Illinois prejudgment interest rate
United States Illinois prejudgment interest has separate 6% injury and 5% Interest Act branches.
→ All Illinois judgment & prejudgment interest rates
Fixed by statute
2026 Illinois prejudgment interest at a glance
- Current rate
- 6% / 5% per year
- Effective date
- July 9, 2026
- Controlling authority
- 815 ILCS 205/2; 735 ILCS 5/2-1303(c)
- Rate basis
- Fixed by statute
- Source checked
- July 9, 2026
- Recorded history
- 1 data point
Illinois uses separate authorities rather than one blended rate. Section 2-1303(c) of the Code of Civil Procedure supplies 6% prejudgment interest for qualifying personal-injury and wrongful-death actions. Section 2 of the Interest Act supplies 5% for listed instruments, loans, settled accounts, retained money, and unreasonable-and-vexatious delay. Eligibility and timing differ by branch.
When Illinois prejudgment interest applies
The 6% §2-1303(c) branch is limited to qualifying personal-injury and wrongful-death actions and includes statutory exclusions and reductions. The 5% Interest Act branch covers only its listed obligation and delay categories. A claim must satisfy one branch on its own terms.
When it starts accruing
The §2-1303(c) injury branch generally measures from filing, with statutory tolling, settlement-offer, fault, damages, and duration rules. Interest Act timing follows the applicable instrument, account, receipt, or delay category instead.
Simple or compound
Both statutes state annual percentages, but exact calculation must follow the selected branch and its offsets and limitations; this page does not merge them into one calculator rule.
→ Compare with the Illinois post-judgment interest rate (interest after judgment)
Prejudgment interest under 735 ILCS 5/2-1303(c) — 6% / 5% (simple interest). This is PREjudgment interest (accruing before entry of judgment) and is separate from Illinois’s post-judgment rate; availability is limited by claim type (see the page). Verify against the statute text. Not legal advice.
Current recorded observation
| Effective date | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2026 | 6% / 5% | Statute |
Source & provenance
Observation recorded July 9, 2026 (00:00 UTC) from the cited source (Illinois General Assembly (official)):
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext?DocName=081502050K2
Cite this page
StatuteRates. “Illinois Prejudgment Interest Rate.” StatuteRates.com. Accessed today. https://statuterates.com/rates/illinois-prejudgment-rate/ Rate recorded under 815 ILCS 205/2; 735 ILCS 5/2-1303(c), effective July 9, 2026.