The $50 Illinois rental application fee cap

For covered leases, a rental application fee, including any background check, cannot exceed $50. There is one narrow exception, and it comes with paperwork.

Updated November 1, 2026 · Based on Public Act 104-0479

The rule

A landlord may not charge a rental application fee above $50, and that $50 includes background checks. A landlord also may not add a second fee or fine alongside the application fee that duplicates tenant screening costs or covers costs unrelated to screening.

The third-party background check exception

You may charge more than $50 only for a third-party background check, and only if all of these are true:

1. The third-party background check service really costs more than $50.
2. You pay that cost upfront.
3. You bill the applicant within 14 days of the background check.
4. The bill includes the receipts from the background check provider.

If you do not send the bill and receipts within 14 days, the fee is waived. It also cannot be the basis for an eviction action during the first year of the lease.

Is the fee per applicant?

Many landlords charge per adult applicant, since each adult is screened. Whatever you do, write it on your fee page and in the listing so applicants know before they apply.

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Frequently asked questions

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