765 Ill. Comp. Stat. 750 § 10
Definitions. For purposes of this Act: "Domestic violence" means "abuse" as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 by a "family or household member" as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. "Landlord" means the owner of a building or the owner's agent with regard to matters concerning landlord's leasing of a dwelling. "Sexual violence" means any act of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or stalking of an adult or minor child, including but not limited to non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration as defined in the Civil No Contact Order Act and the offenses of stalking, aggravated stalking, criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse as those offenses are described in the Criminal Code of 2012. "Tenant" means a person who has entered into an oral or written lease with a landlord whereby the person is the lessee under the lease
Operative Text
Definitions. For purposes of this Act: "Domestic violence" means "abuse" as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 by a "family or household member" as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. "Landlord" means the owner of a building or the owner's agent with regard to matters concerning landlord's leasing of a dwelling. "Sexual violence" means any act of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or stalking of an adult or minor child, including but not limited to non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration as defined in the Civil No Contact Order Act and the offenses of stalking, aggravated stalking, criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse as those offenses are described in the Criminal Code of 2012. "Tenant" means a person who has entered into an oral or written lease with a landlord whereby the person is the lessee under the lease.
Section 10 of 765 Ill. Comp. Stat. 750 establishes the foundational definitions that govern how the rest of the Act is applied. It sets out what counts as 'domestic violence' and 'sexual violence' under the law, tying those terms to existing Illinois statutes such as the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 and the Criminal Code of 2012. It also defines who qualifies as a 'landlord' and a 'tenant,' clarifying that the tenant relationship can arise from either an oral or written lease agreement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under 765 Ill. Comp. Stat. 750 § 10, a landlord is defined as the building owner or the owner's authorized agent in connection with leasing a dwelling. Operators and property managers should be aware that this definition means agents acting on an owner's behalf in leasing matters are subject to the same obligations as the owner under the Act. Understanding these definitions helps landlords and their agents correctly identify when the Act's protections and requirements apply to their rental operations.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 10 of 765 Ill. Comp. Stat. 750 defines 'tenant' broadly to include anyone who has entered into either an oral or a written lease as the lessee, which means renters without a formal written agreement may still be covered by the Act's protections. The definitions of 'domestic violence' and 'sexual violence' in this section are significant because they determine who may be eligible for protections elsewhere in the Act, such as lease termination rights. Tenants who believe they may qualify under these definitions can consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to better understand how the Act's protections might apply to their 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 2, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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