Illinois deposit law changed on January 1, 2024, and half the state's landlords haven't noticed: the Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) now applies to every residential landlord, after Public Act 103-224 deleted the old “5 or more units” threshold. Rent out a single condo and the statutory deadlines — and the double-damages penalty — apply to you. On top of the state framework, Chicago's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance layers stricter local rules, and several suburbs run their own clocks.
How much can a landlord charge?
Illinois sets no statewide cap — one to two months' rent is customary. Local ordinances can be stricter, and Chicago's RLTO adds receipt requirements at collection and interest on deposits held over six months (at a city-set rate, for covered buildings).
The 30/45-day machinery
Statewide, two clocks run from move-out: the landlord must send an itemized statement of any deductions within 30 days — with receipts or repair estimates attached (estimates must be backed by receipts within 30 more days) — and must return the balance within 45 days. No itemized statement within 30 days means the full deposit is due back within 45. Chicago's RLTO mirrors the 30/45 structure; suburban Cook County requires return within 30 days, Evanston 21 for larger buildings, Oak Park 30 — location matters at the margins.
What can be deducted
Unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear, substantiated by the itemization-plus-receipts requirement. Scuffed walls, worn carpet, aging fixtures — routine living — cannot be charged. The receipts rule is where landlords lose: an unsupported number on a list is not a lawful deduction in Illinois.
The penalties
Under the state act, a landlord who withholds in bad faith — or blows the deadlines — is liable for twice the deposit plus attorney's fees. Chicago's RLTO goes further: violations owe the tenant two times the deposit as a penalty, on top of the deposit itself, plus fees and costs — which is how an $1,800 Chicago deposit becomes a five-figure judgment.
Why Illinois deposit disputes are documentation disputes
Illinois built its statute around receipts and itemization — paper proof of what was spent fixing what. But receipts only prove money was spent; they don't prove the tenant caused the damage. That link — condition at move-in versus condition at move-out — is exactly what neither a receipt nor an invoice can establish, and it's where every contested case actually turns.
SealMove closes that gap for both sides. Every photo and video is cryptographically sealed the instant it's captured, independently timestamped, and locked with Face ID into a tamper-evident archive. At move-out, your walkthrough lines up room-by-room against the sealed baseline — and either party can send the other a report to review and acknowledge, no app required.