Illinois Tenant Screening

for Landlords & Real Estate Agents

How to Screen Tenants in Illinois…

RealSerious.com tenant screening is straightforward. Give us your applicant’s email address and we’ll take care of obtaining their consent to provide an official credit report along with a comprehensive multi-state criminal background check.

No monthly fees – pay as you go.

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Tenant Screening for Illinois Landlords

We’re aware of the diverse needs of Illinois landlords, whether you manage high-rise apartments in Chicago, family homes in Springfield, or rental properties in suburban Naperville. Our data sources provide landlords with critical insights, empowering them to make confident decisions backed by data.

Featured Regions:

• Chicago
• Aurora
• Naperville
• Joliet
• Rockford

Our background checks are available statewide for landlords and real estate professionals, subject to local regulations.

Comprehensive Data Sources

Our tenant screening reports include the following information from consumer reporting agencies, where available:

• Credit Score & Factors (ResidentScore®)
• Reported Addresses & Employment
• Credit Card & Loan Payments
• Ch 7 & 13 Bankruptcy Remarks
• Returned Check Collection Accts
• Unpaid Utility & Landlord Collections
• Foreclosures & Repossessions
• Multi-State Criminal Records*
• National Sex Offender Registry
• Global Sanctions

See a sample report.

Turnaround Times: Overwhelmingly, results are delivered instantly after identity verification. However, on occasion, results may delayed up to 1–2 business days due to local jurisdiction issues or common name matches.

tenant credit report

*DISCLAIMER: No tenant criminal background check is 100% complete. Coverage for our standard tenant screening may vary due to (1) jurisdictions limiting what records are eligible to return and (2) TransUnion and/or its partners limiting records that do not meet their data quality standards. As of November 2024, criminal records are available to return in the following jurisdictions that have a green dot in the “In Network” column below…

Illinois Tenant Criminal Record Coverage

This information applies only to our criminal report included in our standard Illinois tenant screening service. If a jurisdiction is not “In Network,” then it’s possible that if a criminal conviction occurred there, it may not be reported. Learn more about our tenant criminal record coverage across the rest of the U.S.

Search by county to see if it’s “In Network”

StateCountyIn NetworkInitial Clear Avg Turnaround TimePotential Hit Avg Turnaround Time
IllinoisAdams< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisBond< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisBoone< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisBrown< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisBureau< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisCalhoun< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisCarroll< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisCass< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisChristian< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisClark< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisClay< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisClinton< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisColes< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisCook< 1 Minute< 1 Day
IllinoisCrawford< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisCumberland< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisDe Witt< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisDouglas< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisEdgar< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisEdwards< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisEffingham< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisFayette< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisFord< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisFranklin< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisGallatin< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisGreene< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisGrundy< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisHamilton< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisHardin< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisHenry< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisIroquois< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisJackson< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisJasper< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisJefferson< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisJersey< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisJo Daviess< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisJohnson< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisKane< 1 Minute< 1 Day
IllinoisLawrence< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisLivingston< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisLogan< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMacon< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMacoupin< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMarion< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMarshall< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMason< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMassac< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMenard< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMercer< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMonroe< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMontgomery< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMorgan< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMoultrie< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisOgle< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisPeoria< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisPerry< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisPiatt< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisPike< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisPope< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisPulaski< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisPutnam< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisRandolph< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisRichland< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisRock Island< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisSchuyler< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisShelby< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisStark< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisStephenson< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisUnion< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWabash< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWarren< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWhite< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWhiteside< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWinnebago< 1 Minute< 1 Day
IllinoisWoodford< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisChampaign< 1 Minute< 1 Day
IllinoisKankakee< 1 Minute< 1 Day
IllinoisTazewell< 1 Minute< 1 Day
IllinoisAlexander< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisDeKalb< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisDuPage< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisFulton< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisHancock< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisHenderson< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisKendall< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisKnox< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisLake< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisLaSalle< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisLee< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMadison< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMcdonough< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMchenry< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisMclean< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisSaline< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisSangamon< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisScott< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisSt. Clair< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisVermilion< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWashington< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWayne< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWill< 1 Hour< 1 Day
IllinoisWilliamson< 1 Hour< 1 Day

Illinois Tenant Screening FAQs

Additional questions? Contact us. Please note: We are unable to provide legal advice. For questions specific to landlord-tenant laws, consult a local attorney or legal expert.

Are landlords in Illinois allowed to charge application fees?

Yes, Illinois landlords can charge rental application fees, but the fees should be reasonable and reflect actual screening costs. Chicago landlords, in particular, must ensure transparency in how fees are disclosed and used.

Can criminal records be used in the screening process?

Yes, Illinois landlords can consider criminal convictions during tenant evaluations. However, landlords must comply with federal fair housing laws and the Cook County Just Housing Amendment for properties in the Chicago area, which includes specific procedures regarding criminal background checks.

Resources for Illinois Landlords

The following are helpful links to legal guidance, court information, and more.

Illinois Department of Human Rights

https://www2.illinois.gov/dhr

Offers guidance on fair housing laws and landlord compliance.

Illinois Attorney General – Tenant-Landlord Rights

https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/Page-Attachments/LandlordAndTenantRightsLaws.pdf

Official summary of landlord-tenant rights and laws

Illinois Realtors®

https://www.illinoisrealtors.org

Provides training, networking opportunities, and resources for property managers.

Eviction Resources in Illinois

https://www.evictionhelpillinois.org

Connects landlords and tenants with mediation services to resolve disputes.

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