Illinois Pet Rent Laws in 2025: A Guide for Landlords

Let's be blunt. You didn’t get into real estate to become a zookeeper. But here you are, looking at an application from a teacher with perfect credit… and a photo of a "lab mix" that looks suspiciously like a full-grown Rottweiler. Your stomach knots. Can you say no? Can you charge extra? What if they call it an "emotional support Rottweiler"?

I've managed doors from Wicker Park to Peoria. I’ve had cats that destroyed blinds, dogs that dug up yards, and yes, a "support" parrot that wouldn’t stop screaming. Illinois law feels like a free-for-all on fees, but the federal rules around assistance animals? That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen if you blink wrong.

This isn't legal advice. This is street-smart strategy from someone who’s paid the "stupid tax" so you don’t have to.

Forget Everything You Think You Know About "No Pets"

Here’s the cold water in your face: Your beautiful, all-caps NO PETS lease clause is meaningless to two things: Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals (ESAs).

In Illinois, your lease rules come from state law. But assistance animal rights come from the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Illinois Human Rights Act [1]. When they clash, your lease loses. Every. Single. Time.

• Service Animal: A dog trained to guide a blind person or detect seizures. Not a pet. Must be allowed. $0 fees.
• Emotional Support Animal: A cat, dog, rabbit, or (I wish I was joking) miniature pig that a therapist says helps with anxiety. Not a pet. Must be allowed. $0 fees.
• Actual Pet: The dog your tenant just wants because it’s cute. Your rules apply.

The shift you need to make today: Stop asking “Can I allow this animal?” Start asking “Is this a pet or a federally-protected accommodation?” Get that wrong, and you’ll be on the phone with the Illinois Department of Human Rights faster than you can say “security deposit.”

Illinois’s Golden Goose: You Can Charge (Almost) Whatever You Want

Here’s the good news that makes Illinois landlords high-five: There is NO statewide cap on pet deposits or pet rent [2]. The state basically shrugs and says, “You figure it out.”

But “figure it out” doesn’t mean “be a pirate.” A judge will roll their eyes if you charge a $3,000 pet deposit for a studio apartment. Be strategic, not greedy.

My Fee Blueprint (Stolen From My Own Leases):

• Security Deposit: 1.5 months’ rent for the human’s mess.
• Pet Deposit (REFUNDABLE): Add 50-100% of one month’s rent. For a $2,000 Chicago apartment, that’s an extra $1,000-$2,000 just for pet damage. This fund is for the scratched floors, the stained grout, the mysterious smells.
• Non-Refundable “Pet Fee”: A one-time $250-$500 hit. I call it a “pet administrative and deodorizing fee” right in the lease. It’s for the deep clean AFTER they leave. Make it clear: This cash is mine. You don’t get it back.
• Pet Rent (The Profit): This is your monthly latte fund.
  • Downstate: $25-$40/month feels fair.
  • Chicago: $50-$100/month is standard. For a large breed dog in a luxury building? Start at $75 and don’t flinch.

Pro Move: If your insurance has breed restrictions (often pits, rotties, shepherds), use that. “My insurer requires an additional $50/month liability fee for this breed.” It’s not you, it’s the faceless insurance company. Works like a charm.

The “ESA” Conversation (How to Not Get Screwed)

When a tenant hits you with the “It’s not a pet, it’s for my anxiety” line, you have a script. Follow it verbatim. Going off-book is how you write a settlement check.

For a SERVICE ANIMAL:

• You ask TWO questions: 1) “Is this animal required because of a disability?” 2) “What specific task is it trained to perform?”
• You do NOT ask: For papers, for a demo, for doctor's notes. You cannot charge a dime.

For an EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL:

• You ask for ONE thing: A letter from a licensed healthcare professional (therapist, psychiatrist) who actually treats the tenant. It must say the person has a disability and the animal helps. Google the provider. Verify the license.
• You do NOT ask: For medical records, for a diagnosis, for the animal to be trained. You cannot charge a dime.

Can you ever say no? Yes, but the bar is sky-high. The animal must be a direct, proven threat (think: police reports of bites) or cause severe physical damage you can’t fix. “I don’t like big dogs” isn’t a legal reason. If you’re thinking of denying, your next call is to your lawyer, not your tenant.

Your 5-Step, Lawsuit-Proof System

1. The Non-Negotiable Pet Screening.
Use PetScreening.com for every furry, scaly, or feathery pet. It’s a $25 background check that verifies vaccines, gets a photo, and assesses risk. It also has a free process to validate ESA letters. This isn’t an option; it’s your first line of defense.

2. The Lease Addendum That Reads Like a Navy SEAL Contract.
Vague language is your enemy.

*“Pet: One (1) dog, ‘Duke’, American Staffordshire Terrier mix, 68 lbs, microchip #XYZ123.
Financial Terms: Refundable Pet Deposit: $1,500. Monthly Pet Rent: $85. Non-Refundable Pet Admin Fee: $400.
Rules: All waste must be bagged and placed in the dumpster—not left on the patio. Per Chicago ordinance 7-12-420, dog must be leashed at all times off-premises [3]. Any complaint of excessive barking (2+ neighbor reports) is a lease violation.
Liability: Tenant is 100% responsible for all damage, including pest infestations (fleas) and professional odor removal.”*

3. The “Friendly Spy” Inspection.
Illinois law says you need to give 24 hours notice to enter [2]. So, give it. Do a “smoke detector check” or “filter change” every quarter. Bring a cookie for the tenant. But have your phone out. Snap pics of the floor by the door, the corners of the carpet. Smell the air. Send a breezy email after: “Great to see Duke! He’s a big boy! Just a heads up—we noticed a little scratch on the back door. Maybe a chew toy would help? All the best!” This isn’t nagging; it’s building a documented history with a smile.

4. The Move-Out Takedown (Get Forensic).
They’re gone. You have 30 days to return their deposit or send an itemized deduction list [2]. Your quarterly photos are now your Exhibit A.

*“Deductions from Pet Deposit:Professional enzymatic treatment for urine in bedroom carpet: $525 (see photo 11/15/2024).Repair of chewed balcony door trim: $310 (see photo 1/10/2025).
Total Pet Deposit Deductions: $835.”*

5. The Nuclear Option (Eviction).
If they sneak in a pet or their ESA destroys the place, you serve a 5-Day Notice to Quit for a lease violation [2]. This is a specific form. If they don’t fix it, then you file for eviction. Never, ever change the locks or shut off the power. That’s an “illegal lockout,” and in Cook County, you could owe the tenant 2 months’ rent + damages + their attorney fees.

Special Warning for Chicago & Cook County Landlords

You’re playing in the majors with different rules.

• Security Deposits: For buildings with 5+ units, you must put deposits in an Illinois interest-bearing account and give the tenant the bank info.
• The RLTO: The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance is its own beast with strict repair rules and penalties [3]. You don’t know it? Learn it. Today.

Bottom Line

Being pet-friendly in Illinois isn’t about being a softie. It’s a brilliant business move. It opens up 70% of the rental market and lets you layer on fees that boost your bottom line.

The goal isn’t to ban pets. It’s to systemize them. Profit from them. Protect yourself from them.

Tired of keeping track of the deposits, the screening, the lease addendums? This is exactly why platforms like Hemlane exist—to automate the compliance and paperwork, so you can collect the extra income without the extra headache.

Sources & Legal Citations

1. Illinois Department of Human Rights: Where tenants file housing discrimination complaints. https://dhr.illinois.gov/housing-discrimination.html
2. Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/): The rules on deposits, timelines, and interest. https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2201&ChapterID=62
3. City of Chicago Municipal Code, Chapter 7-12 (Animal Care & Control): The leash, waste, and nuisance laws you can cite in your lease. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-280169
4. HUD’s Assistance Animal Guidance (FHEO Notice): The federal bible on service animals and ESAs. https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/HUDAsstAnimalNC1-28-2020.pdf

DISCLAIMER: Look, I’m just a landlord who’s made expensive mistakes. I’m not your lawyer. Illinois housing law is a labyrinth, especially in Chicago. If you’re staring down an ESA denial or an eviction, spend the $300 on a consultation with a solid Illinois housing attorney. It’s the cheapest insurance you’ll ever buy.