What Landautomate does with this page
This guide is the reading version of our Illinois rule base. In the app, the same rules become dated tasks on each of your Illinois properties, timed to your purchase date, lease dates, property age, and climate, with an email before each one is due. The free preview shows a sample of that schedule for Illinois in under a minute, no account needed.
Preview the Illinois schedule
Illinois compliance obligations
Illinois landlords commonly track 6 state and local compliance obligations, each listed below with its schedule, its sources, and the date we last verified it. Among them: check smoke and CO alarms and swap expired battery smoke alarms for sealed units, file Illinois LLC annual report before your anniversary month, and if your property is in Cook County, pay the first property tax installment.
Check smoke and CO alarms and swap expired battery smoke alarms for sealed units
Illinois landlords must install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms within 15 feet of every sleeping room, with working batteries at each move-in (plus a smoke alarm on every story of a single-family home, and CO alarms excused only in narrow all-electric cases), and any battery smoke alarm that is newly installed, failing, or more than 10 years past its manufacture date must be a sealed long-term battery or hardwired unit, so a yearly check catches expired alarms before a 90-day warning turns into fines of up to $100 every 30 days.
Each year around October 1 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
File Illinois LLC annual report before your anniversary month
Illinois LLCs, and out-of-state LLCs registered to do business in Illinois, must file a $75 annual report with the Secretary of State before the first day of the LLC's anniversary month, because a late report puts the LLC out of good standing, draws a $100 penalty if still unfiled two months after that date, and can end in administrative dissolution or, for an out-of-state LLC, revocation of its Illinois registration.
On a recurring schedule · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
If your property is in Cook County, pay the first property tax installment
If your property is in Cook County, the first property tax installment (55% of the prior year's total bill) is normally due March 1, though the date printed on the bill governs and has moved in some years, and a late payment adds interest of 0.75% per month.
Each year around March 1 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
If your property is in Cook County, pay the second property tax installment
If your property is in Cook County, pay the second installment by the due date printed on the bill, which is August 1 in an on-schedule year but has fallen between October and December in years the county issued bills late, because a late payment adds 0.75% interest per month and unpaid taxes can go to the county's annual tax sale.
Each year around August 1 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
If your rental is in Chicago, pay deposit interest after each lease year
If your rental is in Chicago and covered by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (owner-occupied buildings of six or fewer units are exempt), pay the tenant interest on any security deposit held more than six months, in cash or as a rent credit, within 30 days after the end of each 12-month rental period, because missing it can cost damages of twice the deposit plus interest.
On a recurring schedule · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Itemize deposit deductions by day 30 after move-out, or refund in full by day 45
Illinois landlords who keep any part of a security deposit for damage must deliver an itemized statement of the damage and the cost of each repair, with paid receipts or estimates, in person, by postmarked mail, or by email to a verified address the tenant provided, within 30 days after move-out (or after the tenant's right of possession ends, if later), and otherwise must refund the full deposit within 45 days of move-out, because a court can award twice the deposit plus court costs and attorney fees when the statement is skipped or made in bad faith.
On a recurring schedule · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2
Seasonal maintenance for Illinois
Landlords in Illinois plan upkeep around a cold climate: this guide lists 7 seasonal maintenance items for Illinois in calendar order, each with its timing and the date we last verified it. Among them: monitor roofs for ice dams and icicle buildup, inspect roof, foundation, and test sump pumps at spring thaw, and smoke and CO detector seasonal test.
Monitor roofs for ice dams and icicle buildup
January freeze-thaw cycles in northern and central Illinois form ice dams that force meltwater under shingles and into ceilings, and early detection prevents interior damage.
Each year around January 1 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Inspect roof, foundation, and test sump pumps at spring thaw
March snowmelt and Illinois' spring rains, which peak in May and June, expose winter damage to roofs and foundations and flood basements where a sump pump has quietly failed, so an early spring check catches problems before the wettest weeks arrive.
Each year around March 1 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Smoke and CO detector seasonal test
An annual full test of smoke and CO detectors (beyond battery swaps) confirms every alarm actually sounds.
Around March · Verified before August 2026
Get snow removal contract quotes before contractors book up
Reliable snow removal contractors fill their winter schedules early, and Chicago and some other Illinois cities require property owners to clear public sidewalks soon after snowfall, so gathering quotes in September locks in pricing and a dependable provider before the first snow.
Each year around September 1 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Furnace inspection before heating season
A pre-season furnace inspection prevents mid-winter heating failures and carbon monoxide risk.
Around September · Verified before August 2026
Winterize exterior plumbing and irrigation
Draining exterior lines before the first hard freeze prevents burst pipes and water damage.
Around October · Verified before August 2026
Gutter cleaning after leaf fall
Clearing gutters after leaf drop prevents ice dams and roofline water damage in winter.
Around November · Verified before August 2026
Baseline upkeep for every rental
Every rental needs the same baseline care regardless of state: this guide tracks 16 recurring upkeep items, each with its schedule and the date we last verified it. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement.
CPA tax document preparation
Organized records make tax filing accurate and deductions defensible.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Gutter inspection
Clear gutters prevent water intrusion, foundation, and roof damage.
Within 90 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
HVAC filter replacement
Clean filters protect HVAC equipment and keep energy costs down.
Within 90 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Insurance renewal review
Confirms coverage limits and premiums still match the property risk.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
LLC annual filing prep
Keeps the ownership entity in good standing with state filings.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Lease renewal planning
Planning renewals ahead of time reduces vacancy and turnover costs.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Maintenance review
Keeps small maintenance issues from turning into expensive repairs.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Owner distribution check
Verifies owner cash distributions reconcile with rent and expenses.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Pest inspection
Early pest detection prevents structural damage and habitability complaints.
Within 90 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Property tax review
Reviewing assessments can surface appeal opportunities and budget changes.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Rent collection review
Confirms rent was received on time and surfaces collection issues early.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Rent increase review
Keeps rent aligned with market rates and local rent regulations.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Smoke detector battery check
Working smoke and CO detectors are a life-safety and legal requirement.
Within 90 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Utilities minimal-service verification
Confirms vacant-property utilities stay at minimal service so pipes, alarms, and sump pumps keep working.
Within 14 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Utility reconciliation
Catches billing errors and unexpected usage spikes on property utilities.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Vacant property security check
Regular walkthroughs of a vacant property deter break-ins, squatting, and unnoticed damage.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Common questions
What are the compliance requirements for Illinois landlords?
Our reviewed rule base currently lists 6 state and local compliance obligations that Illinois landlords commonly track. Among them: check smoke and CO alarms and swap expired battery smoke alarms for sealed units, file Illinois LLC annual report before your anniversary month, and if your property is in Cook County, pay the first property tax installment. Each obligation shows its schedule, the sources it was checked against, and the date we last verified it. This guide is general information for planning reminders, not legal advice.
What seasonal maintenance should Illinois landlords plan for?
The Illinois guide lists 7 seasonal maintenance items timed to a cold climate, in calendar order. Among them: monitor roofs for ice dams and icicle buildup, inspect roof, foundation, and test sump pumps at spring thaw, and smoke and CO detector seasonal test. Landautomate turns each item into a dated reminder on your property calendar so the work is planned before the season arrives.
What routine upkeep should every Illinois rental get?
Alongside state specific work, the Illinois guide tracks 16 baseline upkeep items that apply to nearly every rental. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement. These recur on a regular schedule, and Landautomate schedules each one automatically for every property you add.
How does Landautomate verify Illinois landlord rules?
Every rule in the Illinois guide goes through human review before it is published, and each rule shows the date we last verified it. Each compliance obligation links the primary sources it was checked against. Laws and deadlines change, so if you believe something here is outdated or incorrect, contact us at support@landautomate.com and we will review it promptly.