Post-judgment interest by state · Illinois
Illinois · after judgment
Post-judgment interest in Illinois
An unpaid Illinois money judgment earns 9% a year unless the judgment or a contract says otherwise. On a $5,000.00 judgment that is $450.00 in the first year, about $1.23 a day.
How the rate is set
Fixed in the statute at 9% a year. It changes only when the legislature acts.
- Statute or rule
- 735 ILCS 5/2-1303
- Statute re-checked
- 2026-10-23
- Changes
- only when the legislature amends the statute
When a different rate applies
- 5% for a consumer-debt judgment of $25,000 or less entered after January 1, 2020.
- 6% when the debtor is a unit of local government, school district or other government entity.
Work out your own judgment
Illinois is prefilled at 9%. Enter the amount and the date the judgment was entered. The calculator uses simple interest; that is how this rate accrues.
How Illinois's rate is set, and where it comes from
Uses simple interest at the rate you enter — pre-filled with each state's standard statutory rate, editable since some states publish a new rate quarterly or annually. Some states apply a different rate to specific debt types (noted above where it applies) or when a contract specifies its own rate. Informational only, not legal advice; confirm the current rate and any exceptions with your court clerk before relying on this figure.
The formula, worked
Last reviewed: October 2026
Interest = principal × rate × days ÷ 365. For $5,000.00 at 9%: $5,000.00 × 0.09000 × 365 ÷ 365 = $450.00 after one year, and $1.23 for each further day.
What this page does not know
- The rate written on your judgment. If the court stated a rate, that one applies, whatever the default is today.
- Partial payments. Interest accrues only on what is still unpaid.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every figure is cited to the statute or the office that publishes it; confirm the current rate with the court clerk before relying on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the post-judgment interest rate in Illinois right now?
9% a year for an ordinary money judgment, fixed in the statute, under 735 ILCS 5/2-1303.
How is the Illinois rate set?
Fixed in the statute at 9% a year. It changes only when the legislature acts.
Is it simple or compound interest?
Simple interest: it is calculated on the original judgment amount only and never on earlier interest.
Can my Illinois judgment carry a different rate?
Yes. 5% for a consumer-debt judgment of $25,000 or less entered after January 1, 2020. 6% when the debtor is a unit of local government, school district or other government entity. The judgment itself may also state a rate, and that controls.
Related tools
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