HB 3564 FAQ: Illinois rental fee questions answered
Short answers to the questions landlords, property managers and renters ask most about Public Act 104-0479 (765 ILCS 705/35). Each answer links to a longer guide.
Last reviewed November 1, 2026 against Public Act 104-0479 and the sources below · How we check facts
Basics
What is HB 3564?
An Illinois law on rental fees, enacted as Public Act 104-0479. It adds Section 35 to the Landlord and Tenant Act (765 ILCS 705/35) and requires fee disclosure, caps application fees and bans several fees.
When was HB 3564 signed?
Governor Pritzker signed it on June 26, 2026.
When does it take effect?
It applies to residential leases entered into on or after January 1, 2027. A trailer bill, HB 5234, moved the date from July 1, 2026.
Is it called the Illinois junk fee law?
Yes. Landlord groups, law firms and news outlets often call it the Illinois rental junk fee law or the rental fee transparency law.
Does it apply only in Chicago?
No. It amends a state law, so it applies everywhere in Illinois, alongside local rules such as the Chicago RLTO and the Cook County RTLO.
Does it change leases signed in 2026?
No. It covers leases entered into on or after January 1, 2027. A renewal signed after that date is covered.
Disclosure
What must be on the first page of the lease?
Every non-optional fee, one-time or recurring, must be explicitly listed on the first page of the lease.
What if a required fee is not on page one?
The tenant is not liable for that fee.
Do listings have to show fees?
Yes. A listing that includes the rent must clearly and conspicuously disclose the non-optional fees, in the listing itself or in an accompanying weblink at the time of the listing.
Can I disclose fees with a link instead of in the ad?
The statute allows an accompanying weblink. Put the link in the listing near the rent and keep the linked page current.
Do I have to say which utilities are included?
Yes. The lease or the listing must say whether utilities are included in the rent.
Can I put the fees in an addendum?
Not for covered leases. Required fees must be on the first page of the lease itself.
Do I need to update my lease template?
Yes. Any template used for leases or renewals signed from January 1, 2027 needs every required fee on its first page.
Fees
Which fees are banned?
Lease renewal or modification fees, after-hours maintenance request fees, fees for contacting the owner or manager, maintenance hotline fees, maintenance travel fees, routine maintenance fees, pest fees when the tenant did not cause the problem, move-in or move-out walkthrough fees, eviction notice and pre-judgment filing fees, and duplicate screening fees.
Can I still charge a move-in fee?
Yes. The enacted law does not cap or ban move-in fees. It must be disclosed on page one and in the listing.
Is there a security deposit cap?
Not in HB 3564. Cook County's RTLO caps deposits at 1.5 months of rent where it applies.
Are pet fees and pet rent allowed?
Yes, with no state cap, as long as they are disclosed. They cannot be charged for assistance animals.
Are late fees allowed?
Yes. HB 3564 does not cap them, but Chicago and suburban Cook County do. Disclose the late fee on page one.
Can I rename a banned fee?
No. The law bars renaming a fee to avoid Section 35. What the fee pays for decides whether it is allowed.
Are resident benefit packages banned?
Not by name, but no part of the package may work as a banned fee, and the package must be disclosed like any required fee.
Applications
What is the maximum application fee in Illinois?
$50, including background checks, for covered leases.
Can I ever charge more than $50?
Only for a third-party background check that costs more than $50, paid by the landlord upfront and billed to the applicant within 14 days with the receipts. Otherwise the charge is waived.
Can I add an admin fee to the application fee?
Not one that duplicates screening costs or covers costs unrelated to screening.
Exemptions and enforcement
I own three small buildings but live elsewhere. Am I exempt?
No. The exemption needs the owner to live in the building.
What happens if a landlord breaks the law?
A person alleging a violation can sue for injunctive relief, monetary relief, attorney's fees and costs.
Does the law apply to property managers and agents?
The disclosure rules reach listings and leasing, so anyone writing listings or leases for an owner needs to follow them.
Renters
My landlord charged a fee not on page one. Do I owe it?
For a covered lease signed on or after January 1, 2027, a tenant is not liable for a required fee missing from the first page.
Can my landlord charge me to renew?
No. Renewal and modification fees are banned for renewals signed from January 1, 2027.
Where can I get help?
A tenant attorney or a legal aid group such as Illinois Legal Aid Online. This site does not give legal advice.
Make your disclosure in about two minutes. Put every required fee on one page with a link you can paste into any listing, plus a print-ready block for page one of your lease.
Related
Not legal advice. Confirm your lease with an Illinois attorney.