Illinois hidden fee law (all-in pricing from January 1, 2027): compliance kit
Do you add fees or an automatic gratuity to prices in Illinois?
Quick answer
Starting January 1, 2027, Illinois makes it an unlawful practice to advertise, display or offer a price that does not include all mandatory fees or surcharges (815 ILCS 505/2MMMM, added by Public Act 104-0472, HB 228). Taxes and fees that a government requires you to collect, and reasonable shipping costs you actually incur, can still be added on top. Restaurants, bars and hotels that charge an automatic gratuity must disclose its percentage in every offer or ad that shows a price; every other mandatory fee has to be inside the price.
Last verified October 9, 2026 against the official text. Not legal advice.
Free guide: Illinois hidden fees law explained: all-in prices from January 1, 2027
From January 1, 2027, Illinois makes it an unlawful practice to advertise, display or offer a price that leaves out a mandatory fee or surcharge. Service, convenience, booking, resort, cleaning and “operations” fees that customers have to pay or can’t reasonably avoid must be inside the price you show. Government taxes, and a reasonable charge for what shipping actually costs you, can still be added later.
Restaurants, bars and hotels that add an automatic gratuity have to show its percentage on every menu, offer and ad that has prices. Services priced by time, distance or the customer’s choices have to say what sets the price, list any mandatory fees, and say the total may vary. The Attorney General can ask a court for civil penalties of up to $50,000, or up to $50,000 per violation if the court finds intent to defraud.
This kit lays the law out in plain words, with wording you can adapt and a spreadsheet to work out your all-in prices and track every fix.
- ✓Plain-English checklist of what changes, with the law quoted word for word
- ✓Worksheet that takes each of your fees through the law’s three-part “mandatory fee” test
- ✓Price, menu and automatic-gratuity wording to adapt, plus a counter sign
- ✓“What sets the price, mandatory fees, total may vary” wording for quotes, estimates and booking pages
- ✓Checklist of every place your prices appear, and a spreadsheet that works out all-in prices and tracks each fix
Blank templates from the public law. Not legal advice, and it does not decide which of your fees count as mandatory. Covers Illinois Public Act 104-0472 only, not the federal fee rule for hotels and event tickets. English only.
- ✓Instant download after payment
- ✓Official sources listed in the kit
- ✓12-month re-download access
- ✓Secure checkout by Stripe
Frequently asked questions
When does the Illinois hidden fee law take effect?
January 1, 2027. The Public Act 104-0472 page and the HB 228 bill status on the Illinois General Assembly website both list an effective date of January 1, 2027. The Governor approved it on June 25, 2026.
What counts as a mandatory fee or surcharge in Illinois?
The law says it includes, but is not limited to, a fee or surcharge that (1) must be paid to buy the goods or services being advertised, (2) is not reasonably avoidable by the consumer, or (3) a person would reasonably expect to be included in the purchase. Taxes or fees imposed by a government that the law requires you to collect from the customer are not mandatory fees.
Can restaurants in Illinois still add an automatic gratuity or service charge?
A food or beverage service establishment, including a hotel, complies for automatic and mandatory gratuities if every offer or ad that includes pricing clearly and conspicuously discloses the gratuity percentage (815 ILCS 505/2MMMM(h)). The law defines gratuities as money that goes entirely to the employees who provide the service. All other mandatory fees and surcharges must be included in the advertised price.
What if my price depends on time, distance or the customer's choices?
Under subsection (g), you comply if you clearly and conspicuously disclose (i) the factors that determine the total price, (ii) any mandatory fees, and (iii) that the total cost may vary. Auctions have a similar rule in subsection (f).
Can I still charge shipping or offer discounts?
Yes. The law does not stop you from charging a reasonable postage or shipping fee that you actually incur to ship goods (subsection (d)), or from offering a discount off the advertised price (subsection (e)).
Who is exempt from the Illinois junk fee law?
The section has separate compliance routes for food delivery platforms, broadband, cable, satellite and telecom providers that follow the federal price-label rules, and financial institutions that give disclosures under listed federal and state lending and banking laws. It does not apply to air carriers.
What are the penalties?
A violation is an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. The Attorney General or a State's Attorney can ask a court for a civil penalty of up to $50,000, or up to $50,000 per violation if the court finds intent to defraud, plus up to $10,000 more per violation against a person aged 65 or older (815 ILCS 505/7). Subsection (m) says the Act's private-lawsuit section (Section 10a) does not apply to this section.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page and the kit are general information and blank templates built from the public law. They are not legal advice, are not tailored to your business, and buying a kit does not create a lawyer-client relationship. For your own situation, ask a licensed attorney.
Official sources
- Illinois Public Act 104-0472 (HB 228), adding 815 ILCS 505/2MMMM, Illinois General Assembly
- HB 228 bill status (effective date January 1, 2027)
- 815 ILCS 505/7 (civil penalties)
Law text checked against the official sources above on October 9, 2026. General information, not legal advice; laws and rules change, so check the current official text before you rely on it.
Who wrote this and how it was checked
Written and maintained by Astor Ventures. We publish template kits built from public law; we are not a law firm, and no attorney has reviewed this page.
- Last verified: , against Public Act 104-0472, HB 228 bill status and 815 ILCS 505 on ilga.gov.
- Next scheduled check: before January 1, 2027, or sooner if the law changes.
- Found an error? Email [email protected] and we will correct the page and the kit.