Cal. Civ. Code § 3-102
Civil rights violations; real estate transactions and other prohibited acts. It is a civil rights violation for an owner or any other person, or for a real estate broker or salesman, because of unlawful discrimination, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record, as defined under subsection (B-5) of Section 1-103, to: (A) Transactions. Refuse to engage in a real estate transaction or deny real property, or to discriminate in making available such a transaction;(B) Terms. Alter the terms, conditions or privileges of a real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith;(C) Offers. Refuse to receive or to fail to transmit a bona fide offer in a real estate transaction from a person;(D) Negotiation. Refuse to negotiate a real estate transaction with a person;(E) Representations. Represent to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available, or to fail to bring a property listing to the person's attention, or to refuse to permit the person to inspect real property;(F) Publication of Intent. Make, print, circulate, post, mail, publish or cause to be made, printed, circulated, posted, mailed, or published any notice, statement, advertisement or sign, or use a form of application for a real estate transaction, or make a record or inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate transaction, that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on unlawful discrimination or unlawful discrimination based on familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination;(G) Listings. Offer, solicit, accept, use or retain a listing of real property with knowledge that unlawful discrimination or discrimination on the basis of familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record in a real estate transaction is intended.(H) Criteria. Use criteria or methods that have the effect of subjecting individuals to unlawful discrimination or discrimination based on familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record in a real estate transaction. Such criteria or methods are unlawful under this subsection if they are not necessary to achieve a substantial, legitimate, non-discriminatory interest; or if the substantial, legitimate, non-discriminatory interest could be served by another practice that has a less discriminatory effect
Operative Text
Civil rights violations; real estate transactions and other prohibited acts. It is a civil rights violation for an owner or any other person, or for a real estate broker or salesman, because of unlawful discrimination, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record, as defined under subsection (B-5) of Section 1-103, to: (A) Transactions. Refuse to engage in a real estate transaction or deny real property, or to discriminate in making available such a transaction;(B) Terms. Alter the terms, conditions or privileges of a real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith;(C) Offers. Refuse to receive or to fail to transmit a bona fide offer in a real estate transaction from a person;(D) Negotiation. Refuse to negotiate a real estate transaction with a person;(E) Representations. Represent to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available, or to fail to bring a property listing to the person's attention, or to refuse to permit the person to inspect real property;(F) Publication of Intent. Make, print, circulate, post, mail, publish or cause to be made, printed, circulated, posted, mailed, or published any notice, statement, advertisement or sign, or use a form of application for a real estate transaction, or make a record or inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate transaction, that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on unlawful discrimination or unlawful discrimination based on familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination;(G) Listings. Offer, solicit, accept, use or retain a listing of real property with knowledge that unlawful discrimination or discrimination on the basis of familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record in a real estate transaction is intended.(H) Criteria. Use criteria or methods that have the effect of subjecting individuals to unlawful discrimination or discrimination based on familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record in a real estate transaction. Such criteria or methods are unlawful under this subsection if they are not necessary to achieve a substantial, legitimate, non-discriminatory interest; or if the substantial, legitimate, non-discriminatory interest could be served by another practice that has a less discriminatory effect.
Under 775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5 § 3-102, Illinois law identifies a broad set of civil rights violations in real estate transactions. Owners, brokers, and other participants in real estate dealings are prohibited from refusing, altering, misrepresenting, or otherwise discriminating in transactions on the basis of protected characteristics including familial status, immigration status, source of income, and arrest records. The prohibition extends not only to outright refusals but also to advertising, listing practices, application forms, and screening criteria that produce a discriminatory effect even without explicit discriminatory intent.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under 775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5 § 3-102 generally ensure that their advertising, application forms, tenant screening criteria, and communications with brokers are free from any language or policy that signals a preference against protected classes, including those defined by familial status, immigration status, source of income, or arrest records. Compliant operators typically review their screening criteria to confirm that any standards applied are necessary to serve a substantial, legitimate, non-discriminatory interest and that no less discriminatory alternative is available. Brokers and agents working on behalf of owners are also covered by this provision, so operators commonly confirm that listing agreements and instructions given to agents do not direct or permit discriminatory conduct.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5 § 3-102 gives prospective and current tenants broad protections against discriminatory conduct in real estate transactions, covering everything from outright refusals to subtle misrepresentations about availability or the use of screening criteria with a discriminatory effect. Individuals who believe they have experienced a violation — such as being told a unit is unavailable when it is not, receiving different lease terms, or being screened out by a policy tied to source of income or an arrest record — may have the option of filing a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights or raising the violation in a civil proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations in Illinois can help individuals understand which enforcement path may be available to them under this provision.
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.
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