The notices and their periods
- 5-Day Notice to Pay or Quit — for nonpayment (735 ILCS 5/9-209). If the tenant pays the full amount demanded within five days, the tenancy continues; if the notice includes the statutory “only full payment” language, a partial payment won't cure it.
- 10-Day Notice to Quit — for lease violations other than rent (735 ILCS 5/9-210). Note that this is generally a termination notice, not an automatic right to cure — whether the tenant can fix the problem and stay depends on the lease.
- 30-Day Notice — to end a month-to-month tenancy without cause (735 ILCS 5/9-207); week-to-week is 7 days and year-to-year is 60 days.
Ending a tenancy and serving notice
A month-to-month tenancy ends on 30 days' written notice (735 ILCS 5/9-207), served before the rental period and typically ending on the last day of a month. Week-to-week requires 7 days; year-to-year requires 60 days.
Notices may be served personally, by leaving them with someone of suitable age at the residence, or by certified/registered mail. Evictions are filed as Forcible Entry and Detainer actions in Circuit Court.
Watch the local ordinances
Chicago's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) and Cook County's Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance add notice and procedure requirements on top of state law, and Chicago's Fair Notice Ordinance can require longer notice for longer tenancies. As of January 1, 2026, an Illinois eviction also can't name anyone under 18 as a defendant.
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Does paying part of the rent stop an Illinois eviction?
Not necessarily. Under 735 ILCS 5/9-209, if the 5-day notice includes the statutory language requiring full payment, a partial payment doesn't cure the default. Accepting partial rent can also complicate the case.
Is the 10-day notice a chance to fix the violation?
Not automatically. The 10-day notice (§ 9-210) generally terminates the tenancy; whether the tenant can cure and stay depends on the lease terms.
How do I end a month-to-month tenancy in Illinois?
Serve a 30-day written notice (§ 9-207) before the rental period; it typically must end the tenancy on the last day of a calendar month.
More notice types: Pay or Quit · Cure or Quit · Unconditional Quit · eviction notices overview. By state: California · Texas · Florida · New York · Pennsylvania · Ohio · Georgia · North Carolina · Michigan · New Jersey · Virginia · Washington · Arizona · Massachusetts · Tennessee · Indiana · Missouri · Maryland · Wisconsin · Minnesota · South Carolina · Alabama · Louisiana · Kentucky · Oregon · Oklahoma · Connecticut · Utah · Nevada · Iowa · Arkansas · Mississippi · Kansas · New Mexico · Nebraska · Idaho · West Virginia · Colorado · Hawaii · New Hampshire · Maine · Montana · Rhode Island · Delaware · South Dakota · North Dakota · Alaska · Vermont · Wyoming · Washington, D.C..
WriteMyNotice.com is a self-help document preparation service, not a law firm, and this page is general information, not legal advice. Eviction rules are strict and vary by state, county, and city — many cities add rent-control or just-cause requirements on top of state law, and an improper or mistimed notice can get an eviction case delayed or dismissed. Verify the current requirements for your property's location and, for contested or high-stakes evictions, consult a landlord-tenant attorney. Statute references verified June 2026.