Uncontested: 30–60 days ·
Contested: 60–150 days · Under 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer)
The Illinois eviction process requires a court-ordered judgment before a landlord can remove a tenant. Timeline figures below begin after the pre-filing notice period expires and the landlord files the complaint with the court. Add 3–60+ days for the applicable pre-filing notice period (pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or no-fault) depending on the eviction reason.
Each row's day-label is the cumulative start of that stage on the worst-case clock.
Pre-filingNoticeFileCourtLockout
5–30d
1
Stage 1 · Gate
Serve the notice
Day 1
5-day for nonpayment, 10-day for lease violation, 30-day for no-cause month-to-month. In Chicago, the notice must include RLTO-required disclosures. Most Chicago dismissals trace to defective notice content.
1–3d
2
Stage 2 · Serve
File the eviction complaint
Day 31
Circuit court for the county where the property sits. Cook County: Municipal Department, Branch 6. Filing fee $237 in Cook, $200 to $350 outside.
14d
3
Stage 3 · File
Service and 14-day appearance
Day 34
Sheriff or special process server delivers summons. Tenant has 14 days from service to file an appearance under 735 ILCS 5/9-211. Cook County tenant-defense intake routes most appearing tenants to free counsel within 48 hours.
14–76d
4
Stage 4 · Court
Trial and judgment
Day 48
Bench trial in most cases. Cook County median: 76 days from filing to trial due to docket backlog. Downstate: 21 to 35 days. Judgment usually rendered same day as trial.
21–60d
5
Stage 5 · Lockout
Order of possession and sheriff execution
Day 124
Sheriff cannot execute sooner than 21 days after judgment (735 ILCS 5/9-303). Cook County practical execution: 30 to 60 days. Downstate: 7 to 21 days.
Day 184
✓
Possession recovered
Worst case · Day 184
Timelines begin at court filing, not notice service.
The Illinois timelines above start when the landlord files the eviction complaint with the court.
Add pre-filing notice periods (3–60 days depending on eviction reason) to get the full end-to-end timeline.
Self-help eviction, changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities, is illegal in Illinois and exposes the landlord to significant damages.
About this page. Researched and written by the NextGen Properties research team — the underwriters, asset managers, and acquisitions staff who have priced, bought, and operated rental property for more than two decades. Reviewed before publication by the NextGen Properties editorial desk. How we work: editorial guidelines · scoring methodology.
