Eviction Laws in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the capital of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County, located in the center of the state with a population of approximately 113,000. As the seat of state government, Springfield’s economy is dominated by public-sector employment — the State of Illinois, Sangamon County, and the City of Springfield are among the largest employers, alongside major healthcare systems (HSHS St. John’s Hospital, Memorial Health) and education institutions (University of Illinois Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College). The city’s demographics are approximately 70 percent White, 19 percent Black, 3 percent Asian, and 4 percent Hispanic. The median household income is around $66,000, and the poverty rate is approximately 17 percent — driven in part by significant racial economic disparities, with Black poverty rates reaching over 40 percent in some neighborhoods. The housing stock is predominantly older single-family homes, with apartment complexes concentrated along major corridors like Wabash Avenue, South MacArthur Boulevard, and near the University of Illinois Springfield campus on the south side. Approximately 35 percent of housing units are renter-occupied.
Illinois eviction law — the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act (735 ILCS 5/9) — requires landlords to serve a written notice before filing suit. For nonpayment of rent, a 5-day notice to pay or quit is required. For lease violations, a 10-day notice to cure or quit applies. Month-to-month tenancies require 30 days’ notice to terminate. Once the notice period expires without compliance, the landlord files a Forcible Entry and Detainer complaint with the Circuit Court of Sangamon County. Springfield falls within the Seventh Judicial Circuit. All eviction filings go through the Sangamon County Courts Complex at 200 South Ninth Street, Springfield, IL 62701. The Seventh Circuit processes evictions efficiently — hearings are typically set within one to three weeks after filing, and the full process from filing to sheriff enforcement typically takes three to six weeks.
Springfield & Sangamon County — Local Rules That Affect Landlords
No rent control. The Illinois Rent Control Preemption Act (50 ILCS 825) prohibits any municipality from enacting rent control or rent stabilization ordinances.
State Government Economy and Tenant Stability. Springfield’s economy is heavily dependent on state government employment. State employees generally offer stable tenancy — regular paychecks, predictable income, and low turnover risk. However, Springfield is also vulnerable to state budget crises and government shutdowns, which have historically disrupted payroll and caused temporary nonpayment spikes among state-worker tenants. The 2015–2017 Illinois budget impasse, for example, created significant economic disruption in Springfield. Landlords should be aware that state fiscal instability can ripple through the rental market.
Racial Economic Disparities and Neighborhood Variation. Springfield has significant racial economic disparities. The East Side of Springfield — historically home to the city’s Black community — has poverty rates exceeding 40 percent in some census tracts, while West Side and suburban neighborhoods maintain much lower poverty rates. Nonpayment risk, vacancy rates, and property conditions vary dramatically by neighborhood. Landlords should set rents and screen tenants based on the specific neighborhood economics, not citywide averages.
University of Illinois Springfield Student Tenancies. UIS enrolls approximately 4,500 students, many of whom live off campus in apartments along South MacArthur Boulevard and in surrounding south-side neighborhoods. Student tenancies follow standard Illinois law — no special exemptions apply. Lease terms in the UIS area typically align with the academic year, and summer vacancy is common.
Lincoln Land Community College. Lincoln Land Community College enrolls over 6,000 students, contributing additional student rental demand in the south and southwest portions of the city. Like UIS students, LLCC students follow standard Illinois tenancy law.
Multilingual Court Forms. The Sangamon County Circuit Clerk’s office provides eviction forms in Spanish and appearance forms in Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Korean — reflecting the growing diversity of the Springfield area. While this primarily benefits tenants, landlords should be aware that non-English-speaking tenants will have access to translated court documents and may be better equipped to contest eviction proceedings.
State Capitol Tourism and Short-Term Rentals. Springfield’s status as the state capital and home to Abraham Lincoln historic sites draws significant tourism. Some landlords have converted long-term rental properties to short-term vacation rentals. If you are operating or considering short-term rentals, verify Springfield’s local zoning and licensing requirements — the eviction process described on this page applies to traditional residential tenancies, not short-term rental disputes.
Security Deposits. Illinois state law (765 ILCS 710 and 715) governs deposit handling. Deposits must be returned within 30 days of move-out (or 45 days if itemized deductions are claimed). Properties with 25 or more units must pay annual interest on deposits. Springfield does not impose additional local deposit requirements beyond state law.
Sangamon County Courts Complex — Where Springfield Landlords File
Springfield landlords file Forcible Entry and Detainer actions at the Sangamon County Courts Complex, located at 200 South Ninth Street, Springfield, IL 62701, phone (217) 753-6674, open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Courtrooms are located on the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors — video monitors in the building direct litigants to the correct courtroom. Eviction forms are available from the Circuit Clerk’s office in Room 405, including Spanish-language versions. E-filing is required in Illinois; file through the eFileIL system (efile.illinoiscourts.gov). The filing fee for a Forcible Entry and Detainer action varies by claim amount — typically $201 for possession-only claims up to $321 for claims exceeding $15,000 — plus sheriff service fees. The Sangamon County Sheriff serves the summons on the tenant. After service, a court date is typically set within one to three weeks. If the landlord prevails, the court issues an Order for Possession. The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office then enforces the eviction. Self-help eviction — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities without a court order — is illegal under Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.) and the only entity authorized to physically remove a tenant is the Sangamon County Sheriff.
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