PDF requirements for e-filing in the Illinois circuit courts (eFileIL)

What the court requires

The limit is 25 MB per document and 50 MB for everything in one filing (envelope). E-filing through eFileIL is mandatory for attorneys in Illinois circuit courts. The Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Document Standards apply statewide.

“The maximum file size for a document e-filed through eFileIL is 25mb., with a maximum envelope size of 50mb.”

Common reasons filings are rejected

• The envelope (all documents together) is over 50 MB.
• Several documents were combined into one PDF instead of being filed separately.
• The PDF is password-protected or has security restrictions.
• The PDF is password-protected or has security restrictions, so the court's system can't open it.

Questions about the Illinois circuit courts's PDF rules

What is the maximum PDF file size for the Illinois circuit courts?

25 MB per PDF. All files in one filing together may not exceed 50 MB.

What should I do if my PDF is too large for the Illinois circuit courts?

Split it into consecutive parts that are each under 25 MB, never cutting a page in half, and file the first part as the main document and the rest as attachments named in order (for example "Exhibit A, Part 2 of 3"). For scanned documents, re-scanning in black and white at 300 dpi often shrinks the file enough to avoid splitting. Docket Prime can split the file for you in your browser.

Does the Illinois circuit courts require text-searchable PDFs?

It is recommended. Documents saved directly from a word processor are searchable and much smaller than scans; for paper documents, OCR adds searchable text.

What page size does the Illinois circuit courts accept?

Letter size (8.5 × 11 inches) is expected. Legal-size or A4 pages may print badly or be refused, so resize them to letter.

Does the Illinois circuit courts require bookmarks in PDFs?

They are recommended. Bookmarks help the judge navigate longer documents.