Please save the form, complete and submit via email to IDHR.FairHousing@illinois.gov. You may also mail your completed form to the Department’s address listed on the bottom of the form. If you encounter issues using the downloadable form, find more instructions here.
Fair Housing Rights FAQ Source of Income & Housing FAQ Immigration Status & Housing FAQThe Fair Housing Division of the Illinois Department of Human Rights (“IDHR”) is responsible for investigating charges of unlawful discrimination involving real estate transactions for residential (housing) or commercial property. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits housing discrimination in real estate transactions based on:
| Race | Sex | Age (40 and older) |
| Color | Sexual Orientation | Military Status |
| Ancestry | Marital Status | Unfavorable Discharge from Military Service |
| National Origin | Pregnancy | Arrest Record |
| Religion | Familial Status (families w/ children under 18 years old) | Source of Income |
| Disability | Order of Protection Status | Immigration Status (effective 1/1/24) |
The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in all aspects of real estate transactions, including renting or leasing, home sales, mortgage lending and insurance, advertising, practices such as restrictive covenants, and new construction. The law also prohibits aiding and abetting unlawful discrimination, intimidation and interference in the exercise or enjoyment of an individual’s fair housing rights, and retaliation against an individual for opposing what they reasonably believe is unlawful discrimination.
The Fair Housing provisions of the Illinois Human Rights Act apply to landlords, owners, property management companies, real estate agents, home sellers, builders, appraisers, mortgage lenders (banks and loan brokers), third-party loan modification service providers and any other person engaged in a real estate transaction.
If you believe you have experienced unlawful discrimination in housing and wish to file a charge of discrimination, you must provide basic information about the alleged discrimination, in writing, to IDHR within One Year (365 days) of the last incident of the alleged discrimination.* Use IDHR’s Fair Housing complaint form to submit your complaint.
* NOTE: If you have filed a fair housing complaint with The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), your complaint will likely be forwarded here to IDHR for investigation. Learn more about our federal-state partnership below.
When you submit a fair housing complaint, your case will be assigned to intake staff who will review your allegations to determine whether to file a formal charge for investigation. If your case is accepted for investigation, an investigator will interview you and the other parties and witnesses to obtain relevant documents. The investigator will determine if there is substantial evidence of discrimination in your case.
In many cases, the investigator can help the parties resolve the matter. A voluntary settlement between the parties may involve payment of money, granting an accommodation request, approving a housing application, training housing providers, posting information on fair housing in common areas, or other appropriate relief.
Where the investigation leads to substantial evidence finding of discrimination, you can choose to have the case heard administratively before the Illinois Human Rights Commission or in circuit court, in which case the Illinois Attorney General's Office represents the Department.
For more information, see our:
IDHR has had a work sharing relationship with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since 2002 under the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP). HUD refers cases to IDHR, which IDHR dockets and investigates in accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act. When charges are filed directly with IDHR, IDHR cross-files those cases with HUD.