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State guides / Illinois

Illinois property data

Illinois keeps its land records county by county, all 102 of them, each with its own systems. Here's what's public, what's hard to get, and what Deedplat puts on one map.

  • 102Counties
  • PublicSale prices
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What you can get in Illinois

Illinois makes most property records public, including what each property sold for. The catch is that every county keeps them differently.

Public everywhere

Every county has these, and Deedplat loads them all.

  • Owners and mailing addressesFrom the township assessors, with a county Supervisor of Assessments overseeing them; in Cook County, the Cook County Assessor
  • Sale pricesIllinois is a disclosure state: buyers and sellers file a PTAX-203 transfer declaration showing the price with each deed, and sale prices appear in county records.
  • Deeds and mortgagesCounty Recorder of Deeds, or the County Clerk acting as recorder in counties that have merged the offices; in Cook County, the Cook County Clerk's Recordings Division
  • Assessed valuesMost of Illinois does a general reassessment every four years, while Cook County reassesses on a three-year cycle, one region at a time.
  • Tax lien salesRun county by county
  • Foreclosure filings and salesFiled in court, so they're public early
  • Lot linesCounty parcel maps

Depends on the town

Cities and villages keep their own building permits, code violations, rental registrations and local transfer tax stamps, and those records are open under the Illinois FOIA.

  • Code violations and condemnations
  • Building permits
  • Rental registration and inspections
  • Zoning maps and ordinances
  • Water and sewer liens

Not public

What no office will hand over, so you know where the line is.

  • Owner phone numbers and emails
  • Rents and leases
  • Active listingsThose live in the MLS
  • Mortgage balancesThe original loan amount is recorded; what's left is not

How property changes hands here

Distressed property reaches the market through a few channels, and they differ by county.

Tax lien certificates

Each county Treasurer holds an annual tax sale where buyers pay the unpaid taxes and get a certificate of purchase, which is a lien, not ownership. Bidders compete by bidding the penalty rate down from a cap of 18 percent, and that rate is charged again for each six months until the owner redeems. Owners usually have two and a half years to redeem, or one year for vacant land, commercial property and buildings with seven or more apartments. If no one redeems, the buyer can ask the circuit court for a tax deed.

Foreclosure goes through the courts

Illinois foreclosure goes through the circuit court. After the redemption period ends, the property is sold at a judicial sale run by the sheriff or a court-approved selling officer, and the court must confirm the sale.

Land banks

Illinois has no statewide land bank law, but local governments have created land banks using home rule powers and agreements, including the Cook County Land Bank Authority and the South Suburban Land Bank and Development Authority.

Transfer tax

Illinois charges a state transfer tax of $0.50 per $500 of value, counties may add $0.25 per $500, and home rule cities can add their own. Chicago adds $5.25 per $500: $3.75 for the city, usually paid by the buyer, and $1.50 for the CTA, usually paid by the seller.

Worth knowing

Cook County reassesses one-third of the county each year on a three-year rotation (Chicago, the north suburbs, then the south and west suburbs), so a property's value can jump in its reassessment year.

Worth knowing

Home rule cities and villages can add their own transfer tax on top of the state and county tax, so closing costs vary a lot from town to town.

Every county in Illinois

Choose any county to get started.

Questions

Are property sale prices public in Illinois?

Yes. Illinois is a disclosure state. A PTAX-203 transfer declaration listing the price is filed with each deed, and county records show sale prices.

How do tax sales work in Illinois?

Each county holds an annual tax sale. Buyers pay the overdue taxes and get a lien certificate, bidding the penalty rate down from an 18 percent cap. If the owner does not redeem, usually within two and a half years (one year for vacant, commercial and larger apartment property), the buyer can ask the court for a tax deed.

Where are deeds and mortgages recorded in Illinois?

With the county Recorder of Deeds, or the County Clerk in counties where the two offices are combined. In Cook County, recording is handled by the County Clerk's Recordings Division.

How often are Illinois properties reassessed?

Every four years in most counties, and every three years in Cook County, where one region of the county is reassessed each year.

Is foreclosure judicial in Illinois?

Yes. Lenders must go through the circuit court, and the property is sold at a judicial sale that the court has to confirm.

Can I get records Deedplat doesn't have?

Yes. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act lets anyone request records from cities, villages, townships and counties, such as code violations, permits and rental registrations. We file those requests for you, clean up the results and add them to your map.

Sources for this guide

Laws and fees change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.

Every parcel, on one map

Deedplat is in beta. Pick any Illinois county to get started.

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