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Eviction timeline in Illinois

Illinois Eviction Timeline

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.

Illinois Eviction Timeline at a Glance1

30–60 days Uncontested
60–150 days Contested
$200–$400 Court filing fee
$750–$3,500 Attorney fees (est.)
#31 of 51 Fastest nationally
Uncontested eviction (after filing) 30–60 days 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer)
Contested eviction (after filing) 60–150 days 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer)
Pre-filing notice: Nonpayment of rent 5 days 735 ILCS 5/9-209
Pre-filing notice: Material lease violation 10 days 735 ILCS 5/9-210
Pre-filing notice: Holdover, month-to-month 30 days 735 ILCS 5/9-207
Pre-filing notice: End of fixed-term lease 0 days 735 ILCS 5/9-205
Court filing fee $200–$400 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer)

Step-by-step Illinois eviction process

Day-by-day, every stage.

Each row's day-label is the cumulative start of that stage on the worst-case clock.
Pre-filing Notice File Court Lockout
  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

Other Guides for Illinois

← Illinois Eviction Risk OverviewEviction Costs: IllinoisEviction Process: IllinoisRent Control Guide: IllinoisTenant Screening: IllinoisTenant Protections: IllinoisTenant Rights: IllinoisNotice Templates: Illinois

Eviction Timeline in Other States

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Informational only, not legal advice. Consult a licensed Illinois attorney. Source attribution in the Sources band below.