ADR Hardship Relief

This program is available to individuals only.  Businesses do not qualify for hardship relief. 

Applicants are required to have a final order entered at the Department of Administrative Hearings prior to applying; and

• Be currently enrolled in Clear Path Relief (CPR) or reside in a household currently enrolled in Utility Billing Relief (UBR); or
• Have a household income less than or equal to 300% of the 2024 Federal Poverty Guidelines based on the 30 days prior to application.

 *Add $1,345 for each person in household with more than 8 persons.

ADR Hardship Application

Please review the information below before submitting your ADR Hardship Application.

Application Overview

• An active email address is required to complete the application. Upon successful completion of the ADR application, you will receive a confirmation email.
• In order to conduct a search for administrative hearings debt, you will need to provide all prior names and addresses.
• The application must be completed in one session. For security purposes, the session expires after 30 minutes of inactivity.
• To avoid timing out, please review the list of requirements for each section and have the necessary documents saved to your device.

Debt Verification

• The information entered into your application will be used to perform a search to identify your administrative hearings debt.  You must include all prior names and addresses to ensure you receive the maximum benefit of this program. 
• It is your responsibility to make sure that all eligible debt is included as part of your debt relief.  No adjustments will be made as a result of your failure to provide complete information in this application.
• Under no circumstances does the failure to include a debt in the debt check results constitute a waiver or release of any debt due and owing to the City.   

CPR/UBR Participants

Current CPR and UBR participants do not need to complete the household income section of the application.

CPR Participants

If an applicant qualifies based on current CPR participation, they need to enter their submission ID provided in their confirmation email after submitting their CPR application.  If the applicant does not know their submission ID, they should call 312-742-3317 Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm, except holidays.

UBR Participants

If an applicant qualifies based on current UBR participation, they need to provide their current household UBR account number and proof of residency at the address with the UBR account. The following documents are accepted as proof of residency:

• Driver’s License or State ID
• Credit Card Statement
• Bank Statement
• Cell Phone Bill
• Certified High School/College/University Transcript
• Credit Report (issued by Experian, Equifax or TransUnion)
• Deed/Title, Mortgage, Rental/Lease agreement
• Insurance Policy (homeowner’s or renter’s)
• Letter on Official School Letterhead
• Medical Claim or Statement of Benefits
• Official mail received from a State, County, City or Village or a Federal Government agency such as:
• Homestead Exemption Receipt
• Jury Duty Notice
• Selective Service Card
• Social Security Annual Statement
• Social Security Disability Insurance Statement
• Supplemental Security Income Benefits Statement
• Voter Registration Card
• Pay Stub or Electronic Deposit Receipt
• Pension or Retirement Statement
• Tuition invoice/official mail from college or university
• Utility Bill

Low-Income Participants

• Applicants not currently enrolled in CPR or UBR are required to provide proof of income for the 30 days prior to the date of application for all household members 18 years of age and older.
• Income is subject to verification; therefore, records should be maintained for 12 months from application date.

ADR Hardship Relief - Payment Options

After your ADR application is approved, you must do one of the following within the required time period:

• If you have your docket or ticket number, visit EZ Pay to pay online.
• To pay in-person, go to any of our payment centers or EZ Pay Stations.
• Enroll in a payment plan by calling 312-742-3317 ($25 down payment and terms up to 60 months).

The following categories are excluded from ADR:

• Cases filed to collect a tax.
• Failure to pay a debt due and owing the City pursuant to Section 1-20-090 of the Municipal Code of Chicago (“Code”).
• Wage garnishment proceeding conducted pursuant to Section 2-32-392 of the Code.
• A vehicle violation (e.g. parking, compliance, red light and speed).
• Any violation of Chapters 1-21 (false statements) of 1-22 (false claims) of this Code.
• Any violation for which the City has started a case or obtained a judgment in a court of competent jurisdiction within seven years for the collection of the debt owed.
• Any violations for which a vehicle was impounded and the City is still in possession of such vehicle.
• Any violation in which there is a pending motion to set aside default before the Department of Administrative Hearings.

To view the Administrative Debt Relief Program Rules, please click the button below.

VIEW RULES