The rule in Illinois
In Illinois, dual agency is permitted with written consent.
What it’s called: dual agent.
Citation: 225 ILCS 454/15-45.
BindingOffers research report "Residential Real Estate: Three 50-State + DC Datasets" (September 2026) (summary and table) · Last reviewed September 21, 2026 · Confidence: medium
The required form
We haven’t confirmed Illinois’s required disclosure form yet. Ask your broker before representing both sides.
The conflict in a multiple-offer situation
When the listing agent also represents one of the buyers, every other buyer will wonder whether that buyer saw something they didn’t. Even with both clients’ consent, a dual agent owes confidentiality to each side and can’t use one buyer’s offer to help another.
Illinois’s rule on sharing offers still applies to everyone: Real Estate License Act 'confidential information' is client information; no bar on a listing agent shopping with seller consent. Contemporaneous-offer rule applies to a licensee's own clients. See the Illinois disclosure rule →
Designated agency as the alternative
Illinois allows the brokerage to appoint a separate agent for each client (dual agent). In a multiple-offer situation, that’s the cleaner setup: the buyer’s agent never sees the other offers, and the listing agent never advises the buyer.
Questions
Is dual agency legal in Illinois?
In Illinois, dual agency is permitted with written consent.
Can a dual agent disclose other offers in Illinois?
A dual agent may share one buyer’s offer terms with another only with the consent of the parties involved, and only as the state’s disclosure rule allows. The seller must also authorize any disclosure, under Illinois’s disclosure rule.
What form is required for dual agency in Illinois?
We haven’t confirmed the required form for Illinois yet. Ask your broker; most states require written disclosure and consent before a licensee represents both sides.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm with your broker or your state real estate commission.