(815 ILCS 405/25) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 525)

Sec. 25. Agreement requirements.

(a) A retail charge agreement must be in writing and must be signed by the buyer. If a charge agreement was executed on or after January 1, 1968, the seller must deliver or mail to the buyer a copy of that charge agreement before the date when the first payment is due under that agreement except where such charge agreement was negotiated by mail and otherwise meets the requirements of this Section. An acknowledgment of the delivery of the agreement when contained in the body of the charge agreement is presumptive proof of delivery in any action. All charge agreements executed on or after January 1, 1968 must state the amount or rate of the finance charge to be charged and paid pursuant thereto.

A retail charge agreement shall be deemed to be signed or accepted by the buyer if, after a request for a retail charge account, that retail charge agreement or application for a retail charge account is in fact signed by the buyer, or if that retail charge account is used by the buyer, or if that retail charge account is used by another person authorized by the buyer to use it. The retail charge agreement shall not become effective unless and until the buyer has received the disclosures required pursuant to the federal Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and the buyer or a person authorized by the buyer uses the retail charge account.

(b) The seller under a holder of a retail charge agreement must promptly supply the buyer under the agreement, as of the end of each monthly period (which need not be a calendar month) or other regular period agreed upon by the seller and the buyer in which there is any unpaid balance under that agreement, a statement reciting the following terms (although not necessarily in the sequence stated):

(1) the unpaid balance under the retail charge agreement at the beginning and end of the period;

(2) unless otherwise furnished by the seller to the buyer by sales slip, memorandum, or otherwise, an identification of the goods or services purchased during the period, the cash price and the date of each purchase;

(3) the payments made by the buyer to the seller and any other credits to the buyer during the period;

(4) the amount of any finance charge expressed as an annual percentage rate.

(c) (Blank)

(d) Additionally, the following information shall be printed either on an application for a retail charge agreement, literature accompanying the application or on or with any retail charge account solicitation: (1) the annual percentage rate or rates of the finance charge applicable to the account, or if the rate is variable, that fact, and the rate as of a specified date or the index from which the rate is determined; (2) the annualized membership or participation fee or charge, if any; (3) the grace period, which is defined as the period within which any credit extended under such credit plan must be repaid to avoid incurring a finance charge represented in terms of an annual percentage rate, and if no such period is offered such fact shall be clearly stated; (4) transaction fees, if assessed, for the use of the charge account, a late payment charge, minimum finance charge and over limit charge. The term "solicitation" means written material mailed or any other solicitation in a written form which constitutes an application for, or an offer to open a charge account without completing an application.

Additional items may be included to explain the computations made in determining the amount to be paid by the buyer.

A retail charge agreement which complies with the Federal Truth in Lending Act, amendments thereto, and any regulations issued or which may be issued thereunder, shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 88-546; 89-321, eff. 1-1-96; 89-635, eff. 8-9-96.)