Ill. S. Ct. Rule 305)
Real-world court wait: we found no official or reputable statistic for this court, so the timeline is a rule-based estimate. unverified
Can the tenant pay and stay? Under Chicago's RLTO, the tenant has a one-time right to cure: paying all rent owed plus the landlord's filing and service costs (not attorney's fees) at any time before the order of possession gets the case dismissed. official source Source ↗ Second source ↗
What an eviction costs in Chicago
Local court and marshal fees, plus national lawyer estimates. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
Cook County$287–$388Cook County Circuit Court: eviction for possession only $287; joint action (possession + rent) $379-$388 depending on the amount claimed
Serving the tenant
Cook County Sheriff$60–$95Cook County Sheriff service: $60 e-filed, $95 in person
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Cook County Sheriff$65–$95Cook County Sheriff eviction filing: $65 e-filed, $95 in person at the Daley Center; the same fee applies again to reschedule
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this city; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this city.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$1,486/moChicago median gross rent, ±$24; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro: $1,469 (±$13); Cook County $1,475 (±$16). The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
City and state rules that change the answer
Each rule is tagged with whether it comes from city or state law.
Just-cause eviction rules: No city law
None in the RLTO (Chicago Municipal Code ch. 5-12); a broader renter-protection ordinance was still pending in City Council in Sept 2026
Rent control or stabilization: No city law
None found in the city sources we checked
Right to counsel for tenants: No city law
Not a legal right yet: Chicago runs a Right to Counsel program giving full representation to eligible tenants, building on Cook County's Early Resolution Program (free legal advice and mediation in eviction court)
Seasonal or weather limits: Yes city law
The Sheriff cancels evictions in extreme weather by court order (Cook County Circuit Court General Order 13-07 cited on the Sheriff's page)
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Relocation payments (no-fault evictions): No city law
None found in the city and state sources we checked
Local rules landlords often miss
RLTO late fee cap: $10/month on the first $500 of rent plus 5% of rent above $500 (5-12-140(h))
RLTO late fee cap: $10/month on the first $500 of rent plus 5% of rent above $500 (5-12-140(h)).
Fair Notice: ending or not renewing a lease, or raising rent, needs 30/60/120 days' notice depending on how long the tenant has lived there
Fair Notice: ending or not renewing a lease, or raising rent, needs 30/60/120 days' notice depending on how long the tenant has lived there; this doesn't apply once a nonpayment eviction has begun (5-12-130(j)).
Only the Cook County Sheriff may carry out an eviction
Only the Cook County Sheriff may carry out an eviction; evictions are scheduled in filing order, and the landlord or a representative must be on site.
Chicago scores 67 out of 100
Same formula as the state score, with city and state protections counted together. The statewide Illinois score is 77.
Chicago eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Chicago?
For unpaid rent, about 6 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 3.5 to 14.5 weeks, based on Illinois's notice and court deadlines. We found no official statistic on actual court wait times here, so this is a rule-based estimate.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Chicago?
The court filing fee is $287-$388 (Cook County). The sheriff or marshal lockout fee is $65-$95 (Cook County Sheriff). Serving the tenant costs $60-$95. Lawyer fees are extra (national rough estimate $500-$1,500 uncontested).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Chicago?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in Chicago costs a landlord roughly $3,000 to $4,100: about 6 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $1,486/month (about $2,100), court and service fees of about $412-$578, and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 14.5 weeks can pass $7,600. These are LandlordCost estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
What tenant protections apply in Chicago?
City and state rules include seasonal / weather limits.
Can a tenant in Chicago stop the eviction by paying?
Under Chicago's RLTO, the tenant has a one-time right to cure: paying all rent owed plus the landlord's filing and service costs (not attorney's fees) at any time before the order of possession gets the case dismissed.
What local rule do landlords in Chicago often miss?
RLTO late fee cap: $10/month on the first $500 of rent plus 5% of rent above $500 (5-12-140(h)).
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for Chicago: court wait, state post judgment days. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: cities.json · cities.csv.
- Notice periodofficial sourceilga.gov ↗
- Notice period (backup)secondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Court deadlinesofficial sourceilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net ↗
- Judgment to lockoutofficial sourcecookcountycourtil.gov ↗
- Appealofficial sourceillinoiscourts.gov ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourceservices.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org ↗
- Service feeofficial sourcecookcountysheriffil.gov ↗
- Lockout feeofficial sourcecookcountysheriffil.gov ↗
- Right to cureofficial sourcecodelibrary.amlegal.com ↗
- Just causeofficial sourcecodelibrary.amlegal.com ↗
- Right to counselofficial sourcechicago.gov ↗
- Seasonalofficial sourcecookcountysheriffil.gov ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcecodelibrary.amlegal.com ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcechicago.gov ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcecookcountysheriffil.gov ↗
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