Chicago Residential Lease Agreement — Free
Legal advice recommended before use.
A plain-language Chicago / Illinois residential lease agreement you can fill in right on this page, sign, and download as a completed PDF — free. It reflects the rules Chicago landlords need to get right if the unit is RLTO-covered: the interest-bearing security-deposit account and annual interest requirement (MCC § 5-12-080, § 5-12-081), the heat-ordinance minimum temperatures (City of Chicago heat ordinance, in effect September 15 through June 1), and a reminder to attach the city's official RLTO summary (MCC § 5-12-170). Fill in the bracketed terms below, attach the RLTO summary and any riders that apply, and have an attorney review it before signing.
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This is a template, not legal advice, and this specific document has not yet been reviewed by a licensed Illinois attorney — do not rely on it until it has been. Confirm whether your unit is RLTO-covered, and confirm current interest rates, deadlines, and notice periods before relying on any specific figure in this template, since several of them (the Comptroller's interest rate, notice periods) change on their own city-set schedule. Have an attorney review before signing.
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Frequently asked questions
Is this Chicago lease agreement template free?
Yes. You can fill it in on this page, sign it, and download a completed PDF for free — no account required. It is a starting-point template, not legal advice, and this specific document has not yet been reviewed by a licensed Illinois attorney.
Does this lease apply the same way to every Chicago rental?
No — the RLTO doesn't cover every unit. Owner-occupied buildings with 6 units or fewer are generally exempt from most of the RLTO (MCC § 5-12-020(a)), which changes which sections of this template actually apply. Confirm coverage first.
Does the security deposit have to earn interest?
For RLTO-covered units, yes — MCC §§ 5-12-080 and 5-12-081 require an interest-bearing account and annual interest payments at a rate the City Comptroller publishes each year. This is a real, Chicago-specific requirement with no equivalent in many other states' landlord-tenant law.
What is the RLTO summary, and do I have to attach it?
It's a city-prepared document describing landlord and tenant rights under the RLTO. For RLTO-covered units, MCC § 5-12-170 requires it to be attached to the written lease and to every renewal offer. Use the City of Chicago's current official version rather than a paraphrase.
Do I need a lawyer to use this lease?
Yes, before relying on it. This is a template, not legal advice, and this specific lease has not yet been reviewed by a licensed Illinois attorney. Have one review it before signing.
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