North Chicago — Title 5 Ch. 14 Landlord Licensing § 5-14-4
LANDLORD LICENSE:
Operative Text
A. The landlord license shall expire each year on December 31, or when one of the following occurs: 1. Title to the property covered under a landlord license is transferred or conveyed so that fifty (50) percent or more of the record ownership or beneficial interest therein has changed. 2. The landlord license is lawfully revoked or suspended. B. No more than twenty-five (25) landlord licenses with short-term rental endorsements may be issued at any given time. Applications shall be considered in the order that they were received. Renewal applications submitted before the license year renewal deadline shall receive priority over new applications. C. A landlord license with a short-term rental endorsement may not be issued for a property on a zoning lot that contains less than the minimum number of required parking spaces defined by the North Chicago Zoning Ordinance.
Under North Chicago Title 5, Chapter 14, § 5-14-4, landlord licenses automatically expire on December 31 each year, but can also lapse earlier if ownership of the covered property shifts by 50 percent or more, or if the license is revoked or suspended. The city caps the total number of landlord licenses that include a short-term rental endorsement at 25 at any one time, with applications processed in the order received and renewals given priority over new applicants. Additionally, a short-term rental endorsement cannot be issued for a property that falls below the minimum parking space requirement set by the North Chicago Zoning Ordinance.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to § 5-14-4 generally track their license expiration date of December 31 and submit renewal applications before the annual deadline to secure priority over new applicants competing for one of the 25 available short-term rental endorsement slots. Compliant landlords also monitor ownership changes, since a transfer of 50 percent or more of record ownership or beneficial interest triggers a new licensing requirement rather than a continuation of the existing license. Before pursuing a short-term rental endorsement, property owners typically verify that their zoning lot meets the minimum parking space requirements under the North Chicago Zoning Ordinance, as a deficiency disqualifies the property from receiving that endorsement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 5-14-4, tenants renting from a landlord who holds a short-term rental endorsement can be aware that the city limits such endorsements to 25 citywide and requires the property to meet parking minimums, meaning an improperly issued license may be subject to challenge. If a tenant believes a landlord is operating without a valid or current license — for example, after a significant ownership transfer that should have triggered a new application — that concern can generally be raised with the relevant North Chicago licensing or code enforcement authority. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with North Chicago's landlord licensing rules can help residents understand how license status may relate to their housing situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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