Eviction Laws in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is an affluent, densely populated city of approximately 79,000 on Chicago’s northern border along Lake Michigan, best known as the home of Northwestern University. The university enrolls roughly 22,000 students and is the city’s largest employer, followed by NorthShore University HealthSystem (now Endeavor Health), the City of Evanston itself, and a robust professional services sector. About 55 percent of Evanston’s housing units are renter-occupied — one of the highest rates among Chicago’s North Shore suburbs — and the rental market is dominated by apartment buildings, condo conversions, and multi-unit properties along Chicago Avenue, Sheridan Road, and near the downtown Metra and CTA Purple Line stations. The median rent is approximately $2,587, making Evanston one of the most expensive rental markets in suburban Cook County. The tenant base includes Northwestern students and faculty, healthcare professionals, young professionals commuting to Chicago, and long-term residents in rent-stabilized buildings.
Here is the critical thing every Evanston landlord must understand: Evanston has its own Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO), substantially amended effective January 1, 2025, that imposes requirements far beyond Illinois state law. The Evanston RLTO is one of the most tenant-protective local ordinances in Illinois outside of Chicago. If you own rental property in Evanston, you must comply with both Illinois state eviction law (735 ILCS 5/9) and the Evanston RLTO — and where they conflict, the more restrictive provision applies. Filing an eviction using only state-law procedures without complying with the Evanston RLTO can result in your case being dismissed and expose you to statutory damages.
⚠️ Evanston RLTO — What Every Landlord Must Know (Amended January 1, 2025)
10-Day Nonpayment Notice (Not 5 Days). Under the Evanston RLTO, landlords must serve a 10-day written notice for nonpayment of rent — not the 5-day notice allowed under Illinois state law. If the tenant pays the full amount owed within the 10-day period, the landlord must accept it and cannot proceed with eviction. Using a 5-day notice in Evanston will get your case thrown out.
30-Day Lease Violation Notice. For lease violations other than nonpayment, the Evanston RLTO requires a 30-day written notice allowing the tenant to correct the violation — significantly longer than the 10-day cure period under Illinois state law.
90-Day Lease Renewal / Nonrenewal Notice. Landlords must provide tenants with either a lease renewal offer or a written nonrenewal notice at least 90 days before the end of the existing lease. When offering a renewal, landlords cannot require a final decision from the tenant more than 45 days before lease expiration. Failure to provide the 90-day notice means the existing lease automatically renews on the same terms.
Security Deposit Cap: 1.5x Monthly Rent. The amended RLTO caps security deposits at 1.5 times the monthly rent. Deposits must be returned within 30 days of move-out (or 45 days with itemized deductions). For buildings with 25 or more units, the Illinois Security Deposit Interest Act still applies.
Mandatory Written Lease with Extensive Disclosures. All leases must be in writing and include: the full names and birthdates of all occupants; the owner or manager’s name, address, and telephone number; whether landlord or tenant pays utilities, plus utility costs for the past 12 months; any building code violations in the last year; any known lead hazards; any pending foreclosure; and bedbug detection and remediation information. If a landlord accepts rent without a written lease, the tenancy is assumed valid with originally agreed terms up to one year.
Anti-Retaliation Protections. Landlords cannot retaliate against tenants for reporting code violations, joining tenant organizations, or asserting their RLTO rights. Retaliation — including threats of eviction, rent increases, or reducing services — exposes landlords to damages.
Prohibited Lease Provisions. Leases cannot include non-disparagement clauses, waivers of tenant rights, excessive late fees, prohibitions on contacting emergency services, or requirements to pay the landlord’s attorney fees. Late fees for rents up to $1,600 are capped at $25; for rents above $1,600, the cap is $25 plus 5 percent of the amount over $1,600.
Strict Penalties for Noncompliance. The Evanston RLTO provides statutory damages to tenants when landlords violate its provisions. Evanston courts and tenant attorneys actively enforce these penalties — noncompliance is not theoretical risk, it is practical risk.
Filing Location — Skokie Courthouse (Second Municipal District)
Despite having its own RLTO, Evanston evictions are still filed through the Cook County court system. Evanston falls within the Second Municipal District, so all Forcible Entry and Detainer actions go through the Skokie Courthouse. The Illinois Forcible Entry and Detainer Act (735 ILCS 5/9) governs the court process, but the Evanston RLTO governs the notice requirements, lease terms, and landlord obligations that must be satisfied before filing.
Skokie Courthouse — Where Evanston Landlords File
Evanston landlords file Forcible Entry and Detainer actions at the Skokie Courthouse, located at 5600 Old Orchard Road, Skokie, IL 60077, phone (847) 470-7250, open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eviction cases are heard in Courtroom 204 every Friday at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. File a Complaint for Forcible Entry and Detainer (standard forms available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court) and pay the filing fee of approximately $237 plus $60 per summons served. The Cook County Sheriff serves the summons on the tenant. After service, a court date is typically set within two to four weeks. If the landlord prevails, the court issues an Order for Possession. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office then enforces the eviction — timeline varies from two to six weeks depending on the sheriff’s backlog. The courthouse is located adjacent to the Westfield Old Orchard shopping center with ample free parking and is accessible via Metra and PACE bus. Self-help eviction — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities without a court order — is illegal under both Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.) and the Evanston RLTO. The only entity authorized to physically remove a tenant is the Cook County Sheriff.
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