IllinoisIllinois law requires covered businesses to accept cash starting 2028
Starting January 1, 2028, covered Illinois fuel stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants with staffed payments must accept cash for purchases under $500, with exceptions.
What it does
From January 1, 2028, covered staffed businesses must accept cash for sales under $500; bills over $20 may be refused. Exceptions cover overnight, self-checkout, and remotely ordered sales; membership-only sellers; on-site cash-to-card options; and temporary system or change shortages.
Businesses receive written notice and 30 days to fix a violation before facing a fine. Maximum fines rise for repeat violations, with a $5,000 calendar-year cap per person.
Starting January 1, 2028, the State alone controls cash-acceptance rules. Covered businesses also have protection against restrictions on their ability to offer discounts, promotions, or incentives.
Argument forStarting in 2028, required cash acceptance could help shoppers without payment cards buy everyday goods at covered businesses.
Argument againstState control could prevent local governments from requiring cash acceptance for exempt sales, leaving cash-dependent shoppers with fewer local protections.
More detail
Covered businesses must accept cash for sales under $500 at their physical locations and cannot post signs saying cash is not accepted. Coverage includes fuel stations, pharmacies, grocery stores with at least 55% of sales in the listed food and nonprescription products, and restaurants with at least 51% in ready-to-eat food, excluding liquor sales. Temporary market or festival vendors, mobile businesses, and street vendors are excluded from the restaurant definition. The business must employ someone to accept in-person payments. Having at least one checkout that accepts cash is enough to comply. Exceptions cover self-service checkout, sales between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and orders placed remotely but completed in person. Membership-only sellers are exempt. Businesses are also exempt if they accept prepaid cards and provide an on-site way to convert cash to those cards. Temporary sales system failures preventing cash payments and temporary shortages of change are exceptions. Businesses need not accept bills larger than $20. The cash-payment rules take effect January 1, 2028.
County prosecutors enforce violations as minor offenses. A fine requires written notice and time to fix the violation. The State's Attorney, the prosecutor for the county where the violation occurred, handles enforcement. A business that fixes the violation within 30 days after the date of the notice receives no fine for that violation. Fines may be up to $50 for a first violation, $100 for a second within 12 months, and $500 for a third or further violation within 12 months. No person may be fined more than $5,000 in a calendar year. The enforcement rules take effect January 1, 2028.
The State controls cash-acceptance rules. No person may restrict covered businesses' ability to offer discounts, promotions, or incentives. Local governments with home-rule powers, which let them manage local affairs, cannot regulate cash acceptance. The protection for business offers applies to covered fuel stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants. These limits take effect January 1, 2028.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 31Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0665Latest
- Jul 31Effective Date January 1, 2028
- Jul 31Governor J. B. Pritzker ApprovedBecame Law
- Jun 18Sent to the GovernorTo Governor
- May 20Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Li Arellano, Jr.
- May 19Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Mark L. Walker
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- May 19Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. David Koehler
- May 19Passed Both Houses
- May 19Third Reading - Passed; 058-000-000Passed Senate
- May 14Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 18, 2026
- May 14Second ReadingMinor
- Apr 30Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Jason Plummer
- Apr 30Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 5, 2026Minor
- Apr 30Do Pass Commerce; 006-000-000
- Apr 29
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 24Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Doris Turner
- Apr 22Assigned to CommerceMinor
- Apr 10Referred to Assignments
- Apr 10First ReadingMinor
- Apr 10Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Christopher Belt
- Apr 10Placed on Calendar Order of First ReadingMinor
- Apr 10Arrive in SenateMinor
- Apr 9Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Carol Ammons
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 102-000-000Passed House
- Apr 8Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- Apr 8Second Reading - Short DebateMinor
- Mar 26Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short DebateMinor
- Mar 25Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Economic Opportunity & Equity Committee; 007-000-000
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25House Committee Amendment No. 2 Adopted in Economic Opportunity & Equity Committee; by Voice VoteMajor
- Mar 25House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Economic Opportunity & Equity Committee; by Voice VoteMajor
- Mar 20House Committee Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Economic Opportunity & Equity Committee
- Mar 19House Committee Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules Committee
- Mar 19House Committee Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Rita MayfieldMinor
- Mar 18House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Economic Opportunity & Equity Committee
- Mar 10House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
- Mar 10House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Rita MayfieldMinor
- Feb 11Assigned to Economic Opportunity & Equity CommitteeMinor
- Feb 3Referred to Rules Committee
- Feb 3First ReadingMinor
- Jan 26Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Rita MayfieldIntroduced
Consumer Protection