15-1105.Interpretation.

Article XV. Mortgage Foreclosure · Part 11. General Provisions · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026

In one sentenceThis section fixes how two common words are read throughout Article XV: “may” always means permissive, and “shall” always means mandatory.

Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/15-1105

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(a) "May." The word "may" as used in this Article means permissive and not mandatory. (b) "Shall." The word "shall" as used in this Article means

mandatory and not permissive.

Plain-English Summary

Section 15-1105 is an interpretive rule rather than a substantive one. It tells readers of Article XV exactly how to treat two words that appear constantly across the foreclosure statute: “may” signals something a party or court is permitted, but not required, to do, while “shall” signals a mandatory obligation.

Fixing these meanings in one place avoids arguments elsewhere in the Article over whether a particular “shall” was meant as optional, or whether a “may” secretly imposed a duty. Every other section in Article XV can be read against this baseline.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “may” mean under Article XV?

Permissive, not mandatory, according to Section 15-1105.

What does “shall” mean under Article XV?

Mandatory, not permissive.

Does this interpretation rule apply outside Article XV?

The section states it applies to the word as “used in this Article,” referring to Article XV of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Why does the statute bother defining such ordinary words?

Fixing the meaning here removes ambiguity that could otherwise force courts to guess, section by section, whether a given “shall” was truly mandatory.

Does Section 15-1105 change any substantive right or duty?

No. It only supplies a rule for reading the words “may” and “shall” as they appear in the rest of the Article.

Amendment History

(Source: P.A. 84-1462.)

Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026. · Official source

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