The Chicago RLTO governs covered Chicago rentals — deposit plus interest due within 45 days of vacating (itemized statement with receipts within 30 days when deducting), with a strict-liability 2× penalty plus interest. Owner-occupied buildings of six or fewer units are exempt.
Deadline
30 / 45 days
under the Chicago ordinance
Penalty
2× (strict liability)
for a violation
Ordinance
RLTO § 5-12-080
Chicago municipal code
This ordinance governs instead of the state default. For covered Chicago units, the RLTO — not the state default — sets the deposit timeline and the automatic (strict-liability) 2× penalty; it is stricter than the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) on both. State-law rights remain available in parallel where they apply — the ordinance adds protection rather than erasing state law. Lead with the RLTO.
A violation of § 5-12-080 makes the landlord liable for twice the deposit amount plus interest under § 5-12-180 — strict liability, with no good-faith defense (a limited cure provision exists only for a merely-deficient interest payment). Fee-shifting exists under § 5-12-180 but carries a carve-out for forcible entry and detainer actions, so it is not asserted here.
Scope: The RLTO covers most Chicago rentals EXCEPT owner-occupied buildings of six or fewer units. Within scope it requires return of the deposit plus interest within 45 days of vacating (7 days for a fire/casualty termination), and an itemized statement with paid receipts within 30 days when deducting.
Interest: Deposits must be held in a separate Illinois interest-bearing account, with annual interest if held more than six months. Chicago’s required rate is set and republished annually by the City Comptroller — your letter references the current published rate rather than a stale figure.
30 / 45 days, under the Chicago ordinance. For covered Chicago units, the RLTO — not the state default — sets the deposit timeline and the automatic (strict-liability) 2× penalty; it is stricter than the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) on both. State-law rights remain available in parallel where they apply — the ordinance adds protection rather than erasing state law. Lead with the RLTO.
A violation of § 5-12-080 makes the landlord liable for twice the deposit amount plus interest under § 5-12-180 — strict liability, with no good-faith defense (a limited cure provision exists only for a merely-deficient interest payment). Fee-shifting exists under § 5-12-180 but carries a carve-out for forcible entry and detainer actions, so it is not asserted here.
Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance § 5-12-080 and Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance § 5-12-180. We verify these against the ordinance text itself; the date we last checked is shown on this page.
Sources & verification
The Chicago rules on this page were verified against the ordinance text itself:
Last verified against primary sources on .
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