Illinois Rental Application

A landlord's tenant application with lawful screening questions, fee disclosure and FCRA consent, adjusted to your state's rules.

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Illinois rules that this document follows

Application fee limitNo statutory capSource: No statutory cap; landlord may not charge an application fee to an applicant who provides a reusable tenant screening report meeting statutory requirements (765 ILCS 705/25, P.A. 103-0840, eff. 1/1/2025)
Refund ruleNo refund requirement statewideSource: No statutory cap; landlord may not charge an application fee to an applicant who provides a reusable tenant screening report meeting statutory requirements (765 ILCS 705/25, P.A. 103-0840, eff. 1/1/2025)
Must give applicant a copy of screening reportNot required by state law (FCRA adverse-action notice still applies)Source: 15 U.S.C. § 1681m
Criminal-history questionsNo statewide limit. Cook County Just Housing Amendment (Human Rights Ord. § 42-38, 2020): no criminal inquiry before prequalification; 3-year lookback; individualized assessment. Illinois Human Rights Act bars discrimination based on arrest records not leading to conviction and sealed/expunged records in real estate transactions.Source: Cook County Code § 42-38; 775 ILCS 5/3-102.5
Source of income protectedYes — vouchers and other lawful income must be consideredSource: 775 ILCS 5/1-103(Q); 5/3-102 (P.A. 102-0896, eff. 1/1/2023)
Additional protected classesancestry, age, marital status, order of protection status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, unfavorable military discharge, pregnancy, source of income, immigration status, arrest record

Rules current as of 2026-09-07. Statutes change; verify before relying on them.

How to use this Rental Application in Illinois

Use one application per adult. Collect the Social Security number only on the signed paper copy, never by email. Apply the same written criteria to every applicant and keep denied applications for at least two years in case of a fair-housing inquiry.

Charge only a fee that Illinois permits, give a receipt, and if you deny based on a consumer report send the FCRA adverse-action notice within a few days.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord charge an application fee in Illinois?

Yes; Illinois has no statutory cap (No statutory cap; landlord may not charge an application fee to an applicant who provides a reusable tenant screening report meeting statutory requirements (765 ILCS 705/25, P.A. 103-0840, eff. 1/1/2025)), but the fee must be disclosed and applied uniformly.

What questions are illegal on a rental application?

You may not ask about race, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability, nor about arrests without conviction. Illinois adds: ancestry, age, marital status, order of protection status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, unfavorable military discharge, pregnancy, source of income, immigration status, arrest record. This form omits those questions automatically.

Do I have to give the applicant a copy of the screening report?

Federal law requires an adverse-action notice naming the reporting agency; Illinois does not separately require a copy of the report.

Related documents

Other states

FormsByState provides self-help document templates and general information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm. For advice about your situation consult a licensed attorney in your state.