Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-3-3-1
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RENTAL AGREEMENT (Evanston Housing Regulations)
Operative Text
(A) A written rental agreement complying with the requirements of this Chapter shall be executed for the rental of all dwelling units within the jurisdiction regardless of the duration of the tenancy therein. The housing provider and tenant may include in a rental agreement terms and conditions not prohibited by this Chapter or other laws or regulations, including the amount of rent, the term of the agreement and other provisions governing the rights and obligations of the parties. (B) All rental agreements for leases of dwelling units subject to this Chapter shall contain the full names and birth dates of all occupants of the dwelling unit leased or to be leased under the rental agreement. The individual occupancy of the dwelling unit may not be changed without an amendment to the existing rental agreement reflecting the change in occupancy and shall in no case exceed the maximum occupancy permitted elsewhere in this Code for that size unit. (C) Rent is to be payable without demand or notice at the time and place agreed upon by the parties. Unless otherwise agreed, rent is payable at the dwelling unit at the beginning of any term of one month or less and otherwise in equal monthly installments at the beginning of each month. Unless otherwise agreed, rent shall be uniformly apportionable from day to day. (D) Unless the rental agreement fixes a definite term, the tenancy shall be week to week in the case of a tenant who pays weekly rent, and in all other cases month to month.
Under Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5-3-3-1, every rental of a dwelling unit in Evanston must be covered by a written rental agreement, regardless of how long the tenancy lasts. The agreement must list the full names and birth dates of all occupants, and any change in who lives there requires a formal amendment — occupancy can never exceed the maximum allowed for that unit size. Rent is due at the agreed time and place without the landlord needing to make a demand, and if no fixed term is set, the tenancy defaults to week-to-week or month-to-month depending on how rent is paid.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Housing providers operating under Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5-3-3-1 generally ensure that a written rental agreement is in place before any tenancy begins, no matter how short. Compliant operators include the full legal names and birth dates of every occupant in the agreement, and they process a formal written amendment whenever occupancy changes, verifying that the new arrangement stays within the unit's maximum occupancy limit. Because rent is due without demand under this provision, operators typically establish clear payment terms in the agreement itself — including the time and place of payment — to avoid ambiguity.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5-3-3-1 gives tenants the right to a written rental agreement for any tenancy, and that agreement must accurately reflect who lives in the unit by name and birth date. If a housing provider attempts to change occupancy terms without a written amendment, or if the agreement is missing required information, tenants may have grounds to raise those deficiencies in a dispute or complaint. Tenants who have questions about whether their agreement meets these requirements can reach out to the City of Evanston's housing office or a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.