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Chicago security deposit rules

The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO), in plain English. Chicago is next for Neat Exit, so the list is open.

What the RLTO says

  • Does the RLTO cover your building?

    The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance doesn’t cover owner-occupied buildings with six or fewer units. Hotels, dorms, shelters and owner-occupied co-ops are excluded too.

  • 30-day statement, 45-day return

    If your landlord is deducting for damage, they owe you an itemized statement within 30 days of move-out. The deposit, plus any interest owed, comes back within 45 days.

  • Interest

    Deposits earn interest at a rate the City sets each year. For 2025 it was 0.01%.

  • Penalties

    If a landlord doesn’t comply, the ordinance lets the tenant recover two times the deposit plus interest, and attorney’s fees.

Want the dates for your move? The deposit clock has a Chicago setting.

Join the Chicago list

Same clean, same report, with Chicago’s rules. Planned prices before tax: Studio $239 · 1 BR $279 · 2 BR $369 · 3 BR $469.

Chicago isn’t open yet. Joining is free, and we’ll email you once crews there are signed.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. These pages summarize public rules; they don’t cover every situation. For advice on a dispute, talk to a tenant lawyer or a local tenants’ rights group.