Chicago landlord guide · Updated September 2026
Chicago late rent and late fee rules for landlords
Chicago limits how much you can charge for late rent, and it sets the notice you give before ending a tenancy for nonpayment. Here's what the city's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) says, and a calmer way to get paid.
The short version
- Maximum late fee: $10 a month on the first $500 of rent, plus 5% a month of the rent above $500.
- On $1,500 rent, that's at most $60 a month.
- To end a tenancy for unpaid rent, you first give 5 days' written notice.
- Tenants have a one-time right to pay everything owed and stop an eviction before a judge issues an order.
- If you accept the late rent, you can't then evict for it.
The late fee limit
For units covered by the RLTO, a landlord may charge a late fee of $10 a month for the first $500 of monthly rent, plus 5% a month of the part of the rent above $500. A few examples:
- $900 rent: $10 + 5% of $400 = $30 maximum.
- $1,500 rent: $10 + 5% of $1,000 = $60 maximum.
- $2,200 rent: $10 + 5% of $1,700 = $95 maximum.
A lease that charges more doesn't change the limit. If your lease says "$100 late fee" on a $1,500 unit, update it.
Does the RLTO cover your rental?
Most Chicago rentals are covered. Units in owner-occupied buildings with six or fewer units are the main exception, so the late-fee limit above may not apply if you live in your two-flat. Even then, keep fees reasonable and spelled out in the lease.
When rent isn't paid: the 5-day notice
If rent goes unpaid, the RLTO lets a landlord give the tenant five days' written notice and then terminate the rental agreement. Two tenant protections matter here:
- A one-time right to pay and stay. Under the Fair Notice Ordinance, a tenant who receives a notice for nonpayment can end the eviction case by paying all back rent plus the landlord's court filing fees, any time before a judge issues an eviction order. If the same tenant later gets a second nonpayment notice, they have only the five days to pay.
- Accepting rent ends it. If you accept the late rent, you can't evict the tenant for it.
Evictions have strict procedural rules beyond this summary. Talk to a local attorney before filing anything.
A better order of operations
Most late rent is a forgotten transfer or a paycheck timing problem, not a tenant who won't pay. Start soft:
- A friendly reminder a day or two after the due date.
- An itemized notice after your grace period: rent due, any late fee your lease allows (within the limit), payments received and the total.
- A written payment plan if they can't pay in full: dates, amounts and what happens if a payment is missed.
- A log of everything you send. Dates, methods and replies.
Our free late rent notice kit has all four: a friendly reminder, an itemized late rent notice that says clearly it isn't a notice to end the tenancy, a payment plan agreement and a delivery log.
Get the free late rent notice kit
A friendly reminder, an itemized late rent notice, a payment plan agreement and a delivery log. Word and printable PDF, no email required.
Landlord's Desk handles reminders and late fees on the terms you set, kept within local legal limits, with every charge on the ledger. You approve every change before it goes out. Founding members get up to 60 days free, then 30% off their first year.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Evictions and late fees have detailed rules that change; check the current ordinance or talk to a local attorney. Source: City of Chicago Department of Housing, Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance summary (Mun. Code 5-12-130, 5-12-140). Checked September 28, 2026.