Cook County Contract for Deed Form (Illinois)

All Cook County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:

Contract for Deed Form

Cook County Contract for Deed Form

Fill in the blank Contract for Deed form formatted to comply with all Illinois recording and content requirements.
Included Cook County compliant document last validated/updated 7/9/2024

Contract for Deed Guide

Cook County Contract for Deed Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the Contract for Deed form.
Included Cook County compliant document last validated/updated 10/21/2024

Completed Example of the Contract for Deed Document

Cook County Completed Example of the Contract for Deed Document

Example of a properly completed Illinois Contract for Deed document for reference.
Included Cook County compliant document last validated/updated 7/24/2024

Real Property Disclosure Form

Cook County Real Property Disclosure Form

An executed installment sales contract shall include a statement acknowledging that the seller provided the buyer with the installment sales contract disclosure
Included Cook County compliant document last validated/updated 10/29/2024

Lead Based Paint Disclosure Form

Cook County Lead Based Paint Disclosure Form

A Contract for Deed is subject to the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act
Included Cook County compliant document last validated/updated 10/23/2024

3-day Cancellation Notice Form

Cook County 3-day Cancellation Notice Form

Illinois State law requires a 3-day cooling-off period for installment sales contracts
Included Cook County compliant document last validated/updated 7/29/2024

When using these Contract for Deed forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Cook County. The executed documents should then be recorded in one of the following offices:

Downtown Office Chicago Court Building

118 N Clark St, Rm 120, Chicago, Illinois 60602

Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. M-F

Phone: (312) 603-5050

Markham Court Building

16501 S Kedzie, Rm 238C, Markham, Illinois 60426

Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F (Note: ALL DOCUMENTS must be recorded at the Clerk's downtown office)

Phone: (708) 210-4448

Rolling Meadows Court Building

2121 Euclid Ave, Rm 238, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008

Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F (Note: ALL DOCUMENTS must be recorded at the Clerk's downtown office)

Phone: (847) 818-2070

Bridgeview Court Building

10220 S 76th Ave, Rm 238, Bridgeview, Illinois 60455

Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F (Note: ALL DOCUMENTS must be recorded at the Clerk's downtown office)

Phone: (708) 974-6397

Local jurisdictions located in Cook County include:

  • Alsip
  • Arlington Heights
  • Bedford Park
  • Bellwood
  • Berkeley
  • Berwyn
  • Blue Island
  • Bridgeview
  • Broadview
  • Brookfield
  • Burbank
  • Calumet City
  • Chicago
  • Chicago Heights
  • Chicago Ridge
  • Cicero
  • Country Club Hills
  • Des Plaines
  • Dolton
  • Elk Grove Village
  • Elmwood Park
  • Evanston
  • Evergreen Park
  • Flossmoor
  • Forest Park
  • Franklin Park
  • Glencoe
  • Glenview
  • Glenwood
  • Golf
  • Hanover Park
  • Harvey
  • Harwood Heights
  • Hazel Crest
  • Hickory Hills
  • Hillside
  • Hines
  • Hoffman Estates
  • Hometown
  • Homewood
  • Justice
  • Kenilworth
  • La Grange
  • La Grange Park
  • Lansing
  • Lemont
  • Lincolnwood
  • Lyons
  • Markham
  • Matteson
  • Maywood
  • Melrose Park
  • Midlothian
  • Morton Grove
  • Mount Prospect
  • Niles
  • Northbrook
  • Oak Forest
  • Oak Lawn
  • Oak Park
  • Olympia Fields
  • Orland Park
  • Palatine
  • Palos Heights
  • Palos Hills
  • Palos Park
  • Park Forest
  • Park Ridge
  • Posen
  • Prospect Heights
  • Richton Park
  • River Forest
  • River Grove
  • Riverdale
  • Riverside
  • Robbins
  • Rolling Meadows
  • Schaumburg
  • Schiller Park
  • Skokie
  • South Holland
  • Steger
  • Stone Park
  • Streamwood
  • Summit Argo
  • Techny
  • Thornton
  • Tinley Park
  • Westchester
  • Western Springs
  • Wheeling
  • Willow Springs
  • Wilmette
  • Winnetka
  • Worth

How long does it take to get my forms?

Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.

How do I get my forms, are they emailed?

Immediately after you submit payment, the Cook County forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.

What does "validated/updated" mean?

This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:

  • Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
  • Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in Cook County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Cook County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Cook County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.

Can the Contract for Deed forms be re-used?

Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in Cook County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Cook County.

What are supplemental forms?

Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Illinois or Cook County. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.

What type of files are the forms?

All of our Cook County Contract for Deed forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I need any special software to use these forms?

You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I have to enter all of my property information online?

No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.

Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?

Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.

Are there any recurring fees involved?

No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

In Illinois, ("Installment sales contract" or "contract" means any contract or agreement, including a contract for deed, bond for deed, or any other sale or legal device whereby a seller agrees to sell and the buyer agrees to buy a residential real estate, in which the consideration for the sale is payable in installments for a period of at least one year after the date of sale, and the seller continues to have an interest or security for the purchase price or otherwise in the property.) ((765 ILCS 67/5) Sec. 5. Definitions)

Key requirements and considerations for a Contract for Deed in Illinois:
1. Written Agreement: The contract must be in writing and signed by both parties. It should include all the terms of the sale, such as the purchase price, payment schedule, interest rate, and responsibilities for taxes and maintenance.

2. Disclosure Requirements: The seller is required to provide certain disclosures to the buyer, including:
o Property Condition: Any known material defects in the property.
o Installment Payment Terms: Detailed terms of the installment payments, including interest rates and payment schedules.

3. Recording the Contract: The buyer should ensure the contract is recorded with the county recorder’s office to protect their interest in the property. This helps in providing notice to third parties and securing the buyer’s interest.

4. Equitable Title: While the seller retains legal title, the buyer receives equitable title, giving them the right to occupy and use the property.

5. Default and Forfeiture: The contract should outline what constitutes a default and the consequences, which may include forfeiture of the property. Illinois law provides some protections for buyers, such as requirements for notice and an opportunity to cure the default before forfeiture.

6. Interest and Fees: (The interest rate being charged, if any, expressed only as an annual percentage rate.) (765 ILCS 67/10) (5))


7. Compliance with Local Laws: Ensure the contract complies with all relevant local, state, and federal laws, including consumer protection laws.

8. Legal Description of Property: The contract should include a legal description of the property being sold.

9. Transfer of Title: The contract should specify that the seller will transfer the legal title to the buyer once all payments have been made and the terms of the contract are fulfilled.

10. Insurance and Taxes: The contract should specify who is responsible for paying property taxes and maintaining insurance on the property during the installment period.

11. Right to Prepay: (Prepayment penalties prohibited. The seller may not charge or collect a prepayment penalty or any similar fee or finance charge if the buyer elects to pay the outstanding principal balance of the purchase price under the contract before the scheduled payment date under the contract.) (765 ILCS 67/60)Sec. 60.)

12. (An amortization schedule, as defined in Section 5.) (765 ILCS 67/10)(23.)
[As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:
"Amortization schedule" means a written schedule which sets forth the date of each periodic payment, the amount of each periodic payment that will be applied to the principal balance and the resulting principal balance, and the amount of each periodic payment that will be applied to any interest charged, if applicable, pursuant to the contract.] [765 ILCS 67/5] Sec. 5. Definitions]

13. A versatile Contract that can be used for installment payment and/or with ballon payment option. Use for residential, condominiums and rental properties. Residential property has additional requirements, a 3 day notice of Right to Cancel, RESIDENTIAL REAL PROPERTY DISCLOSURE REPORT, residential homes built before 1978 require a Disclosure of Information and Acknowledgement-Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards. Included for your convenience.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Cook County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.

Save Time and Money

Get your Cook County Contract for Deed form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.

4.8 out of 5 - ( 4420 Reviews )

Jimmy W.

November 1st, 2024

Very thorough with plenty of instructions. Nice to be able to fill in the forms on my computer at my own pace and edit if needed. Jim

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

RUTH A.

October 25th, 2024

I am so very thankful for the service that you provide for the public, thank you very much.

Reply from Staff

We deeply appreciate the trust you have placed in our services. Thank you for your valuable feedback and for choosing us.

Nancy R.

October 25th, 2024

Deeds.com is very precise, helpful and friendly. I found the form I needed without any effort and everything worked perfect and smooth. I recommend it 100%. rnThank you.

Reply from Staff

We are delighted to have been of service. Thank you for the positive review!

Kimberly F.

April 22nd, 2020

Ordered and received the quitclaim form. Exactly what I expected, perfect.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Thomas F.

May 16th, 2019

Haven't filed yet but it seems everything I need is here. Easy process

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Maria M.

August 30th, 2021

EASY, PAINLESS, LOVED THE USER FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONS

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Tom D.

May 4th, 2019

I have one suggestion and couple of question

I would think that most TOD's would be from married couples. It would be real helpful to have a example of the I(we) block for married couples.

Why would I check or not check the "property is registered (torrents)"

Do I need a notarized signature of the Grantee

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Timothy C.

January 6th, 2022

The process was all very clear and easy -- pay the fee online and download the state and county forms onto my computer. I will do as instructed for the Revocable Transfer on Death Deed, then update my review after I file this with the office of the Sandoval County (New Mexico) Clerk.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Nello P.

January 4th, 2021

very satisfied, useful, and of great assistance

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Regina W.

February 3rd, 2022

So glad I found this form. Very easy to download and looks like all the instructions are there to correctly fill out my paperwork. Thanks.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Masud K.

June 20th, 2020

Deeds.com did an excellent job in providing me the Real Estate documents I needed. You delivered the documents fast and they were accurate. I greatly appreciate your help. Thanks for everything

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Anabel H.

April 22nd, 2020

Everything went smoothly, quickly and efficiently.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Milica K.

March 23rd, 2021

Very fast and reliable service.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

April C.

May 18th, 2021

Spot on forms and process. YMMV but way more efficient and cost effective than contacting an ambulance... attorney.

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Linda G.

August 22nd, 2021

I like it so far- now I just need to complete my filing in the County seat!

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!