35 ILCS 200/ Property Tax Code.

(35 ILCS 200/Tit. 7 heading) TITLE 7. TAX COLLECTION

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 19 heading) Article 19. Tax Collection Officials

(35 ILCS 200/19‑5)

Sec. 19‑5. Township collector's bond and oath. Each township collector, before entering upon the duties of office, shall execute a bond, with surety or sureties to be approved by the supervisor and the township clerk. The bond shall be given for a sum equal to 160% of the largest amount of taxes collected by that officer or predecessor in office in any one year during the preceding 5 years if individuals act as sureties, or equal to 110% of such largest amount if the security is given by a surety company authorized to do business in this state, estimated by the supervisor and township clerk, that will be in his or her custody or control at any one time. Signatures to such bond, signed with a mark, shall be witnessed, but in no other case shall witness be required. The bond shall be substantially in the following form:

We A. B. of the .... of .... in the County of .... in the State of Illinois, as township collector, and C. D. and E. F. of that county and State, as securities, are obligated to the People of the State of Illinois, in the penal sum of $.... for the payment of which, we obligate ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, successors and assigns. Signed on (insert date).

The condition of the foregoing bond is such, that if the above obligated A. B. performs all the duties required to be performed as collector of the taxes for the year (insert year) in the township of .... in the county of ...., Illinois, in the time and manner prescribed by law, and when he or she shall be succeeded in office, shall surrender and deliver over to his or her successor in office all books, papers and moneys pertaining to the office, except as hereinafter provided, then the foregoing bond to be void; otherwise to remain in full force.

It is expressly understood and intended that the obligation of the above named sureties shall not extend to any loss sustained by the insolvency, failure or closing of any bank or trust company organized and operating either under the laws of the State of Illinois or the United States wherein the collector has placed the funds in his or her custody or control, or any part thereof. A. B. ....(Signature) C. D. ....(Signature) E. F. ....(Signature)

He or she shall also take and subscribe an oath, to be endorsed on the back of the bond, substantially as follows:

I do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of township collector, according to the best of my ability.

(Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑10)

Sec. 19‑10. Filing of bond. The township supervisor shall, within six business days after approval of the township collector's bond, file the bond, with the approval endorsed thereon, in the office of the county recorder, who shall record the bond, including the oath, in a book for that purpose. When recorded, the oath and bond shall be filed by the county recorder in the office of the county clerk. A bond, when so filed for record, shall be a lien against the property of the township collector until he or she has complied with the conditions thereof.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑15)

Sec. 19‑15. Township collector's warrant. The county clerk, upon request by any collector, shall attach a warrant, under his or her signature and the seal of office, to any list furnished by the collector to his or her deputy. The warrant shall be in the same form as in the original collector's list or book, except that the amount collected by the deputy shall be paid to the collector, who shall pay it to the proper officer or persons.

(Source: P.A. 84‑550; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑20)

Sec. 19‑20. Township collector; vacancy. If any township collector refuses to serve, is prevented from completing his or her duties, or the office becomes vacant for any reason, the township board of trustees shall forthwith appoint a collector for the remainder of the year, who shall give the same security, be subject to the same penalties, and have the same power and compensation as the township collector that he or she replaces. The county collector shall forthwith be notified of the appointment. The appointment shall not relieve the former township collector or his or her sureties from any liability incurred. The person resigning shall not be reappointed to complete the collections in any township in the county.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑23)

Sec. 19‑23. Township collector fees. Collectors in cities or incorporated towns, in counties of the first and second classes, shall receive such fees as may be prescribed by the common council or board of trustees of their respective cities or incorporated towns, not exceeding in any case 2% of the amount collected by them.

(Source: P.A. 89‑233, eff. 1‑1‑96.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑25)

Sec. 19‑25. Extension of collection time after appointment of new collector. In case of an appointment under Section 19‑20, the chairman of the county board, or the supervisor of the township, may extend the time for the collection of taxes for a period not exceeding 20 days. The county collector shall be notified of the extension, but the extension shall not affect the date on which taxes become delinquent.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑30)

Sec. 19‑30. Record keeping after appointment of new collector. The appointed township collector shall keep an account of all collections made by the former collector, so far as he or she can determine. When anyone presents a receipt for taxes paid to the former collector, the appointed collector shall note in the collector's book to whom and when paid.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑35)

Sec. 19‑35. County collectors. The treasurers of all counties shall be ex‑officio county collectors of their counties.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2516; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑40)

Sec. 19‑40. County collector's bond and oath. Each county collector as soon as elected and qualified and before entering upon the duties of office as collector, in addition to the bond as treasurer, shall furnish a bond in such penalty and with such security as the county board considers sufficient. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the bond shall be in a penal sum of not less than $1,500,000. The signatures to the bond, signed by a mark, shall be witnessed, but in no other case shall witness be required. The bond shall be substantially in the following form:

Know All Men by These Presents, that we, A. B. collector, and C. D. and E. F. securities, all of the county of .... and State of Illinois, are held and firmly bound unto the People of the State of Illinois, in the penal sum of .... dollars, for the payment of which, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, each of us, our heirs, executors and administrators, successors and assigns, firmly by these presents.

Signed and sealed on (insert date).

The condition of the foregoing bond is such that if the above bound A.B. performs all the duties required to be performed as collector of the taxes in the county of ...., in the State of Illinois, in the time and manner prescribed by law, and when succeeded in office, shall surrender and deliver to his or her successor in office, all books, papers and moneys appertaining to the office, except as hereinafter provided, then the foregoing bond to be void; otherwise to remain in full force.

It is expressly understood and intended that the obligation of the above named sureties shall not extend to any loss sustained by the insolvency, failure or closing of any bank or trust company organized and operating either under the laws of the State of Illinois, or the United States wherein the collector has placed the funds in his or her custody or control, or any part thereof. A. B. ....(SEAL) C. D. ....(SEAL) E. F. ....(SEAL) He or she shall also take and subscribe an oath, to be endorsed on the back of the bond substantially as follows:

I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of county collector according to the best of my ability.

(Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑45)

Sec. 19‑45. Approval of bond. The county collector's bond shall be approved by the county board and recorded on the board's records. The county clerk shall attach his or her certificate to the bond, under the seal of the office, showing that it has been duly approved and recorded. The bond, when approved and recorded, shall, from that time until 2 years after the expiration of the term of office of the collector for or during which the bond is furnished, be a lien against the property of the collector, situated in the county of which such collector is the collector, until he or she has complied with the conditions thereof.

The chairman of the county board, a circuit judge residing in the county and the county clerk also may approve the bond of the county collector, and the bond, when so approved, shall be subject to the same provisions as if approved by the county board.

(Source: P.A. 87‑1189; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑50)

Sec. 19‑50. Filing of county collector's bond. Tax books or lists shall not be placed in the hands of the county collector until the bond has been approved and recorded as required by Section 19‑45. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as relieving the securities of a collector from liabilities incurred under a bond not approved and recorded as required by Section 19‑45.

(Source: P.A. 87‑1189; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑55)

Sec. 19‑55. Sureties on collector's bonds. No chairman of the county board, clerk of the circuit court, county clerk, sheriff, deputy sheriff or coroner shall be permitted to be a surety on the bond of a county, township or deputy collector or county treasurer.

(Source: Laws 1965, p. 631; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑60)

Sec. 19‑60. Bond as security for taxes collected. The bond of every county or township collector shall be held to be security for the payment by the collector to the county treasurer and the taxing districts and proper authorities, of all taxes, special assessments which are collected or received on their behalf, and of all penalties which are recovered against him.

(Source: P.A. 90‑655, eff. 7‑30‑98.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑65)

Sec. 19‑65. Release of sureties ‑ New bond. A surety on any bond may ask to be released from any further liability at any time after the execution of that bond, if the surety has reason to believe that the officer named in the bond will fail to comply with the conditions thereof. To be released, the surety shall file with the county clerk a notice in writing, verified under oath, setting forth the facts in the case; whereupon the clerk with whom the notice is filed, shall notify the officer to give additional security, equal to the security about to be released by the county board. The notice may be served by the clerk, or by any person appointed by the board or clerk. If the officer so notified does not appear and give additional security within 2 days after notification, the county board may remove him or her from office. The presiding officer of the county board, with the advice and consent of the county board, shall appoint some person to fill the vacancy occasioned by the removal, who shall execute bond, qualify and perform the duties required.

(Source: P.A. 78‑1128; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑70)

Sec. 19‑70. Improper use of funds by collector. If a surety on any collector's bond is satisfied that the collector is making improper use of the funds collected by him or her, or has absconded, or is about to abscond, whereby the surety may become liable to pay any sum of money, the surety may obtain a court order against the goods and chattels of the collector just as he or she would be authorized to do if the collector was personally indebted to the surety. The money collected on that property shall be paid to the appointed county collector for distribution to those taxing districts entitled to the proceeds.

(Source: P.A. 83‑346; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑75)

Sec. 19‑75. Appointment of deputies; Bond. Collectors may appoint deputies by an instrument in writing, duly signed, and may also revoke any such appointment at their pleasure and may require bonds or other securities from the deputies, to secure themselves. Each deputy shall have the same authority as the collector to collect the taxes levied or assessed within the portion of the taxing district assigned to him or her. Each collector shall be responsible to the taxing districts and taxpayers for all moneys collected and for all actions by any deputy while acting as a deputy, and for any omission of duty. Any bond or security taken from a deputy by a collector, under this Section, shall be available to the collector, his or her representatives and securities, to indemnify them for any loss or damage arising from any act of the deputy.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/19‑80)

Sec. 19‑80. Death of county collector. Upon the death of any county collector during the time the tax books are in his or her hands, and before the time for making settlements, the county clerk shall take charge of the tax books. The clerk shall appoint one or more competent persons to examine the tax books. The appointed persons shall ascertain the amount remaining uncollected, and make out an abstract of the same, except that if there is only a small portion of the taxes collected at the time of the death of the collector, the amount actually collected shall be ascertained, and the same books used in completing the collections.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 20 heading) Article 20. Tax Collection Process

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 20 Div. 1 heading) Division 1. Billing procedures

(35 ILCS 200/20‑5)

Sec. 20‑5. Mailing tax bill to owner. Every township collector, and every county collector in cases where there is no township collector, upon receiving the tax book or books, shall prepare tax bills showing each installment of property taxes assessed, which shall be filled out in accordance with Section 20‑40. A copy of the bill shall be mailed by the collector, at least 30 days prior to the date upon which unpaid taxes become delinquent, to the owner of the property taxed or to the person in whose name the property is taxed.

(Source: P.A. 86‑957; 87‑818; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑10)

Sec. 20‑10. Mailing to mortgage lender. When the copy of the tax bill is mailed by the collector to the owner or person at or in care of the address of a mortgage lender, the mortgage lender, within 15 days of receiving the copy, shall furnish and mail an additional copy of the bill to each mortgagor of the property at his or her last known address as shown on the records of the mortgage lender. However, if the property referred to in the copy is situated in a county which uses the estimated or accelerated billing methods, only an additional copy of the bill for the final installment of taxes due with respect to the real property shall be furnished and mailed by the mortgage lender to the mortgagor. A copy may be used by the collector in receipting for the tax paid, and a copy or record shall be retained by the collector.

(Source: P.A. 86‑957; 87‑818; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑12)

Sec. 20‑12. Duplicate copies of tax bills. The collector, upon approval by the county board, shall assess a fee of up to $5 for each duplicate tax bill provided to any mortgage lender as defined in Section 1‑90 who is not the property owner of record. All amounts collected under this Section shall be deposited into the Tax Sale Automation Fund established in Section 21‑245 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 91‑551, eff. 8‑14‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑15)

Sec. 20‑15. Information on bill or separate statement. There shall be printed on each bill, or on a separate slip which shall be mailed with the bill:

(a) a statement itemizing the rate at which taxes have been extended for each of the taxing districts in the county in whose district the property is located, and in those counties utilizing electronic data processing equipment the dollar amount of tax due from the person assessed allocable to each of those taxing districts, including a separate statement of the dollar amount of tax due which is allocable to a tax levied under the Illinois Local Library Act or to any other tax levied by a municipality or township for public library purposes,

(b) a separate statement for each of the taxing districts of the dollar amount of tax due which is allocable to a tax levied under the Illinois Pension Code or to any other tax levied by a municipality or township for public pension or retirement purposes,

(c) the total tax rate,

(d) the total amount of tax due, and

(e) the amount by which the total tax and the tax allocable to each taxing district differs from the taxpayer's last prior tax bill.

The county treasurer shall ensure that only those taxing districts in which a parcel of property is located shall be listed on the bill for that property.

In all counties the statement shall also provide:

(1) the property index number or other suitable description,

(2) the assessment of the property,

(3) the equalization factors imposed by the county and by the Department, and

(4) the equalized assessment resulting from the application of the equalization factors to the basic assessment.

In all counties which do not classify property for purposes of taxation, for property on which a single family residence is situated the statement shall also include a statement to reflect the fair cash value determined for the property. In all counties which classify property for purposes of taxation in accordance with Section 4 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution, for parcels of residential property in the lowest assessment classification the statement shall also include a statement to reflect the fair cash value determined for the property.

In all counties, the statement must include information that certain taxpayers may be eligible for tax exemptions, abatements, and other assistance programs and that, for more information, taxpayers should consult with the office of their township or county assessor and with the Illinois Department of Revenue.

In all counties, the statement shall include information that certain taxpayers may be eligible for the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act and that applications are available from the Illinois Department on Aging.

In counties which use the estimated or accelerated billing methods, these statements shall only be provided with the final installment of taxes due. The provisions of this Section create a mandatory statutory duty. They are not merely directory or discretionary. The failure or neglect of the collector to mail the bill, or the failure of the taxpayer to receive the bill, shall not affect the validity of any tax, or the liability for the payment of any tax.

(Source: P.A. 95‑644, eff. 10‑12‑07.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑20)

Sec. 20‑20. Changes in address for mailing tax bill. To insure that a person requesting a change of the address to which a property tax bill is sent has a legal interest in the property or authority to act on behalf of the owner of the property, the county collector in every county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants or less shall establish and enforce a procedure for requiring identification or certification of the identity of taxpayers who request a change in the address to which their tax bill is mailed. No change of address shall be implemented unless the person requesting the change is the owner of the property, a trustee or a person holding the power of attorney from the owner or trustee of the property.

(Source: P.A. 84‑396; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 20 Div. 2 heading) Division 2. Payment and handling of funds

(35 ILCS 200/20‑25)

Sec. 20‑25. Forms of payment. Taxes levied by taxing districts may be satisfied by payment in legal money of the United States, cashier's check, certified check, post office money order, bank money order issued by a national or state bank that is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or by a personal or corporate check drawn on such a bank, to the respective collection officers who are entitled by law to receive the tax payments or by credit card in accordance with the Local Governmental Acceptance of Credit Cards Act. A county collector may refuse to accept a personal check within 30 days before a tax sale.

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑30)

Sec. 20‑30. Designation of depository for township collector. When requested by the township collector, the township board of trustees or, where the powers and duties of that board have been succeeded to by some other governing body, then that governing body, shall designate one or more banks or savings and loan associations in which the funds received by the township collector, by virtue of the office, may be deposited. Once a bank or savings and loan association has been designated it shall continue as a designated depository until 10 days after a new depository is designated and qualified under this Section. When a new depository is designated, the township board of trustees or other governing body shall notify the sureties of the township collector of that fact, in writing, at least 5 days before the transfer of funds. The township collector is discharged from responsibility for all funds deposited in the bank or savings and loan association while those funds are so deposited.

No bank or savings and loan association shall receive public funds under this Section, unless it has complied with the requirements of Section 6 of the Public Funds Investment Act.

(Source: P.A. 83‑541; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑35)

Sec. 20‑35. Investments by county collector. The county collector shall, as provided in Section 2 of the Public Funds Investment Act, invest and reinvest the proceeds of the lesser of any taxes paid under protest or funds withheld from distribution and held in a Protest Fund, as provided in Section 23‑20. The investments shall be obligations of the United States Government maturing not more than 91 days after the date of purchase, or savings accounts, including certificates of deposit, investment certificates or time deposit open accounts, in banks or savings and loan associations insured by the United States or other federal agency. Investments made in obligations of the United States Government shall be at then existing market price and in any event not to exceed par plus accrued interest. The cost price of the obligations and all savings accounts in banks or savings and loan associations shall be considered as cash in the custody of the county collector. All earnings accruing on any Protest Fund investment or bank or savings and loan association savings account in excess of those amounts paid as interest on moneys refunded to taxpayers shall be credited to and paid into the county corporate fund, except as provided in Section 23‑20.

No bank or savings and loan association shall receive public funds under this Section unless it has complied with Section 6 of the Public Funds Investment Act.

After the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, no additional funds shall be deposited into a Protest Fund, other than interest on investments of funds that were deposited into a Protest Fund prior to this amendatory Act of 1997.

(Source: P.A. 90‑556, eff. 12‑12‑97.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑40)

Sec. 20‑40. Record of tax payments. When any person pays the taxes charged on any property, the collector shall enter the payment in his or her book, specifying by whom paid (if other than the assessee and if so requested), the amount paid, what year paid for, and the property and value thereof on which the same was paid, according to its description in the collector's books, and in case the tax was paid under protest, also that the tax was so paid. The entry and any receipt, if given, shall bear the genuine or facsimile signature or printed name of the collector or deputy receiving the payment. Evidence of payment shall consist of the taxpayer's cancelled check or money order and the receipt, where they exist, together with the entry in the collector's books. The collector or deputy shall be required to issue a receipt to a taxpayer only if (a) the taxpayer makes a payment in cash, or (b) the taxpayer requests a receipt as evidence of payment. If a taxpayer requests a receipt, the collector or deputy shall mail the receipt to the taxpayer. The collector shall enter, opposite each property, the name and post office address of the person paying the tax if that person is other than the assessee and has requested a receipt specifying by whom the tax was paid.

(Source: P.A. 82‑1028; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑45)

Sec. 20‑45. Receipts. On the application of any person to pay any tax or delinquent special assessment, previously filed with the county collector, upon any property, the county collector shall make out to the person a receipt in which shall be noted all taxes and assessments upon the property returned to the collector and not previously paid.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 1977; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑50)

Sec. 20‑50. Payment to taxing districts by township collectors; intermediate settlements.

(a) Township collectors shall, every 30 days, when required to do so by the proper authorities of incorporated towns, cities, villages, and road and school districts for which any tax is collected, render to those authorities a statement of the amount of each kind of tax collected for the entity and the amount paid under protest. At the same time, subject to Sections 3.1‑35‑60 through 3.1‑35‑80 of the Illinois Municipal Code, the collectors shall pay over to the authorities the amount of all taxes shown to be collected, other than those paid under protest. The payments shall be made as directed in the warrant attached to the collector's books.

(b) Township collectors shall, every 30 days, render a similar account of county taxes, to the county collector, and at the same time, the collectors shall pay over the amount collected to the county collector.

(c) Each township collector shall make final settlement for all taxes charged in the tax books at or before the time fixed in Section 20‑55. In making the settlements, the collectors shall be entitled to credit for the amount uncollected on the tax books as determined by the settlement with the county collector.

(d) The officer to whom any moneys are paid under this Section shall deliver to the collector duplicate receipts for those payments.

(Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑55)

Sec. 20‑55. Final settlements by township collectors. Township collectors shall return the tax books and make final settlement for the amount of taxes placed in their hands for collection, within 60 days after receiving the tax books, except the county collector may first notify, in writing, the several township collectors upon what day, within 20 days after the expiration of 60 days from the day the tax books are received by the township collector, that they shall appear at his or her office to make final settlement. Township collectors in townships organized under the provisions of Article 15 of the Township Code shall make a partial settlement with the county collector of all taxes collected at the expiration of 60 days from the day the tax books are received by the township collectors, but shall retain the tax books until on or before the first day of September at which time they shall make final settlement for the amount of taxes placed in their hands for collection together with the amount of interest and penalties which may have accrued thereon, which interest and penalties the township collector shall collect, and return the tax books to the county collector. In the 10 years following the completion of a general reassessment of property in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under an order of the Department, the return and settlement shall be made on or before the twenty‑first day after the day specified by the county clerk for the delivery of the books for the collection of taxes to the collectors, but the county collector may first notify in writing the several township collectors upon what day within 20 days after the 21 day period they shall appear at his or her office to make final settlement.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 88‑670, eff. 12‑2‑94.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑60)

Sec. 20‑60. Statement of taxes collected by township collector. At the time of making return to the county collector, each township collector shall make out and deliver to the county collector a detailed statement, in writing, of the amount of taxes paid under protest and the amount of taxes he or she has been unable to collect on property, the same as in the tax books delivered to him or her by the county clerk, and shall show the property index number, or the number of the page of the tax book and the number of the line of the page to identify the item that appears to be delinquent. When no taxes have been paid on any one page on the collector's book, the page footings of the taxes on such page may be copied into the statement. It is not necessary to give in the statement the description of the delinquent property, nor the names of the owners. The township collector shall add up the delinquent taxes in the statement, and make a summary thereof, setting forth the aggregate amount of tax and the total delinquent, in the same manner as in his or her warrant, and shall make oath that the statement is true and correct. At the time of making the final settlement the township collectors shall pay over to the county collector all taxes paid to them under protest.

(Source: P.A. 83‑121; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑65)

Sec. 20‑65. Affidavit of collections. Each township collector, at the time of returning the tax books to the county collector, shall make affidavit, to be entered upon the book and subscribed by the collector, that the taxes charged against each property remain due and unpaid at the date of making the affidavit in each case where there does not appear in the proper column the amount of taxes as having been paid to the collector, and the date of payment and the name of any person as having paid the same; which affidavit shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated.

(Source: P.A. 83‑121; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑70)

Sec. 20‑70. Credit for collections; township collector. Upon the filing of the tax book, the county collector shall allow the township collector credit for the amount of taxes therein stated to be unpaid, and shall credit the same to the funds for which the tax was charged. When the county collector makes settlement with the county board, those statements shall be sufficient voucher to entitle him or her to credit for the amount therein stated, less such amount, if any, that may have been collected by him or her.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑75)

Sec. 20‑75. Satisfaction piece for township collector. Upon the final settlement of the amount of taxes directed to be collected by any collector, in any township, the county collector shall, if requested, give to the township collector, or any of his or her sureties, a satisfaction piece in writing. The satisfaction piece may be recorded in the recorder's office, and when so recorded shall operate as a discharge of the sureties and of the lien upon the property of the collector, except as to all suits commenced upon the bond within 3 years after the recording of the satisfaction piece.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑80)

Sec. 20‑80. Failure of township collector to make final settlement. If the township collector fails to appear and make final settlement, or pay over the amount in his or her hands, when required in this Code, the county collector shall forthwith cause the bond of the collector to be put in suit, and recovery may be had thereon for the sum due, for all taxes and special assessments, plus 25% thereon as damages, with costs of suit.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 20 Div. 3 heading) Division 3. Procedures for county collectors

(35 ILCS 200/20‑85)

Sec. 20‑85. Powers and duties of county collectors. County collectors shall have the same powers and may proceed in the same manner, for the collection of any tax on property, as township collectors. If in any township the office of township collector is or becomes vacant, and the vacancy is not filled on or before the first day of May next following the vacancy, the county clerk shall deliver all the collectors' books to the county collector of the county, having annexed to each book a warrant under the signature and official seal of the county clerk, commanding the county collector to collect from the persons named in the books the sum of taxes charged opposite their names, except as otherwise provided in Section 21‑375. The county collector shall then collect and pay over all taxes, assessments and other charges shown in the books, and do all acts required by law as if the taxes, assessments and other charges had been duly returned delinquent by a township collector. The collectors' books so delivered to the county collector shall, for all purposes, in all subsequent proceedings, be used in the same manner and have the same force and effect as if the books were delivered to the township collectors, and returned by them, as provided by law. In the 10 years next following the completion of a general reassessment of property in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under order of the Department, if for any reason the books have not been delivered to the township collector within 5 days after the day specified by the county clerk for that delivery, the county clerk shall deliver the books to the county collector, and all provisions of this Section shall apply. When any injunction restraining the collection of taxes is dissolved after the tax books are returned to the county collector, the taxes or the portion thereof upon which the injunction has been dissolved, shall be paid to the county collector, who shall proceed as though collection of the taxes had never been enjoined.

(Source: P.A. 84‑550; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑90)

Sec. 20‑90. Tax proceeds of taxing districts; escrow accounts. The county collector shall deposit any amount of the tax proceeds of any taxing district, in accordance with the authorization of that district, directly into a designated escrow account established by the district to repay specific bonded, note, lease or installment contract indebtedness. The ordinance or resolution of the taxing district authorizing that disposition shall, within 10 days after adoption by the governing authority of the taxing district, be delivered to the county collector or county collectors in which the taxing district is situated.

(Source: P.A. 84‑676; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑95)

Sec. 20‑95. Continuation of county collector's powers after settlement. The power and duty to collect any tax due and unpaid shall continue in and devolve upon the county collector and his or her successors in office, after his or her return and final settlement, until the tax is paid. The warrant attached to the collector's book shall continue in force and confer authority upon the collector to whom the warrant was issued, and upon his or her successors in office, to collect any tax due and uncollected thereon, although the books have been returned, or the tax carried forward into any other book.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑100)

Sec. 20‑100. Collection of delinquent special assessments; counties of 3,000,000 or more. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, when any special assessment made by any city, incorporated town or village, under its charter, or by any corporate authorities, commissioners or persons, pursuant to law, remains unpaid in whole or in part, return thereof shall be made to the county collector on or before the first day of August next after it became payable, in the same manner as returns are made for delinquent property tax.

The subsequent advertisement, judgment and sale of property on account of delinquent special assessments, as provided below, shall be considered supplemental to but also a part of the sale of delinquent general taxes of the year in which the judgment and sale on account of delinquent special assessments is ordered. The penalties provided by law shall attach to both general taxes and special assessments in the same manner as if there were only one judgment and order of sale.

In cases where application for judgment and order of sale for special assessments, special taxes, or installments thereof, and interest, may be made under Section 21‑155, notwithstanding that the special assessments, special taxes, or installments, and interest, have not been returned as delinquent to the county collector on or before the first day of August in the year in which application is made, and notwithstanding that the assessments, taxes, installments and interest, were not marked on the general tax books of the county collector on or before the tenth day of March of the same year, or within 15 days after the county collector received the general tax books in that year, the advertisement, judgment and order of sale for delinquent special assessments, special taxes, or installments thereof, and interest, need not be subsequent to or regarded as supplemental to or as a part of the sale on account of delinquent general taxes of the year in which such separate advertisement, judgment and order of sale on account of delinquent special assessments, special taxes, or installments thereof, and interest, is had. However, the penalties provided by law shall attach to the special assessments, special taxes, or installments thereof, and interest, in the same manner as if there were only one judgment and order of sale. County collectors shall collect, account for, and pay over the special assessments, special taxes, or installments to the authorities or persons having authority to receive them, in the same manner as they are required to collect, account for, and pay over taxes.

Upon return of delinquent special assessments to the county collector, he or she may transfer the amounts stated on the returns to the tax books, setting down opposite the respective properties, in proper columns, the amounts assessed against each property.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2254; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑105)

Sec. 20‑105. Demand for payment of special assessment when general tax is paid; counties of 3,000,000 or more. In any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, when any special assessment is returned to the county collector on a property on which the general taxes have been paid to the township collector, or on which any special assessment which has been withdrawn at any previous sale or sales is returned to the county collector, and the general taxes on the property have been paid, the county collector shall demand payment of the special assessment, or shall mail a demand notice to the owner, if the place of residence is known. The certificate of a collector that a demand was made or notice given shall be evidence thereof.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2254; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑110)

Sec. 20‑110. Prior year's taxes to be added to current taxes. The amount due for general taxes on property previously forfeited to the State or otherwise remaining unpaid prior to the issuance of the collector's warrant, shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 18‑250, be added to the tax of the current year; and the amount thereof shall be charged to the county collector with the amount of taxes for the current year. The amount so charged shall be placed on the tax books, and, except as otherwise provided in Section 21‑375, shall be collected and paid over in like manner as other taxes. The county collector is authorized to advertise and sell the property in the manner required by this Code, as if said property had never been forfeited to the State. The county, city, village, incorporated town or school district may, by their agent attend the sale for taxes and buy the property and acquire the same rights that individuals now have under the law, and acquire, hold, sell and dispose of title thereto, the same as and in the same manner as individuals may do under the laws of this State, in case of sale for taxes. The additions and sales shall be continued from year to year until the taxes on the property are paid, by sale or otherwise.

(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 1, p. 1080; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑115)

Sec. 20‑115. Report of taxes collected; credits. The county collector shall, on the first of every month, report to the county clerk, in writing, which may be transmitted electronically, the amount of county tax received during the preceding month. The county collector shall keep the account as collector of taxes separate from the account as county treasurer. He or she shall credit the account as collector with the amount of his or her monthly reports to the county clerk, and with the amount of bankruptcies, removals, errors, forfeitures, and other credits allowed him or her on settlement with the county board. As county treasurer, he or she shall charge himself or herself with the amount shown in his or her monthly report to the county clerk and such other amounts as may be received as county treasurer. The county board may examine the account and vouchers at any time, by committee or otherwise.

(Source: P.A. 94‑412, eff. 8‑2‑05.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑120)

Sec. 20‑120. Accounts for collector and treasurer. Each county clerk and county collector shall keep, in written or electronic format, an account stating the amount of county tax to be collected, and the county tax received by him or her from sales and redemptions of forfeited property, and any other county funds that shall come into the collector's hands. All persons paying money into the county treasury, for all purposes except the county taxes, must deposit it with the treasurer. The treasurer shall give duplicate receipts to the person paying, one to be retained by the person paying and the other filed in the county treasurer's office.

(Source: P.A. 94‑412, eff. 8‑2‑05.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑125)

Sec. 20‑125. Statement of taxes collected. On or before July 10, after settlement has been made with the township collectors and on or before October 10, the county collector shall make a sworn statement, showing the total amounts of each kind of tax received by him or her from township collectors, the total amount of each that he or she collected and the total amount of taxes paid under protest for which the court has not fixed the correct amount. The statement shall be filed in the office of the county clerk. However, in the 10 years following the completion of a general reassessment of property in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under an order of the Department, that statement shall be made within 30 days after the date upon which property taxes or any installment thereof become delinquent.

The clerk shall immediately, on receipt of the statement, certify to the proper authorities, the amount for which the collector is required to settle with each of them.

The county collector shall annually, during the month of December, submit to the Department an annual report showing the amount of taxes collected, the amount protested, and the amount of taxes delinquent.

(Source: P.A. 83‑121; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑130)

Sec. 20‑130. Distribution of taxes in counties of less than 3,000,000; return of erroneous distribution.

(a) All distributions of taxes collected and interest earned thereon by a county on behalf of taxing districts must be made by the county treasurer, in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, within 30 days after the due date and at 30 days intervals thereafter, unless the amount to be distributed is less than $5. The county treasurer shall distribute the taxes collected at the next 30‑day interval if the taxes collected are $5 or more. If the tax collections for a taxing district are less than $5 for 3 consecutive 30‑day intervals, the county treasurer shall automatically distribute the taxes collected to the unit of local government on the third 30‑day interval. The county treasurer shall determine the manner in which all distributions under this Section are to be made. The manner of distribution may include, but is not limited to, check or electronic funds transfer.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, if a county makes an erroneous distribution of taxes collected and interest earned thereon, upon majority vote of the governing board of the taxing district that received the erroneous distribution, the taxing district shall return the funds to the county treasurer.

(Source: P.A. 91‑378, eff. 7‑30‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑135)

Sec. 20‑135. Interest on amount collected in counties of less than 3,000,000. All taxing districts have a vested interest in interest earned by the county collector on all collected but undistributed taxes due the taxing district. The county collector shall maintain an account into which all tax payments shall be deposited when they are available for investment, and from which all interest distribution shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Section. Taxes collected in counties with a population of less than 3,000,000 shall be invested in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of the Public Funds Deposit Act. All interest earned on this account shall be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of Section 20‑130 to each district which is entitled to receive the interest in the same proportionate ratio that district shared in the distribution of principal taxes to all units of local government.

On or before January 31st of each year the county collector shall file with the Office of the County Clerk and with each taxing district which received interest during the last year, a report identifying each of the receiving taxing districts with the interest amounts paid to each for the entire preceding year.

(Source: P.A. 84‑1454; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑140)

Sec. 20‑140. Payment due date for county collector. Subject to the provisions of the Public Funds Statement Publication Act and Sections 3.1‑35‑60 through 3.1‑35‑80 of the Illinois Municipal Code, the county collector in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, shall on the first day of June and the first day of every month thereafter pay over to the other proper authorities or persons the amounts in his or her possession and payable to them as taxes and not previously paid over. In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the county collector shall (i) pay over to the other proper authorities or persons, as provided in Section 20‑130, the amounts in the collector's hands and payable to them as taxes and (ii) together with the final payment, pay over to the other proper authorities or persons the amounts in the collector's hands and payable to them as interest and not previously paid over. The county treasurer shall determine the manner in which all payments required by a county collector under this Section are to be made. The manner of payment may include, but is not limited to, check or electronic funds transfer. Taxes collected in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants and not distributed shall be invested in accordance with Section 1 of the Public Funds Deposit Act.

(Source: P.A. 91‑378, eff. 7‑30‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑145)

Sec. 20‑145. Penalty for failure to make a timely distribution. Any county collector who wilfully fails to pay over the amount of taxes due and payable at the time or times required by Section 20‑140, shall be subject to a penalty at the rate of 0.1% per day on the amount unpaid, from the time the amount becomes due and payable until it is paid. The sureties on the official bond of the collector shall be liable for the payment of the penalty. The penalty may be recovered in a civil action against the collector and his or her sureties, in the name of the People of the State of Illinois, in any court of competent jurisdiction. The amount of the penalty, when recovered, shall be paid (i) in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, to the proper authorities for whom the tax was collected and (ii) in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, into the county treasury.

(Source: P.A. 87‑1119; 88‑455; incorporates 88‑45; 88‑670, eff. 12‑2‑94.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑150)

Sec. 20‑150. Payment on demand; collections on delinquent property. The county collector shall report and distribute the amount of taxes and special assessments collected on delinquent property and due to taxing districts, at least once every 10 days, when demanded by the proper authorities.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑155)

Sec. 20‑155. Failure to report and pay; suit on collector's bond. If any county collector fails to make the reports and payments required by this Code, for 5 days after the time specified for that purpose, or after demand made under Section 20‑150, suit may be brought on the collector's bond. Taxing districts or persons aggrieved, may prosecute suit against any collector or other officer collecting or receiving funds for their use, by suit upon the bond, in the name of the People of the State of Illinois, for their use, in the circuit court.

(Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑160)

Sec. 20‑160. Office may be declared vacant. If any county collector fails to account and pay over as required in Sections 20‑140 and 20‑150, the office may be declared vacant by the circuit court of the judicial circuit in which the county seat is located and in which suit is brought on his or her official bond. If such a suit is brought in the circuit court and, based on preliminary evidence, the court determines that it is necessary that a temporary county collector be appointed, then the county board may, subject to the consent of the court, appoint an interim county collector to serve for the duration of the suit.

(Source: P.A. 95‑582, eff. 8‑31‑07.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 20 Div. 4 heading) Division 4. Errors and adjustments

(35 ILCS 200/20‑165)

Sec. 20‑165. List of errors and inability to collect. On or before the third Monday in December, annually, the county collector shall make out and file with the county clerk a detailed list of errors in assessment of property and errors in footing of tax books, giving in each case a description of the property, the valuation and amount of each tax and special assessment, and cause of error. County collectors, in cases of removals and bankruptcies of taxpayers, may give the same cause for the inability to collect as sworn to by the township collectors, stating in their return that such was the statement made by the township collector, and that the tax still remains uncollected.

(Source: P.A. 94‑412, eff. 8‑2‑05.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑170)

Sec. 20‑170. Double payment. When taxes on a property have been paid more than once for the same year, by different claimants, the county collector shall report to the county clerk all surplus taxes so received, together with the names of the claimants. Certified copies of the report, or the county clerk's record thereof, shall be prima facie evidence in all courts of the payment of tax on the property therein described for the year or years mentioned. The township collectors shall report to the county collector taxes paid more than once, by different claimants for the same year, and the county collector shall report to the county clerk.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2254; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑175)

Sec. 20‑175. Refund for erroneous assessments or overpayments. If any property is twice assessed for the same year, or assessed before it becomes taxable, and the erroneously assessed taxes have been paid either at sale or otherwise, or have been overpaid by the same claimant or by different claimants, the County Collector, upon being satisfied of the facts in the case, shall refund the taxes to the proper claimant. When the County Collector is unable to determine the proper claimant, the circuit court, on petition of the person paying the taxes, or his or her agent, and being satisfied of the facts in the case, shall direct the county collector to refund the taxes and deduct the amount thereof, pro rata, from the moneys due to taxing bodies which received the taxes erroneously paid, or their legal successors. Pleadings in connection with the petition provided for in this Section shall conform to that prescribed in the Civil Practice Law. Appeals may be taken from the judgment of the circuit court, either by the county collector or by the petitioner, as in other civil cases. A claim for refund shall not be allowed unless a petition is filed within 5 years from the date the right to a refund arose. If a certificate of error results in the allowance of a homestead exemption not previously allowed, the county collector shall pay the taxpayer interest on the amount of taxes paid that are attributable to the amount of the additional allowance, at the rate of 6% per year. To cover the cost of interest, the county collector shall proportionately reduce the distribution of taxes collected for each taxing district in which the property is situated.

(Source: P.A. 83‑121; 85‑468; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑178)

Sec. 20‑178. Certificate of error; refund; interest. When the county collector makes any refunds due on certificates of error issued under Sections 14‑15 through 14‑25 that have been either certified or adjudicated, the county collector shall pay the taxpayer interest on the amount of the refund at the rate of 0.5% per month.

No interest shall be due under this Section for any time prior to 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly. For certificates of error issued prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly, the county collector shall pay the taxpayer interest from 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly until the date the refund is paid. For certificates of error issued on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly, interest shall be paid from 60 days after the certificate of error is issued by the chief county assessment officer to the date the refund is made. To cover the cost of interest, the county collector shall proportionately reduce the distribution of taxes collected for each taxing district in which the property is situated.

This Section shall not apply to any certificate of error granting a homestead exemption under Section 15‑170, 15‑172, 15‑175, 15‑176, or 15‑177.

(Source: P.A. 95‑644, eff. 10‑12‑07.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑180)

Sec. 20‑180. Uncollectible delinquent real estate taxes and special assessments. In cases where general taxes levied on real property have been delinquent for a period of 20 years, the taxes shall be presumed to be uncollectible. In those cases, the County Clerk and the County Collector shall enter upon the tax records in their respective offices where those taxes appear the word "Uncollectible", and shall adjust the books and records of their respective offices as provided in this Code. In cases where any installments of special assessments or special taxes levied on real property have been delinquent for a period of 30 years, the installments shall be presumed to be uncollectible. In those cases, the Collector of the municipality which levied the special assessment or special tax and the County Clerk and the County Collector shall enter upon the tax records in their respective offices where those assessments or taxes appear the word "Uncollectible" and shall adjust the books and records of their respective offices. When taxes have been designated "uncollectible" under this Section, the municipality may use any money it holds for payment of the special assessments or special taxes for improvements similar to the projects for which the moneys were collected, and for the purchase of real or personal property, in connection with those improvements.

(Source: P.A. 92‑201, eff. 1‑1‑02.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑185)

Sec. 20‑185. Bonds secured by uncollectible revenue. When bonds issued by a municipality are secured either by ad valorem tax levies or by specific revenues other than ad valorem tax levies and the payment of the tax or specific revenue has been delinquent for a period of 30 years the taxes or revenue shall be presumed to be uncollectable and in those cases, the municipal treasurer shall enter upon the appropriate bond issue records where the bonds appear the words "CANCELLED ‑ Revenue Uncollectable", and shall adjust the books and records accordingly.

When bonds have been designated as specified above the municipality may use any money it holds for the payment of those bonds for any general corporate purpose.

(Source: P.A. 81‑692; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑190)

Sec. 20‑190. Statute of limitation for collection of delinquent real estate taxes and special assessments.

(a) If a taxpayer owes arrearages of taxes for a reason other than administrative error, actions for the collection of any delinquent general tax, or the enforcement or foreclosure of the tax lien shall be commenced within 20 years after the tax became delinquent, and not thereafter. After 20 years the tax lien shall be discharged and released.

Actions for the collection of any delinquent installments of special assessments or special taxes, or the enforcement or foreclosure of the special assessment lien shall be commenced within 30 years after the installments became delinquent. After 30 years the lien for the installments shall be discharged and released.

(b) If a taxpayer owes arrearages of taxes due to an administrative error, the county may not bill, collect, claim a lien for, or sell the arrearages of taxes for tax years earlier than the 2 most recent tax years, including the current tax year.

(c) For purposes of this Section, "administrative error" includes but is not limited to failure to include an extension for a taxing district on the tax bill, an error in the calculations of tax rates or extensions or any other mathematical error by the county clerk, or a defective coding by the county, but does not include a failure by the county to send a tax bill to the taxpayer, the failure by the taxpayer to notify the assessor of a change in the tax‑exempt status of property, or any error concerning the assessment of the property.

(Source: P.A. 92‑201, eff. 1‑1‑02.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑195)

Sec. 20‑195. Omitted property. The provisions of Sections 20‑180 through 20‑190 do not apply to taxes which have been levied as provided in Section 16‑135.

(Source: P.A. 77‑2747; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑200)

Sec. 20‑200. Application to pending actions. The provisions of Sections 20‑180 through 20‑190 do not apply to any actions now pending in court or instituted within the time limitations of Section 20‑190 for the collection of taxes or special assessments.

(Source: P.A. 78‑245; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑205)

Sec. 20‑205. Unpaid suspense tax fund. The amount of all general taxes appearing upon the tax records of the counties of the State against which the limitations in Sections 20‑180 through 20‑190 have run shall be transferred by the collector or clerk of each county to a special account in the office of the collector or clerk to be designated "Unpaid Suspense Tax Fund" and for all accounting or other purposes the amount appearing on the books of the collector or clerk shall not be given any value or held as having any value for any purpose.

(Source: P.A. 78‑245; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑210)

Sec. 20‑210. Taxes payable in installments; payment under specification. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21‑30, current taxes shall be payable in 2 equal installments. The collector, when requested by the party paying the taxes, shall receive and receipt for the taxes in installments. The collector shall receive taxes on part of any property charged with taxes when a particular specification of the part is furnished. If the tax on the remainder of the property remains unpaid, the collector shall enter that specification in his or her return, so that the part on which the tax remains unpaid may be clearly known. The tax may be paid on an undivided share of property. In that case, the collector shall designate on his or her record upon whose undivided share the tax has been paid.

(Source: P.A. 95‑948, eff. 1‑1‑09.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑215)

Sec. 20‑215. Application of tax payments. In the payment of any installment of real property taxes, the collector shall first apply the payments to interest (including interest added upon forfeiture to real property taxes) and costs. After the payment of interest and costs the payments shall be applied upon the total tax.

(Source: P.A. 87‑17; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑220)

Sec. 20‑220. Certificate of illegal tax collections on pollution control facilities. Within 15 days after the receipt of a request by a taxing district, the collector shall issue a certificate (hereinafter referred to as the "Certificate") to the governing body or corporate authorities of the taxing district setting forth (i) the aggregate amount of all taxes collected on extensions upon pollution control facilities, as defined in Section 11‑10, by and distributed to the taxing district prior to the date of the issuance of the Certificate, if those taxes have been held illegal by the final order of a court, or any board, body or entity having jurisdiction, because the pollution control facilities within the taxing district were incorrectly assessed or valued, based upon the method of valuation under Section 11‑15, at the time taxes levied by or on behalf of the taxing district were extended (hereinafter referred to as the "illegal taxes"), (ii) the aggregate amount of the illegal taxes required to be deducted from the taxes of the taxing district during the same calendar year as, and during the 2 full calendar years immediately following, the date of the issuance of the Certificate (hereinafter referred to as the "taxes to be deducted"), and (iii) the aggregate amount of the illegal taxes deducted during the same calendar year as, and during the 2 full calendar years immediately preceding, the date of the issuance of the Certificate (hereinafter referred to as the "deducted taxes").

(Source: P.A. 87‑17; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑225)

Sec. 20‑225. Bonds for reimbursement of illegal tax collections on pollution control facilities. When a taxing district, prior to January 1, 1988, issued its full faith and credit bonds for reimbursement of illegal tax collections on pollution control facilities, as set out in this Section, it may issue additional bonds for purposes of refunding those bonds, whether in advance of or at maturity or prior redemption, and whether by exchange, payment or establishment of an irrevocable escrow. The principal amount of the refunding bonds may exceed the principal amount of the bonds being refunded.

The full faith and credit bonds, hereinafter referred to as the "Bonds", may have been issued by the taxing district whenever and as often as the current aggregate amount of the taxes to be deducted and the deducted taxes set forth in the Certificate equaled or exceeded $10,000, for the purpose of (i) reducing the amount of the taxes to be deducted by depositing proceeds of the Bonds with the collector, (ii) reimbursing its treasury for all or a portion of the deducted taxes for which no Bonds were previously issued, (iii) paying the expenses of issuing the Bonds, (iv) paying interest on the Bonds, or (v) any combination thereof. Any Certificate issued not more than 6 months prior to the issuance of the Bonds shall be conclusive evidence of all the facts set forth therein and any error or inaccuracy therein or any failure of future events to conform to the Certificate shall not affect the validity of the Bonds in any manner.

The Bonds issued under this Section shall not count as indebtedness, or act as a limitation on the amount of indebtedness permitted to be issued by any taxing district, under the provisions of any law regarding limitations on indebtedness. The Bonds shall bear interest at a rate or rates authorized by the Bond Authorization Act, shall mature within 20 years after the date of the issuance thereof and shall be sold at a price of not less than par plus accrued interest to the date of delivery of the Bonds. The denomination of the Bonds and the manner of sale shall be determined by the taxing district.

In order to authorize and issue the Bonds, the governing body or corporate authorities of the taxing district shall adopt an ordinance or resolution fixing the amount of Bonds, the date thereof, the maturities thereof, the rate or rates of interest thereof, the place or places of payment, the manner of execution and the denomination or denominations thereof and providing for the levy and collection of a direct annual tax upon all the taxable property in the taxing district sufficient to pay the principal and interest on the Bonds to maturity. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, the ordinance or resolution shall not be required to be published and shall be effective immediately upon passage and approval. Upon the filing in the office of the county clerk of each county in which any portion of the taxing district is located of a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution, each county clerk shall extend the tax therefor in addition to and in excess of all other taxes authorized to be levied by or on behalf of such taxing district.

This Section is cumulative and constitutes complete authority for the issuance of the Bonds notwithstanding any other statute or law to the contrary.

This Section does not apply to taxing districts located entirely within a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants.

(Source: P.A. 87‑17; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 20 Div. 5 heading) Division 5. Settlement of Accounts

(35 ILCS 200/20‑230)

Sec. 20‑230. Settlement with county board. On the third Monday in December, annually, for all property taxes, the county board shall settle with and allow the county collector credit for the allowance to which he or she is legally entitled. In the 10 years following the completion of a general reassessment of property in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under an order of the Department, settlement shall be made at the regular meeting of the county board held next after the 45th day after all taxes upon property become delinquent and have begun to bear interest.

(Source: P.A. 83‑121; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑235)

Sec. 20‑235. Credit for forfeited property. If any property is forfeited to the State for taxes or special assessments, the collector shall be entitled to a credit in the final settlement, for the amount of the taxes or special assessments on the forfeited properties. The county shall allow the amount of printers' fees expended, and be entitled to the fees, when collected.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑240)

Sec. 20‑240. Settlement lists to be filed with county clerk. If there is no session of the county board held at the proper time for settling and adjusting the accounts of the county collector, the collector shall file the lists with the county clerk, who shall examine the lists and correct the same, if necessary, in like manner as the board is required to do. The county clerk shall make an accurate computation of the value of the property and the amount of the delinquent tax and special assessments returned, for which the collector is entitled to credit.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑245)

Sec. 20‑245. Certification by county clerk. The county clerk shall immediately certify to the several authorities or persons with whom the county collector is to make settlement, showing the valuation of property and amount of taxes and special assessments due thereon allowable to the collector in the settlement of their several accounts.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑250)

Sec. 20‑250. Verification of certified amounts. The proper authorities or persons shall, in their final settlements with the collector, allow him or her credit for the amount so certified. However, if those authorities or persons have reason to believe that the amount stated in the certificate is not correct, or that the allowance was illegally made, he or they shall return it for correction. When it appears to be necessary, in the opinion of those authorities or persons, he or they shall designate and appoint some competent person to examine the collector's books and settlement. The person so designated and appointed shall have access to the collector's books and papers, appertaining to the collector's office or settlement, for the purpose of making the examination.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2254; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑255)

Sec. 20‑255. County board examination of settlement. In all cases when the adjustment is made with the county clerk, the county board shall, at the first session thereafter, examine the settlement. If found correct, the board shall enter an order to that effect. However, if any omission or error is found, the board shall cause it to be corrected, and a correct statement of the facts in the case forwarded to the proper authorities or persons, who shall correct and adjust the collector's accounts accordingly.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2254; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20‑260)

Sec. 20‑260. Failure to obtain judgment; effect on settlement. The failure of any county collector to obtain judgment shall not prevent him or her from presenting a statement of credits and making settlement for taxes, and special assessments in his or her hands, at the time required by this Code. If, from no fault of the collector, he or she fails to obtain judgment and sale of delinquent property, or judgment fixing the correct amount of any taxes paid under protest at the time required by this Code, he or she shall be allowed, in the settlements, a temporary credit for the amount of taxes and special assessments in the delinquent list and for the amount of those taxes paid under protest. The delinquent taxes and special assessments shall be accounted for and paid immediately after sale is held. The amount of any taxes paid under protest shall be distributed as provided for in Section 23‑15 and 23‑20 and any refund ordered by the court shall be accounted for and paid in accordance with the judgment of the court. Protested taxes not so distributed by a county collector, but withheld for the making of refunds ordered by the court, in any event, shall be distributed within 3 years from the date the protest was filed with the collector.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 2559; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 21 heading) Article 21. Due Dates, Delinquencies, and Enforcement of Payments

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 21 Div. 1 heading) Division 1. Due dates and delinquencies

(35 ILCS 200/21‑5)

Sec. 21‑5. Forfeiture tax extension records; counties of 3,000,000 or more. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the county clerk shall quadrennially or at regular intervals prescribed by county resolution under Section 9‑220 prepare a set of records to be known as the county clerk's forfeiture tax extension records, showing in separate columns and items the legal description of all property which has previously been forfeited for the non‑payment of general taxes, the amount of the forfeited taxes of prior years, the interest added before forfeiture, the interest added after forfeiture, and all printers' fees and costs chargeable against each property. The records shall also show in proper spaces all annual new and additional amounts of forfeited general taxes, interest added before forfeiture, interest added after forfeiture, and all printers' fees and costs chargeable against the properties which become so chargeable during the years following the general assessment year. The records are to remain at all times at the county clerk's office for use in preparing estimates of costs of redemption and in issuing orders upon the county collector to receive amounts necessary for the redemption of forfeited general taxes. Nothing in this section shall be construed as abolishing or interfering in any way with the collector's tax books, the tax judgment, sale, redemption and forfeiture records or any other records or books provided for in this Code.

(Source: P.A. 86‑1481; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑10)

Sec. 21‑10. Delinquent tax ledger; counties of 3,000,000 or more. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the county board may by resolution or ordinance require the County Auditor to prepare a delinquent property tax ledger system, or adopt such a system already prepared and give custody of the same to the County Auditor, in which all the delinquent taxes due upon the various properties in the county shall be listed under the legal description of each property provided that the resolution or ordinance of the county board in adopting the system shall provide that a Delinquent Property Tax Ledger shall be installed and maintained by the County Auditor. The ledger shall contain all unpaid general property taxes. The resolution or ordinance shall also provide that a Property Tax Docket shall be installed and maintained by the County Clerk. The docket shall contain and list all court proceedings which affect the general property taxes levied upon any property. The Property Tax Docket and the Property Tax Ledger shall be installed by the respective County Officers within 60 days from the date of the adoption of the ordinance or resolution by the county board. The ordinance or resolution shall prescribe the form and manner of maintenance of the system, which system may also include such other related matters as the ordinance or resolution requires. The ordinance or resolution may also provide for a similar system for delinquent special assessments in the office of the County Clerk. Upon the adoption of such a system by the county board, the County Clerk upon application shall issue a certificate stating the total amount of general taxes, special assessment taxes, interest, penalties and costs which are delinquent upon any property, or if none is delinquent, a statement to that effect. The certificate as issued by the County Clerk may contain such additional information as the resolution or ordinance of the county board adopting such a system requires. That part of the certificate issued by the County Clerk showing the amount of delinquent general property taxes due upon any property shall be certified to by the County Auditor or if none is delinquent, a certification by the County Auditor to that effect. The county board may provide a fee not to exceed $5 for each certificate to be paid to the County Clerk and shall provide that a portion of the fee shall be placed in an indemnity fund in the custody of the County Treasurer to indemnify any person, municipal corporation, quasi‑municipal or district which may be damaged by reason of any erroneous certificate.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2254; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑15)

Sec. 21‑15. General tax due dates; default by mortgage lender. Except as otherwise provided in this Section or Section 21‑40, all property upon which the first installment of taxes remains unpaid on June 1 annually shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after June 1 at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof. Except as otherwise provided in this Section or Section 21‑40, all property upon which the second installment of taxes remains due and unpaid on September 1, annually, shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after September 1 at the same interest rate. All interest collected shall be paid into the general fund of the county. Payment received by mail and postmarked on or before the required due date is not delinquent.

Property not subject to the interest charge in Section 9‑260 or Section 9‑265 shall also not be subject to the interest charge imposed by this Section until such time as the owner of the property receives actual notice of and is billed for the principal amount of back taxes due and owing.

If an Illinois resident who is a member of the Illinois National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and who has an ownership interest in property taxed under this Act is called to active duty for deployment outside the continental United States and is on active duty on the due date of any installment of taxes due under this Act, he or she shall not be deemed delinquent in the payment of the installment and no interest shall accrue or be charged as a penalty on the installment until 180 days after that member returns from active duty. To be deemed not delinquent in the payment of an installment of taxes and any interest on that installment, the reservist or guardsperson must make a reasonable effort to notify the county clerk and the county collector of his or her activation to active duty and must notify the county clerk and the county collector within 180 days after his or her deactivation and provide verification of the date of his or her deactivation. An installment of property taxes on the property of any reservist or guardsperson who fails to provide timely notice and verification of deactivation to the county clerk is subject to interest and penalties as delinquent taxes under this Code from the date of deactivation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when any unpaid taxes become delinquent under this Section through the fault of the mortgage lender, (i) the interest assessed under this Section for delinquent taxes shall be charged against the mortgage lender and not the mortgagor and (ii) the mortgage lender shall pay the taxes, redeem the property and take all necessary steps to remove any liens accruing against the property because of the delinquency. In the event that more than one entity meets the definition of mortgage lender with respect to any mortgage, the interest shall be assessed against the mortgage lender responsible for servicing the mortgage. Unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent through the fault of the mortgage lender only if: (a) the mortgage lender has received all payments due the mortgage lender for the property being taxed under the written terms of the mortgage or promissory note secured by the mortgage, (b) the mortgage lender holds funds in escrow to pay the taxes, and (c) the funds are sufficient to pay the taxes after deducting all amounts reasonably anticipated to become due for all hazard insurance premiums and mortgage insurance premiums and any other assessments to be paid from the escrow under the terms of the mortgage. For purposes of this Section, an amount is reasonably anticipated to become due if it is payable within 12 months from the time of determining the sufficiency of funds held in escrow. Unpaid taxes shall not be deemed delinquent through the fault of the mortgage lender if the mortgage lender was directed in writing by the mortgagor not to pay the property taxes, or if the failure to pay the taxes when due resulted from inadequate or inaccurate parcel information provided by the mortgagor, a title or abstract company, or by the agency or unit of government assessing the tax.

(Source: P.A. 93‑560, eff. 8‑20‑03; 94‑312, eff. 7‑25‑05.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑20)

Sec. 21‑20. Due dates; accelerated billing in counties of less than 3,000,000. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21‑40, in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants in which the accelerated method of billing and paying taxes provided for in Section 21‑30 is in effect, the estimated first installment of unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after a date not later than June 1 annually as provided for in the ordinance or resolution of the county board adopting the accelerated method, at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof until paid or forfeited. The second installment of unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after August 1 annually at the same interest rate until paid or forfeited. Payment received by mail and postmarked on or before the required due date is not delinquent.

If an Illinois resident who is a member of the Illinois National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and who has an ownership interest in property taxed under this Act is called to active duty for deployment outside the continental United States and is on active duty on the due date of any installment of taxes due under this Act, he or she shall not be deemed delinquent in the payment of the installment and no interest shall accrue or be charged as a penalty on the installment until 180 days after that member returns from active duty. To be deemed not delinquent in the payment of an installment of taxes and any interest on that installment, the reservist or guardsperson must make a reasonable effort to notify the county clerk and the county collector of his or her activation to active duty and must notify the county clerk and the county collector within 180 days after his or her deactivation and provide verification of the date of his or her deactivation. An installment of property taxes on the property of any reservist or guardsperson who fails to provide timely notice and verification of deactivation to the county clerk is subject to interest and penalties as delinquent taxes under this Code from the date of deactivation.

(Source: P.A. 94‑312, eff. 7‑25‑05.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑25)

Sec. 21‑25. Due dates; accelerated billing in counties of 3,000,000 or more. Except as hereinafter provided and as provided in Section 21‑40, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants in which the accelerated method of billing and paying taxes provided for in Section 21‑30 is in effect, the estimated first installment of unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after March 1 at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof until paid or forfeited. The second installment of unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after August 1 annually at the same interest rate until paid or forfeited.

If the county board elects by ordinance adopted prior to July 1 of a levy year to provide for taxes to be paid in 4 installments, each installment for that levy year and each subsequent year shall be deemed delinquent and shall begin to bear interest 30 days after the date specified by the ordinance for mailing bills, at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof, until paid or forfeited.

Payment received by mail and postmarked on or before the required due date is not delinquent.

Taxes levied on homestead property in which a member of the National Guard or reserves of the armed forces of the United States who was called to active duty on or after August 1, 1990, and who has an ownership interest, shall not be deemed delinquent and no interest shall accrue or be charged as a penalty on such taxes due and payable in 1991 or 1992 until one year after that member returns to civilian status.

If an Illinois resident who is a member of the Illinois National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and who has an ownership interest in property taxed under this Act is called to active duty for deployment outside the continental United States and is on active duty on the due date of any installment of taxes due under this Act, he or she shall not be deemed delinquent in the payment of the installment and no interest shall accrue or be charged as a penalty on the installment until 180 days after that member returns to civilian status. To be deemed not delinquent in the payment of an installment of taxes and any interest on that installment, the reservist or guardsperson must make a reasonable effort to notify the county clerk and the county collector of his or her activation to active duty and must notify the county clerk and the county collector within 180 days after his or her deactivation and provide verification of the date of his or her deactivation. An installment of property taxes on the property of any reservist or guardsperson who fails to provide timely notice and verification of deactivation to the county clerk is subject to interest and penalties as delinquent taxes under this Code from the date of deactivation.

(Source: P.A. 94‑312, eff. 7‑25‑05.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑27)

Sec. 21‑27. Waiver of interest penalty.

(a) On the recommendation of the county treasurer, the county board may adopt a resolution under which an interest penalty for the delinquent payment of taxes for any year that otherwise would be imposed under Section 21‑15, 21‑20, or 21‑25 shall be waived in the case of any person who meets all of the following criteria:

(1) The person is determined eligible for a grant under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act with respect to the taxes for that year.

(2) The person requests, in writing, on a form approved by the county treasurer, a waiver of the interest penalty, and the request is filed with the county treasurer on or before the first day of the month that an installment of taxes is due.

(3) The person pays the installment of taxes due, in full, on or before the third day of the month that the installment is due.

(4) The county treasurer approves the request for a waiver.

(b) With respect to property that qualifies as a brownfield site under Section 58.2 of the Environmental Protection Act, the county board, upon the recommendation of the county treasurer, may, within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, adopt a resolution to waive an interest penalty for the delinquent payment of taxes for any year prior to the 2008 taxable year that otherwise would be imposed under Section 21‑15, 21‑20, or 21‑25 if all of the following criteria are met:

(1) the property has delinquent taxes and an outstanding interest penalty and the amount of that interest penalty is so large as to, possibly, result in all of the taxes becoming uncollectible;

(2) the property is part of a redevelopment plan of a unit of local government and that unit of local government does not oppose the waiver of the interest penalty;

(3) the redevelopment of the property will benefit the public interest by remediating the brownfield contamination;

(4) the taxpayer delivers to the county treasurer (i) a written request for a waiver of the interest penalty, on a form approved by the county treasurer, and (ii) a copy of the redevelopment plan for the property;

(5) the taxpayer pays, in full, the amount of up to the amount of the first 2 installments of taxes due, to be held in escrow pending the approval of the waiver, and enters into an agreement with the county treasurer setting forth a schedule for the payment of any remaining taxes due; and

(6) the county treasurer approves the request for a waiver.

(Source: P.A. 95‑644, eff. 10‑12‑07.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑30)

Sec. 21‑30. Accelerated billing. Except as provided in this Section, Section 9‑260, and Section 21‑40, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, by January 31 annually, estimated tax bills setting out the first installment of property taxes for the preceding year, payable in that year, shall be prepared and mailed. The first installment of taxes on the estimated tax bills shall be computed at (i) 50% of the total of each tax bill for the preceding year for taxes payable on or before December 31, 2009, and (ii) 55% of the total of each tax bill for the preceding year beginning with the first installment payable in 2010. If, prior to the preparation of the estimated tax bills, a certificate of error has been either approved by a court on or before November 30 of the preceding year or certified pursuant to Section 14‑15 on or before November 30 of the preceding year, then the first installment of taxes on the estimated tax bills shall be computed at (i) 50% of the total taxes for the preceding year as corrected by the certificate of error for taxes payable on or before December 31, 2009, and (ii) 55% of the total taxes for the preceding year, as corrected by the certificate of error, beginning with the first installment payable in 2010. By June 30 annually, actual tax bills shall be prepared and mailed. These bills shall set out total taxes due and the amount of estimated taxes billed in the first installment, and shall state the balance of taxes due for that year as represented by the sum derived from subtracting the amount of the first installment from the total taxes due for that year.

The county board may provide by ordinance, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, for taxes to be paid in 4 installments. For the levy year for which the ordinance is first effective and each subsequent year, estimated tax bills setting out the first, second, and third installment of taxes for the preceding year, payable in that year, shall be prepared and mailed not later than the date specified by ordinance. Each installment on estimated tax bills shall be computed at 25% of the total of each tax bill for the preceding year. By the date specified in the ordinance, actual tax bills shall be prepared and mailed. These bills shall set out total taxes due and the amount of estimated taxes billed in the first, second, and third installments and shall state the balance of taxes due for that year as represented by the sum derived from subtracting the amount of the estimated installments from the total taxes due for that year.

The county board of any county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants may, by ordinance or resolution, adopt an accelerated method of tax billing. The county board may subsequently rescind the ordinance or resolution and revert to the method otherwise provided for in this Code.

(Source: P.A. 96‑490, eff. 8‑14‑09.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑35)

Sec. 21‑35. Estimated billing in overlapping districts. In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, when the certified assessed valuations for that portion of overlapping taxing districts lying in another county for the preceding year have not been received by the county clerk by March 1, the county board, upon petition of the county clerk, may by resolution or ordinance adopted on or prior to April 1 of that year, adopt the estimated property tax billing system provided for in this Section for taxes for the preceding year. The resolution or ordinance shall be effective only for the year in which it is adopted.

When authorized by the county board to use the estimated property tax billing system, the county clerk shall estimate the assessed valuations for the other counties in the overlapping taxing districts from which certified assessed valuations for the preceding year have not been received by March 1. The estimated assessed valuations shall, for purposes of computing the first installment tax billing in the current year, be treated in the same manner as certified assessed valuations. Where estimated assessed valuations are used, the first installment billing shall be prepared and mailed on or before May 1.

The county clerk shall make adjustments in the assessments, based on the actual certified assessed valuations later received from the other counties, and such adjustments shall be included in the tax billings for the second installment. A county using the estimated billing system shall complete and mail the adjusted second installment tax billing on or before August 1.

(Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑40)

Sec. 21‑40. Ordinance for delayed due date; accrual of interest.

(a) In any county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the county board may adopt an ordinance under which 50% of each installment of taxes shall not become delinquent until 60 days after each installment would otherwise become delinquent under Sections 21‑15, 21‑20, 21‑25 or 21‑30.

(b) Beginning with installments of taxes and special assessments payable in 1994, in any county that has been designated, in whole or in part, as a disaster area by the President of the United States or the Governor of the State of Illinois due to a disaster that occurred during the calendar year in which the taxes are payable or in the preceding calendar year, the county board may adopt an ordinance or resolution under which interest allowed to be assessed on special assessments or allowed to be assessed under Sections 21‑15, 21‑20, and 21‑25 on delinquent installments of taxes for real property within one or more townships (or congressional townships if the assessor's books are organized by congressional townships) designated by the county board, that have been affected by the disaster does not accrue until the court enters the order for sale of the property. The ordinance or resolution shall provide that a person may pay a delinquent installment of taxes or special assessment without interest being assessed until the last working day before the court enters the order for sale of the property. If adopted, the ordinance or resolution must establish a procedure for affected property owners to make application to a designated county official who shall determine, according to the guidelines in the ordinance or resolution, whether the property is substantially damaged or adversely affected and shall approve damaged or adversely affected property for the delay in accrual of interest specified in the ordinance or resolution. The designated county official shall notify the county collector of the parcel number and the name of the owner of property approved for relief.

(c) (1) The governing authority of any county that has been designated, in whole or in part, as a disaster area by the President of the United States or the Governor of the State of Illinois may adopt an ordinance or resolution modifying the provisions of this Act relating to any specified installment or installments of real property tax or special assessment on real property that is situated within the designated disaster area and that is determined, in the manner provided in the ordinance or resolution, to be substantially damaged or adversely affected as a result of that disaster.

The ordinance or resolution may:

(A) postpone the date on which any specified installment or installments of tax due on that real property in the current year becomes or became delinquent under Section 21‑15, 21‑20, or 21‑25;

(B) exempt any specified installment or installments of tax due on that real property from the interest penalty provided under Section 21‑15, 21‑20, or 21‑25 until the postponed delinquency date established by the ordinance or resolution;

(C) postpone the date on which a special assessment due on that real property in the current year becomes or became delinquent; and exempt a special assessment due on that real property from any interest penalty until the postponed delinquency date established by the ordinance or resolution; and

(D) order the county collector not to give notice of application for judgment for sale under Section 21‑110 or 21‑120 and not to apply for judgment and order of sale under Section 21‑150, until after the postponed delinquency date for the final installment of tax or special assessment due on that real property as established in the ordinance or resolution.

(2) The ordinance or resolution shall establish a procedure for owners of real property situated in the designated disaster area to make application to a designated county official, who shall determine, within the guidelines established by the ordinance or resolution, if the property is substantially damaged or adversely affected and approve the property for relief as specified in the ordinance or resolution adopted under this subsection (c). The designated county official shall notify the county collector of the parcel number and name of the property owner of property approved for relief.

(3) The ordinance or resolution may also direct the county collector to give a credit against a special assessment or the extension of the general corporate levy of the county for the year following the year in which the disaster is declared to the owner of property approved for relief in an amount equal to any interest penalty paid by that owner on any specified installment or installments of tax due on that property in the year the disaster is declared, if that interest penalty was paid before the ordinance or resolution was adopted or before the postponed delinquency dates.

(4) The ordinance or resolution may also direct the county collector to refund any installment or installments, and any special assessment or interest penalties thereon, of tax due, in the year the disaster is declared, on property approved for relief, that have been paid by the holder of a certificate of purchase for a prior year on that property.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 88‑518; 88‑660, eff. 9‑16‑94; 89‑89, eff. 6‑30‑95.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑45)

Sec. 21‑45. Failure to issue tax bill in prior year. In the event no tax bill was issued as provided in Section 21‑30, on any property in any previous year for any reason, one tax bill shall be prepared and mailed by July 1 of the year subsequent to the year in which no tax bill was issued, and taxes on that property for that year only shall bear interest after the first day of August of that year at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof until paid or forfeited.

(Source: P.A. 87‑17; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑50)

Sec. 21‑50. Annexations, disconnection or dissolution ‑ Accelerated billing. In the event any property becomes newly liable for taxes levied by any taxing district because of an incorporation or annexation of the taxing district or liability does not exist because of a disconnection of any area of the unit of local government or school district or the dissolution thereof, each estimated installment of property taxes provided for in Section 21‑30 shall be computed at 25% of the total of the tax bill for the property for the preceding year. Taxes for which the property becomes newly liable or for which liability does not exist for the property because of a disconnection of any area of, or the dissolution of, any taxing district, shall be added to or subtracted from the balance of taxes due for that year under Section 21‑30.

(Source: P.A. 87‑17; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑55)

Sec. 21‑55. Cancellation of accelerated tax bill. Any person may object to an estimated tax bill under Section 21‑30 on forms provided by the county collector solely on the grounds that the estimate is based on (a) a tax bill pertaining to any property which was divided subsequent to the time for preparation of the collector's books in the year previous to the year the tax bill on which the estimate is based became delinquent, or (b) the property is no longer located within the corporate limits of any taxing district. Upon a finding by the county collector that the protest is factually correct and that tax bills for that property, or divisions thereof, have been or are being prepared and will be mailed as otherwise provided in this Code, the county collector shall mark the estimated bill and his or her books in an appropriate manner and so inform the county clerk and the estimated tax bill shall be cancelled. No payment of taxes shall be required prior to the filing of an objection permitted by this Section.

(Source: P.A. 87‑17; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑60)

Sec. 21‑60. Refund of overpayment; accelerated billing. In any county in which the accelerated method of billing and paying taxes as provided for in Section 21‑30 is in effect, if a taxpayer has paid an amount on his or her estimated tax bills which exceeds the total taxes for the year as shown on the actual tax bill, the county collector shall refund the amount of the overpayment to the person who paid the estimated installments.

When a payment in full satisfaction of a year's taxes has been made, but an open balance is shown unpaid on the Warrant Book because of an over estimation of the taxes in the estimated installments, the County Collector shall provide for an appropriate entry in the Warrant Book to close the item.

(Source: P.A. 87‑17; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 21 Div. 2 heading) Division 2. Enforcement actions

(35 ILCS 200/21‑70)

Sec. 21‑70. Lien ‑ Payments by representative or agent. When property is assessed to any person as agent for another, or in a representative capacity, the agent or representative shall have a lien on the property, or any property of his or her principal in the agent's possession, until he or she is indemnified against the payment thereof, or, if he or she has paid the tax, until he or she is reimbursed for the payment.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑75)

Sec. 21‑75. Lien for taxes. The taxes upon property, together with all penalties, interests and costs that may accrue thereon, shall be a prior and first lien on the property, superior to all other liens and encumbrances, from and including the first day of January in the year in which the taxes are levied until the taxes are paid or until the property is sold under this Code.

(a) Foreclosure ‑ Property forfeited for 2 or more years. A lien may be foreclosed, in the circuit court in the name of the People of the State of Illinois, whenever the taxes for 2 or more years on the same description of property have been forfeited to the State. The property may be sold under the order of the court by the person having authority to receive County taxes, with notice to interested parties and right of redemption from the sale, (except that the interest or any other amount to be paid upon redemption in addition to the amount for which the property was sold shall be as provided herein), as provided in Sections 21‑345 through 21‑365 and 21‑380, and in conformity with Section 8 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution.

In any action to foreclose the lien for delinquent taxes brought by the People of the State of Illinois when the taxes for 2 or more years on the same description of property have been forfeited to the State, service of process shall be made in the manner now prescribed by law. All owners, parties interested, and occupants of any property against which tax liens are sought to be foreclosed shall be named as parties defendant, and shall be served in the manner and form as provided by law for the service of defendants in foreclosures of lien or encumbrances upon real estate. In case there are other parties with ownership interests in the property, they shall be named in the notice under the designation "unknown owners".

(b) Redemption interest. The interest to be paid upon redemption from all tax foreclosure sales held under this Section shall be:

(1) If redeemed within 2 months from the date of the sale, 3% per month upon the amount for which the property was sold for each of the first 2 months, or fraction thereof;

(2) If redeemed between 2 and 6 months from the date of the sale, 12% of the amount of sale;

(3) If redeemed between 6 and 12 months from the date of the sale, 24% of the amount of sale;

(4) If redeemed between 12 and 18 months from the date of the sale, 36% of the amount of sale;

(5) If redeemed between 18 and 24 months from the date of the sale, 48% of the amount of sale;

(6) If redeemed after 24 months from the date of sale, the 48% for the 24 months plus interest at 6% per year thereafter.

(c) Enforcement of lien from rents and profits. A lien under this Section may be enforced at any time after 6 months from the day the tax becomes delinquent out of the rents and profits of the land accruing, or accrued and under the control or jurisdiction of a court. This process may be initiated by the county board of the county or by the corporate authorities of any taxing body entitled to receive any part of the delinquent tax, by petition in any pending suit having jurisdiction of the land, or in any application for judgment and order of sale of lands for delinquent taxes in which the land is included, in the name of the People of the State of Illinois.

The process, practice and procedure under this subsection shall be the same as provided in the Civil Practice Law and the Supreme Court Rules adopted in relation to that Law, except that receivers may be appointed on not less than 3 days' written notice to owners of record or persons in possession. In all petitions the court shall have power to appoint the county collector to take possession of the property only for the purpose of collecting the rents, issues and profits therefrom, and to apply them in satisfaction of the tax lien. When the taxes set forth in the petition are paid in full, the receiver shall be discharged. If the taxes described in the petition are reduced by the final judgment of a court, the county collector shall immediately refund all moneys collected by him or her as receiver over and above the taxes as reduced, and shall deduct that amount from the moneys thereafter distributed to the taxing bodies which received the tax revenue.

In proceedings to foreclose the tax lien, or in petitions to enforce the lien, the amount due on the collector's books against the property shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of taxes against the property. When any taxes are collected, they shall be paid to the county collector, to be distributed by him or her to the authorities entitled to them. All sales made under this Section shall be conducted under the order and supervision of the court by the county collector.

An action to foreclose the lien for delinquent taxes under this Code is an action in rem.

(Source: P.A. 84‑551; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑80)

Sec. 21‑80. Preventing waste to property; receiver. During the pendency of any tax foreclosure proceeding and until the time to redeem the property sold expires, or redemption is made, from any sale made under any judgment foreclosing the lien of taxes, no waste shall be committed or suffered on any of the property involved. The property shall be maintained in good condition and repair. When violations of local building, health or safety codes make the property dangerous or hazardous, when taxes on the property are delinquent for 2 years or more, or when in the judgment of the court it is to the best interest of the parties, the court may, upon the verified petition of any party to the proceeding, or the holder of the certificate of purchase, appoint a receiver for the property with like powers and duties of receivers as in other cases of foreclosure of mortgages or trust deeds. The court in its discretion, may take any other action as may be necessary or desirable to prevent waste and maintain the property in good condition and repair.

(Source: P.A. 85‑795; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑85)

Sec. 21‑85. No receiver for farm or homestead dwelling. No receiver shall be appointed under the provisions of Section 21‑80 for property used for farming or for property improved in whole or in part as a family dwelling and occupied by the owner as a residence at the time the unpaid taxes became a lien and continuously thereafter.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 877; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑90)

Sec. 21‑90. Purchase and sale by county; distribution of proceeds. When any property is delinquent, or is forfeited for each of 2 or more years, and is offered for sale under any of the provisions of this Code, the County Board of the County in which the property is located, in its discretion, may bid, or, in the case of forfeited property, may apply to purchase it, in the name of the County as trustee for all taxing districts having an interest in the property's taxes or special assessments for the nonpayment of which the property is sold. The presiding officer of the county board, with the advice and consent of the Board, may appoint on its behalf some officer or person to attend such sales and bid or, in the case of forfeited property, to apply to the county clerk to purchase. The County shall apply on the bid or purchase the unpaid taxes and special assessments due upon the property. No cash need be paid. The County shall take all steps necessary to acquire title to the property and may manage and operate the property. When a county, or other taxing district within the county, is a petitioner for a tax deed, no filing fee shall be required. When a county or other taxing district within the county is the petitioner for a tax deed, one petition may be filed including all parcels that are tax delinquent within the county or taxing district, and any publication made under Section 22‑20 of this Code may combine all such parcels within a single notice. The notice shall list the street or common address, if known, of the parcels for informational purposes. The county, as tax creditor and as trustee for other tax creditors, or other taxing district within the county, shall not be required to allege and prove that all taxes and special assessments which become due and payable after the sale to the county have been paid nor shall the county be required to pay the subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments at any time. The county board or its designee may prohibit the county collector from including the property in the tax sale of one or more subsequent years. The lien of taxes and special assessments which become due and payable after a sale to a county shall merge in the fee title of the county, or other taxing district within the county, on the issuance of a deed.

The County may sell or assign the property so acquired, or the certificate of purchase to it, to any party, including taxing districts. The proceeds of that sale or assignment, less all costs of the county incurred in the acquisition and sale or assignment of the property, shall be distributed to the taxing districts in proportion to their respective interests therein.

Under Sections 21‑110, 21‑115, 21‑120 and 21‑405, a County may bid or purchase only in the absence of other bidders.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 88‑535; 89‑412, eff. 11‑17‑95.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑95)

Sec. 21‑95. Tax abatement after acquisition by a governmental unit. When any county or municipality acquires property through the foreclosure of a lien, through a judicial deed, through the foreclosure of receivership certificate lien, or by acceptance of a deed of conveyance in lieu of foreclosing any lien against the property, or when a government unit acquires property under the Abandoned Housing Rehabilitation Act, or when any county or other taxing district acquires a deed for property under Section 21‑90 or Sections 21‑145 and 21‑260, all due or unpaid property taxes and existing liens for unpaid property taxes imposed or pending under any law or ordinance of this State or any of its political subdivisions shall become null and void.

(Source: P.A. 91‑305, eff. 1‑1‑00.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑100)

Sec. 21‑100. Notice to county officials; voiding of tax bills. The county board or corporate authorities of the county, or other taxing district acquiring property under Section 21‑95 shall give written notice of the acquisition to the chief county assessment officer and the county collector and the county clerk of the county in which the property is located, and request the voiding of the tax liens as provided in this Section. The notice shall describe the acquired property by legal description or property index number.

Upon receipt of the notice, the county collector and county clerk shall void the current and all prior unpaid taxes on the records in their respective offices by entering the following statement upon their records for the property: "Acquired by ... (name of county or municipality acquiring the property under Section 21‑95). Taxes due and unpaid on this property ... (give legal description or property index number and address of the property) ... are waived and null and void under Section 21‑100 of the Property Tax Code. The tax bills of this property are hereby voided and liens for the taxes are extinguished."

(Source: P.A. 86‑949; 86‑1158; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑105)

Sec. 21‑105. Liability of owner; rights of tax purchaser. Nothing in Sections 21‑95 and 21‑100 shall relieve any owner liable for delinquent property taxes under this Code from the payment of any delinquent taxes or liens which have become null and void under those Sections.

Sections 21‑95 and 21‑100 shall not adversely affect the rights or interests of the holder of any bona fide certificate of purchase of the property for delinquent taxes. However, upon acquisition of property by a governmental unit as set forth in Section 21‑95, the rights and interests of the holder of any bona fide certificate of purchase of the property for delinquent taxes shall be limited to a sale in error and a refund as provided under Section 21‑310.

(Source: P.A. 91‑177, eff. 1‑1‑00.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑110)

Sec. 21‑110. Published notice of annual application for judgment and sale; delinquent taxes. At any time after all taxes have become delinquent in any year, the Collector shall publish an advertisement, giving notice of the intended application for judgment and sale of the delinquent properties. Except as provided below, the advertisement shall be in a newspaper published in the township or road district in which the properties are located. If there is no newspaper published in the township or road district, then the notice shall be published in some newspaper in the same county as the township or road district, to be selected by the county collector. When the property is in a city with more than 1,000,000 inhabitants, the advertisement may be in any newspaper published in the same county. When the property is in an incorporated town which has superseded a civil township, the advertisement shall be in a newspaper published in the incorporated town or if there is no such newspaper, then in a newspaper published in the county.

The provisions of this Section relating to the time when the Collector shall advertise intended application for judgment for sale are subject to modification by the governing authority of a county in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of Section 21‑40.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 88‑518; 89‑126, eff. 7‑11‑95.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑112)

Sec. 21‑112. Publication time limit. The Collector may recommend to a county board that the board pass an ordinance or resolution stating that the Collector shall no longer publish or send notice of delinquent or forfeited property taxes owed by a lessee of the property, pursuant to a leasehold assessment under Section 9‑195 or Section 15‑55 of the Property Tax Code or their predecessor provisions in the Revenue Act of 1939, if the taxes have been delinquent or forfeited for at least 10 years and there are no current delinquent or forfeited taxes. The Collector shall discontinue publishing and sending notice of the delinquent or forfeited taxes upon passage of the ordinance or resolution.

(Source: P.A. 89‑695, eff. 12‑31‑96.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑115)

Sec. 21‑115. Times of publication of notice. The advertisement shall be published once at least 10 days before the day on which judgment is to be applied for, and shall contain a list of the delinquent properties upon which the taxes or any part thereof remain due and unpaid, the names of owners, if known, the total amount due, and the year or years for which they are due. In counties of less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, advertisement shall include notice of the registration requirement for persons bidding at the sale. Properties upon which taxes have been paid in full under protest shall not be included in the list.

The collector shall give notice that he or she will apply to the circuit court on a specified day for judgment against the properties for the taxes, and costs, and for an order to sell the properties for the satisfaction of the amount due.

The collector shall also give notice of a date within the next 5 business days after the date of application on which all the properties for the sale of which an order is made will be exposed to public sale at a location within the county designated by the county collector, for the amount of taxes, and cost due. The advertisement published according to the provisions of this Section shall be deemed to be sufficient notice of the intended application for judgment and of the sale of properties under the order of the court. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section and Section 21‑110, in the 10 years following the completion of a general reassessment of property in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under an order of the Department, the publication shall be made not sooner than 10 days nor more than 90 days after the date when all unpaid taxes on property have become delinquent.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 89‑126, eff. 7‑11‑95; 89‑426, eff. 6‑1‑96; 89‑626, eff. 8‑9‑96.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑117)

Sec. 21‑117. Costs of publishing delinquent list. A county shall pay for the printer for advertising delinquent lists the following fees:

(1) in all counties, for tracts of land, $0.40 per column line; and

(2) for town lots, (i) in counties of the first and second class, $0.40 per column line and (ii) in counties of the third class, $0.50 per column line, to be taxed and collected as costs.

The printer shall receive for printing the preamble, the descriptive headings, the affidavit, and any other matter accompanying the delinquent list, the sum of $0.40 per column line, to be paid by the county.

No costs except printer's fee shall be charged on any lands or lots forfeited to the State.

(Source: P.A. 93‑963, eff. 8‑20‑04.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑120)

Sec. 21‑120. Publication of notice of application for judgment; special assessments; counties of 3,000,000 or more. In all cities, villages and incorporated towns in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, separate advertisements may be made giving notice of an intended application for judgment and for an order of sale on account of delinquent special assessments at any time after the first day of August after the special assessments have become delinquent. The procedure in that case is to be in all other respects, except as to the time of making advertisement and application for judgment and sale, the same as in the case of delinquent general taxes. There shall not be included in the advertisement and application for judgment and sale provided by this Section any properties which are included in the advertisement and application for judgment and sale under Section 21‑145.

No advertisement or publication may include parcels for which, under Section 14‑15, certificates of error have been executed by the county assessor, or by both the county assessor and board of appeals. In the absence of notice under Section 21‑135, or the absence of publication under this Section, the court shall retain jurisdiction to enter final judgments sustaining the assessor's objection on certificates of error. However, the court shall provide for publication and mailing prior to the entry of a final judgment in any case in which the assessor's objection is denied.

The provisions of this Section relating to the time when the Collector shall advertise intended application for judgment for sale are subject to modification by the governing authority of a county in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of Section 21‑40.

(Source: P.A. 87‑1189; 88‑455; 88‑518.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑125)

Sec. 21‑125. Sale of properties previously ordered sold. Property ordered sold by unexecuted judgments and orders of sale, previously entered, shall be included in the advertisement for sale only under the previous orders, and shall be sold in the order in which they appear in the delinquent list contained in the advertisement. At any time between annual sales the county collector also may advertise for sale any properties subject to sale under orders previously entered and not executed for any reason. The advertisement and sale shall be regulated by the provisions regulating the annual advertisement and sale of delinquent properties, as far as applicable.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑130)

Sec. 21‑130. Use of figures and letters in advertisement and other lists. In all advertisements for the sale of properties for taxes or special assessments, and in entries required to be made by the clerk of the court or other officer, letters, figures, characters or property index numbers may be used to denote townships, ranges, sections, parts of sections, lots or blocks, or parts thereof, the year or the years for which the taxes were due, and the amount of taxes, special assessments, interest and costs. The county collector may subsequently advertise and obtain judgment on properties that have been omitted, or that have been erroneously advertised or described in the first advertisement.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2254; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 21 Div. 3 heading) Division 3. Notice and publication provisions

(35 ILCS 200/21‑135)

Sec. 21‑135. Mailed notice of application for judgment and sale. Not less than 15 days before the date of application for judgment and sale of delinquent properties, the county collector shall mail, by registered or certified mail, a notice of the forthcoming application for judgment and sale to the person shown by the current collector's warrant book to be the party in whose name the taxes were last assessed or to the current owner of record and, if applicable, to the party specified under Section 15‑170. The notice shall include the intended dates of application for judgment and sale and commencement of the sale, and a description of the properties. The county collector must present proof of the mailing to the court along with the application for judgement.

In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, a copy of this notice shall also be mailed by the county collector by registered or certified mail to any lienholder of record who annually requests a copy of the notice. The failure of the county collector to mail a notice or its non‑delivery to the lienholder shall not affect the validity of the judgment.

In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, notice shall not be mailed to any person when, under Section 14‑15, a certificate of error has been executed by the county assessor or by both the county assessor and board of appeals (until the first Monday in December 1998 and the board of review beginning the first Monday in December 1998 and thereafter), except as provided by court order under Section 21‑120.

The collector shall collect $10 from the proceeds of each sale to cover the costs of registered or certified mailing and the costs of advertisement and publication. If a taxpayer pays the taxes on the property after the notice of the forthcoming application for judgment and sale is mailed but before the sale is made, then the collector shall collect $10 from the taxpayer to cover the costs of registered or certified mailing and the costs of advertisement and publication.

(Source: P.A. 93‑899, eff. 8‑10‑04.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑140)

Sec. 21‑140. Printer's error in advertisement. In all cases where there is a printer's error in the advertised list which prevents judgment from being obtained against any property, or against all of the delinquent list, at the time stated in the advertisement, the printer shall lose the compensation allowed by this Code for those properties containing errors, or for the entire list, as the case may be.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑145)

Sec. 21‑145. Scavenger sale. At the same time the County Collector annually publishes the collector's annual sale advertisement under Sections 21‑110, 21‑115 and 21‑120, it is mandatory for the collector in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, and in other counties if the county board so orders by resolution, to publish an advertisement giving notice of the intended application for judgment and sale of all properties upon which all or a part of the general taxes for each of 2 or more years, including the current tax year, are delinquent as of the date of the advertisement. In no event may there be more than 2 consecutive years without a sale under this Section. The term delinquent also includes forfeitures. The County Collector shall include in the advertisement and in the application for judgment and sale under this Section and Section 21‑260 the total amount of all general taxes upon those properties which are delinquent as of the date of the advertisement. In lieu of a single annual advertisement and application for judgment and sale under this Section and Section 21‑260, the County Collector may, from time to time, beginning on the date of the publication of the annual sale advertisement and before August 1 of the next year, publish separate advertisements and make separate applications on eligible properties described in one or more volumes of the delinquent list. The separate advertisements and applications shall, in the aggregate, include all the properties which otherwise would have been included in the single annual advertisement and application for judgment and sale under this Section. Upon the written request of the taxing district which levied the same, the County Collector shall also include in the advertisement the special taxes and special assessments, together with interest, penalties and costs thereon upon those properties which are delinquent as of the date of the advertisement. The advertisement and application for judgment and sale shall be in the manner prescribed by this Code relating to the annual advertisement and application for judgment and sale of delinquent properties.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 89‑695, eff. 12‑31‑96.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 21 Div. 3.5 heading) Division 3.5. Judgments and Sales

(35 ILCS 200/21‑150)

Sec. 21‑150. Time of applying for judgment. Except as otherwise provided in this Section or by ordinance or resolution enacted under subsection (c) of Section 21‑40, all applications for judgment and order of sale for taxes and special assessments on delinquent properties shall be made during the month of October. In those counties which have adopted an ordinance under Section 21‑40, the application for judgment and order of sale for delinquent taxes shall be made in December. In the 10 years next following the completion of a general reassessment of property in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under an order of the Department, applications for judgment and order of sale shall be made as soon as may be and on the day specified in the advertisement required by Section 21‑110 and 21‑115. If for any cause the court is not held on the day specified, the cause shall stand continued, and it shall be unnecessary to re‑advertise the list or notice.

Within 30 days after the day specified for the application for judgment the court shall hear and determine the matter. If judgment is rendered, the sale shall begin on the date within 5 business days specified in the notice as provided in Section 21‑115. If the collector is prevented from advertising and obtaining judgment during the month of October, the collector may obtain judgment at any time thereafter; but if the failure arises by the county collector's not complying with any of the requirements of this Code, he or she shall be held on his or her official bond for the full amount of all taxes and special assessments charged against him or her. Any failure on the part of the county collector shall not be allowed as a valid objection to the collection of any tax or assessment, or to entry of a judgment against any delinquent properties included in the application of the county collector.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 88‑518; 89‑126, eff. 7‑11‑95; 89‑426, eff. 6‑1‑96; 89‑626, eff. 8‑9‑96.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑155)

Sec. 21‑155. Application for judgment on special assessments or special taxes; counties of 3,000,000 or more. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the application for judgment upon delinquent special assessments or special taxes in each year shall include only special assessments, special taxes, or installments thereof, and interest, as are returned as delinquent to the county collector on or before August 1 in the year in which the application is made, and in the case of those levied upon property in any city with 1,000,000 or more inhabitants, as were marked on the general tax books of the county collector on or before March 10 of the same year or within 15 days after the county collector received the general tax books that year. The judgment of sale shall include interest on matured installments up to the date of the judgment.

In the 10 years following the completion of a general reassessment in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under an order of the Department, the application shall be made during the month of October for judgment and order of sale for special assessments, special taxes, or installments thereof, and interest, in each year on delinquent properties, notwithstanding that such special assessments, special taxes, or installments thereof, and interest are not returned as delinquent to the county collector, on or before August 1 in the year in which the application is made, and in the case of those levied upon property in any city with 1,000,000 or more inhabitants, notwithstanding that such special assessments, special taxes or installments thereof, and interest, were not marked on the general tax books of the county collector, on or before March 10 of the same year or within 15 days after the county collector received the general tax books in that year, in that case, the county collector shall include in the application all special assessments, special taxes, and installments thereof, and interest, then remaining unpaid. Within 30 days after the county collector has received the general tax books, the special assessments, special taxes, or installments thereof, and interest, then remaining unpaid, shall be marked therein. If for any reason, the application cannot be made during the month of October, it shall be made at any time not later than January 1.

(Source: P.A. 83‑1312; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑160)

Sec. 21‑160. Annual tax judgment, sale, redemption, and forfeiture record. The collector shall transcribe into a record prepared for that purpose, and known as the annual tax judgment, sale, redemption and forfeiture record, the list of delinquent properties. On or before the day on which application for judgment is to be made, the record shall be made out in numerical order and contain all the information necessary to be recorded.

The record shall set forth the name of the owner, if known; the description of the property; the year or years for which the tax or, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the tax or special assessments is due; the valuation on which the tax is extended; the amount of the consolidated and other taxes or in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the consolidated and other taxes and special assessments; the costs; and the total amount of charges against the property.

The final record shall also be ruled in columns, to show in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants the withdrawal of any special assessments from collection and in all counties to show the amount paid before entry of judgment; the amount of judgment and a column for remarks; the amount paid before sale and after entry of judgment; the amount of the sale; amount of interest or penalty; amount of cost; amount forfeited to the State; date of sale; acres or part sold; name of purchaser; amount of sale and penalty; taxes of succeeding years; interest and when paid, interest and cost; total amount of redemption; date of redemption; when deed executed; by whom redeemed; and a column for remarks or receipt of redemption money.

The final record shall be kept in the office of the county clerk.

(Source: P.A. 95‑269, eff. 8‑17‑07.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑165)

Sec. 21‑165. Payment of delinquent tax before sale. Any person owning or claiming properties upon which application for judgment is applied for and any lienholder of record may, in person or by agent, pay the taxes, and costs due, or in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the taxes, special assessments, interest and costs due, to the county collector at any time before sale.

(Source: P.A. 92‑267, eff. 1‑1‑02.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑170)

Sec. 21‑170. Report of payments and corrections. On the day on which application for judgment on delinquent property is applied for, the collector, assisted by the county clerk, shall post all payments compare and correct the list, and shall make and subscribe an affidavit, which shall be substantially in the following form:

State of Illinois)

) ss.

County of .......)

I ...., collector of the county of ...., do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be), that the foregoing is a true and correct list of the delinquent property within the county of ...., upon which I have been unable to collect the taxes (and special assessments, interest, and printer's fees, if any), charged thereon, as required by law, for the year or years therein set forth; and that the taxes now remain due and unpaid, to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Dated ..........

The affidavit shall be entered at the end of the list, and signed by the collector.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 89‑126, eff. 7‑11‑95.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑175)

Sec. 21‑175. Proceedings by court. Defenses to the entry of judgment against properties included in the delinquent list shall be entertained by the court only when: (a) the defense includes a writing specifying the particular grounds for the objection; and (b) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14‑15, 14‑25, 23‑5, and 23‑25, the taxes to which objection is made are paid under protest under Section 23‑5 and a tax objection complaint is filed under Section 23‑10.

If any party objecting is entitled to a refund of all or any part of a tax paid, the court shall enter judgment accordingly, and also shall enter judgment for the taxes, special assessments, interest and penalties as appear to be due. The judgment shall be considered as a several judgment against each property or part thereof, for each kind of tax or special assessment included therein. The court shall direct the clerk to prepare and enter an order for the sale of the property against which judgment is entered. However, if a defense is made that the property, or any part thereof, is exempt from taxation and it is demonstrated that a proceeding to determine the exempt status of the property is pending under Section 16‑70 or 16‑130 or is being conducted under Section 8‑35 or 8‑40, the court shall not enter a judgment relating to that property until the proceedings being conducted under Section 8‑35 or Section 8‑40 have terminated.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 88‑642, eff. 9‑9‑94; 89‑126, eff. 7‑11‑95.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑180)

Sec. 21‑180. Form of court order. A judgment and order of sale shall be substantially in the following form:

Whereas, due notice has been given of the intended application for a judgment against properties, and no sufficient defense having been made or cause shown why judgment should not be entered against the properties, for taxes (special assessments, if any), interest, penalties and costs due and unpaid thereon for the year or years herein set forth, therefore the court hereby enters judgment against the above stated properties or parts of properties, in favor of the People of the State of Illinois, for the amount of taxes (and special assessments, if any), interest, penalties and costs due thereon. It is ordered by the court that the properties, or so much of each of them as shall be sufficient to satisfy the amount of taxes (and special assessments, if any), interest, penalties and costs due thereon, be sold as the law directs.

The order shall be signed by the judge. In all judicial proceedings of any kind, for the collection of taxes and special assessments, all amendments may be made which, by law, could be made in any personal action pending in that court.

(Source: P.A. 84‑1275; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑185)

Sec. 21‑185. Cure of error or informality in assessment rolls or tax list or in the assessment, levy or collection of the taxes. No assessment of property or charge for any of the taxes shall be considered illegal on account of any irregularity in the tax lists or assessment rolls, or on account of the assessment rolls or tax lists not having been made, completed or returned within the time required by law, or on account of the property having been charged or listed in the assessment or tax list without name, or in any other name than that of the rightful owner. No error or informality in the proceedings of any of the officers connected with the assessment, levying or collection of the taxes, not affecting the substantial justice of the tax itself, shall vitiate or in any manner affect the tax or the assessment thereof. Any irregularity or informality in the assessment rolls or tax lists, or in any of the proceedings connected with the assessment or levy of the taxes, or any omission or defective act of any other officer or officers connected with the assessment or levying of the taxes, may be, in the discretion of the court, corrected, supplied and made to conform to law by the court, or by the person (in the presence of the court) from whose neglect or default it was occasioned. Where separate advertisement and application for judgment and order of sale is made on account of delinquent special taxes or special assessments in all cities, villages and incorporated towns in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, and in cities, villages and incorporated towns in other counties in which the county board by resolution has extended the time in which the return, required in Section 20‑100, may be made, the procedure shall, in all respects, be the same as in this section prescribed, except that there shall be 2 separate judgments and orders for sale, one on account of delinquent special taxes and special assessments and the other on account of delinquent general taxes.

(Source: P.A. 84‑1275; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 21 Div. 4 heading) Division 4. Annual tax sale procedure

(35 ILCS 200/21‑190)

Sec. 21‑190. Entry of judgment for sale. If judgment is rendered against any property for any tax or, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, for any tax or special assessment, the county collector shall, after publishing a notice for sale in compliance with the requirements of Sections 21‑110 and 21‑115 or 21‑120, proceed to offer the property for sale pursuant to the judgment. However, in the case of an appeal from the judgment, if the party, when filing notice of appeal deposits with the county collector the amount of the judgment and costs, the collector shall not sell the property until the appeal is disposed of.

(Source: P.A. 79‑451; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑195)

Sec. 21‑195. Examination of record; certificate of correctness. On the day advertised for sale, the county clerk, assisted by the collector, shall examine the list upon which judgment has been entered and ascertain that all payments have been properly noted thereon. The county clerk shall make a certificate to be entered on the record, following the order of court that the record is correct, and that judgment was entered upon the property therein mentioned for the taxes, interest and costs due thereon. The certificate shall be attested by the circuit court clerk under seal of the court and shall be the process on which the property or any interest therein shall be sold for taxes, special assessments, interest and costs due thereon, and may be substantially in the following form:

State of Illinois County of .....

I, ...., clerk of the circuit court, in and for the county of ...., do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct record of the delinquent property in the county, against which judgment and order of sale was duly entered in the circuit court for the county, on (insert date), for the amount of the taxes, special assessments, interest and costs due severally thereon as therein set forth, and that the judgment and order of court in relation thereto fully appears on the record.

Dated (insert date).

(Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑200)

Sec. 21‑200. County clerk assistance at sale. The county clerk, in person or by deputy, shall attend all sales for taxes, made by the collector, and shall assist at the sales.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑205)

Sec. 21‑205. Tax sale procedures. The collector, in person or by deputy, shall attend, on the day and in the place specified in the notice for the sale of property for taxes, and shall, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., or later at the collector's discretion, proceed to offer for sale, separately and in consecutive order, all property in the list on which the taxes, special assessments, interest or costs have not been paid. However, in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the offer for sale shall be made between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The collector's office shall be kept open during all hours in which the sale is in progress. The sale shall be continued from day to day, until all property in the delinquent list has been offered for sale. However, any city, village or incorporated town interested in the collection of any tax or special assessment, may, in default of bidders, withdraw from collection the special assessment levied against any property by the corporate authorities of the city, village or incorporated town. In case of a withdrawal, there shall be no sale of that property on account of the delinquent special assessment thereon.

In every sale of property pursuant to the provisions of this Code, the collector may employ any automated means that the collector deems appropriate, provided that bidders are required to personally attend the sale. The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly are declarative of existing law.

(Source: P.A. 94‑922, eff. 1‑1‑07.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑210)

Sec. 21‑210. Bids by taxing districts. Any city, incorporated town or village, corporate authorities, commissioners, or persons interested in any special assessment or installment thereof, may become purchaser at any sale, and may designate and appoint some officer or person to attend and bid at the sale on its behalf.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑215)

Sec. 21‑215. Penalty bids. The person at the sale offering to pay the amount due on each property for the least penalty percentage shall be the purchaser of that property. No bid shall be accepted for a penalty exceeding 18% of the amount of the tax or special assessment on property.

(Source: P.A. 86‑1431; 86‑1480; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑220)

Sec. 21‑220. Letter of credit or bond in counties of 3,000,000 or more; registration in other counties. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, no person shall make an offer to pay the amount due on any property and the collector shall not accept or acknowledge an offer from any person who has not deposited with the collector, not less than 10 days prior to making such offer, an irrevocable and unconditional letter of credit or such other unconditional bond payable to the order of the collector in an amount not less than 1.5 times the amount of any tax or special assessment due upon the property, provided that in no event shall the irrevocable and unconditional letter of credit or such other unconditional bond be in an amount less than $1,000. The collector may without notice draw upon the letter of credit or bond in the event payment of the amount due together with interest and costs thereon is not made forthwith by the person purchasing any property. At all times during the sale, any person making an offer or offers to pay the amount or amounts due on any properties shall maintain the letter of credit or bond with the collector in an amount not less than 1.5 times the amount due on the properties which he or she has purchased and for which he or she has not paid.

In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, unless the county board provides otherwise, no person shall be eligible to bid who did not register with the county collector at least 10 business days prior to the first day of sale authorized under Section 21‑115. The registration must be accompanied by a deposit in an amount determined by the county collector, but not to exceed $250 in counties of less than 50,000 inhabitants or $500 in all other counties, which must be applied to the amount due on the properties that the registrant has purchased. If the registrant cannot participate in the tax sale, then he or she may notify the tax collector, no later than 5 business days prior to the sale, of the name of the substitute person who will participate in the sale in the registrant's place, and an additional deposit is not required for any such substitute person. If the registrant does not attend the sale, then the deposit is forfeited to the Tax Sale Automation Fund established under Section 21‑245. If the registrant does attend the sale and attempts, but fails, to purchase any parcels offered for sale, then the deposit must be refunded to the registrant.

(Source: P.A. 95‑537, eff. 8‑28‑07.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑225)

Sec. 21‑225. Forfeited property. Every property offered at public sale, and not sold for want of bidders, unless it is released from sale by the withdrawal from collection of a special assessment levied thereon, shall be forfeited to the State of Illinois. However, when the court, county clerk and county treasurer certify that the taxes and special assessments not withdrawn from collection on forfeited property equal or exceed the actual value of the property, the county collector shall, on the receipt of such certificate, offer the property for sale to the highest bidder, after first giving 10 days' notice, in the manner described in Sections 21‑110 and 21‑115, of the time and place of sale, together with a description of the property to be offered. A certificate of purchase shall be issued to the purchaser at the sale as in other cases provided in this Code. The county collector shall receive credit in the settlement with the taxing bodies for which the tax was levied for the amount not realized by the sale. The amount received from the sale shall be paid by the collector, pro rata, to the taxing bodies entitled to it.

(Source: Laws 1965, p. 631; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑230)

Sec. 21‑230. Record of sales and redemptions. When any property is sold, the county clerk shall enter on the Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Record, in the blank columns provided for that purpose, the name of the purchaser and the final bid. When any property is redeemed from sale, the county clerk shall enter the name of the person redeeming, the redemption date and the amount of redemption, in the proper column.

(Source: Laws 1965, p. 631; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑235)

Sec. 21‑235. Record of forfeitures. All properties forfeited to the State at the sale shall be noted on the Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Record.

In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, a list of all property charged with delinquent special assessments and forfeited to the State at the sale shall be returned to the collector of the levying municipality.

(Source: P.A. 76‑2254; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑240)

Sec. 21‑240. Payment for property purchased at tax sale; reoffering for sale. Except as otherwise provided below, the person purchasing any property, or any part thereof, shall be liable to the county for the amount due and shall forthwith pay to the county collector the amount charged on the property. Upon failure to do so, the amount due shall be recoverable in a civil action brought in the name of the People of the State of Illinois in any court of competent jurisdiction. The person so purchasing shall be relieved of liability only by payment of the amount due together with interest and costs thereon, or if the property is reoffered at the sale, purchased and paid for. Reoffering of the property for sale shall be at the discretion of the collector. The sale shall not be closed until payment is made or the property again offered for sale. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, only the taxes, special assessments, interest and costs as advertised in the sale shall be required to be paid forthwith. The general taxes charged on the land remaining due and unpaid, including amounts subject to certificates of error, not included in the advertisement, shall be paid by the purchaser within 10 days after the sale, except that upon payment of the fee provided by law to the County Clerk (which fee shall be deemed part of the costs of sale) the purchaser may make written application, within the 10 day period, to the county clerk for a statement of all taxes, interest and costs due and an estimate of the cost of redemption of all forfeited general taxes, which were not included in the advertisement. After obtaining such statement and estimate and an order on the county collector to receive the amount of forfeited general taxes, if any, the purchaser shall pay to the county collector all the remaining taxes, interest and costs, and the amount necessary to redeem the forfeited general taxes. The county collector shall issue the purchaser a receipt therefor. Any delay in providing the statement or in accepting payment, and delivering receipt therefor, shall not be counted as a part of the 10 days. When the receipt of the collector is issued, a copy shall be filed with the county clerk and the county clerk shall include the amount shown in such receipt in the amount of the purchase price of the property in the certificate of purchase. The purchaser then shall be entitled to a certificate of purchase. If a purchaser fails to complete his or her purchase as provided in this Section, the purchase shall become void, and be of no effect, but the collector shall not refund the amount paid in cash at the time of the sale, except in cases of sale in error. That amount shall be treated as a payment and distributed to the taxing bodies as other collections are distributed. The lien for taxes for the amount paid shall remain on the property, in favor of the purchaser, his or her heirs or assigns, until paid with 5% interest per year on that amount from the date the purchaser paid it. The amount and fact of such ineffective purchase shall be entered in the tax judgment, sale, redemption and forfeiture record opposite the property upon which the lien remains. No redemption shall be made without payment of this amount for the benefit of the purchaser, and no future sale of the property shall be made except subject to the lien of such purchaser. This section shall not apply to any purchase by any city, village or incorporated town in default of other bidders at any sale for delinquent special assessments.

(Source: P.A. 84‑1308; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑245)

Sec. 21‑245. Automation fee. The county collector in all counties may assess to the purchaser of property for delinquent taxes an automation fee of not more than $10 per parcel. In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants:

(a) The fee shall be paid at the time of the purchase if the record keeping system used for processing the delinquent property tax sales is automated or has been approved for automation by the county board. The fee shall be collected in the same manner as other fees or costs.

(b) Fees collected under this Section shall be retained by the county treasurer in a fund designated as the Tax Sale Automation Fund. The fund shall be audited by the county auditor. The county board, with the approval of the county treasurer, shall make expenditures from the fund (1) to pay any costs related to the automation of property tax collections and delinquent property tax sales, including the cost of hardware, software, research and development, and personnel and (2) to defray the cost of providing electronic access to property tax collection records and delinquent tax sale records.

(Source: P.A. 93‑415, eff. 8‑5‑03.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑250)

Sec. 21‑250. Certificate of purchase. The county clerk shall make out and deliver to the purchaser of any property sold under Section 21‑205, a certificate of purchase countersigned by the collector, describing the property sold, the date of sale, the amount of taxes, special assessments, interest and cost for which they were sold and that payment of the sale price has been made. If any person becomes the purchaser of more than one property owned by one party or person, the purchaser may have the whole or one or more of them included in one certificate, but separate certificates shall be issued in all other cases. A certificate of purchase shall be assignable by endorsement. An assignment shall vest in the assignee or his or her legal representatives, all the right and title of the original purchaser.

If the tax certificate is lost or destroyed, the county clerk shall issue a duplicate certificate upon written request and a sworn affidavit by the tax sale purchaser, or his or her assignee, that the tax certificate is lost or destroyed. The county clerk shall cause a notation to be made in the tax sale and judgment book that a duplicate certificate has been issued, and redemption payments shall be made only to the holder of the duplicate certificate.

(Source: P.A. 88‑455; 89‑617, eff. 9‑1‑96.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑251)

Sec. 21‑251. Registry of owners of certificates of purchase.

(a) The county clerk of each county shall create and maintain a registry system that permanently records the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of owners or assignees of certificates of purchase issued pursuant to any tax sale conducted under this Code. The registry may consist of a single record or a combination of records maintained in paper or electronic form and may include copies of records kept by the county treasurer for other purposes, all to be used as the county clerk deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this Section. The information in the registry shall be made available to the public.

(b) The county clerk of each county is authorized to promulgate reasonable rules, procedures, and forms for purposes of creating and maintaining the registry and for access to the registry information by members of the public. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, any owner of a certificate of purchase pursuant to assignment may elect whether to register that assignment as provided in this Section, but all owners of certificates of purchase shall be subject to the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section. In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the county clerk shall provide by rule whether registration of assignments of certificates of purchase shall be elective or mandatory.

(c) The owner of a certificate of purchase pursuant to assignment, in order to register that assignment, shall submit to the county clerk the owner's name, address, and telephone number in accordance with any rules, procedures, and forms promulgated by the clerk. Any registered owner of a certificate of purchase may update the registration at any time without charge by submitting to the county clerk any lawful change of name, address, or telephone number.

(d) If notice is required to be given to the owner of the certificate of purchase in any proceeding, whether judicial or administrative, affecting a tax sale conducted under any provision of this Code, the notice may be directed to the most recent owner of the certificate of purchase appearing in the county clerk's registry under this Section. Any notice that has been directed as provided in this Section shall be conclusively presumed to be properly directed to the owner of the certificate of purchase for all purposes related to the proceeding in which the notice is given. No objection or assertion by any assignee of a certificate of purchase in any proceeding shall be heard on grounds that a notice to the tax purchaser was misdirected, unless that assignee's current and lawful name, address, and telephone number were submitted to the county clerk's registry at the time of the notice in question.

(e) The county clerk may assess an automation fee of no more than $10 to be paid by the owner of the certificate of purchase for each assignment of the certificate that is registered under this Section. The fee shall be collected in the same manner as other fees and costs and shall be held by the county clerk in a fund for purposes of automating his or her office. The fee provided for under this Section shall not be chargeable to the cost of redemption under Section 21‑355 nor shall it be posted under Section 21‑360 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 92‑729, eff. 7‑25‑02.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑252)

Sec. 21‑252. Index of tax sale records. The county clerk may make an index of tax‑sale records. The index shall be kept in the county clerk's office as a public record, open to inspection during office hours.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑255)

Sec. 21‑255. County clerk's books and records ‑ Prima facie evidence. The books and records of the county clerk, or copies thereof, certified by the clerk, shall be prima facie evidence to prove the sale of any property for taxes or special assessments, the redemption of the property, or payment of taxes or special assessments thereon.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 21 Div. 5 heading) Division 5. Scavenger sales; procedures

(35 ILCS 200/21‑260)

Sec. 21‑260. Collector's scavenger sale. Upon the county collector's application under Section 21‑145, to be known as the Scavenger Sale Application, the Court shall enter judgment for the general taxes, special taxes, special assessments, interest, penalties and costs as are included in the advertisement and appear to be due thereon after allowing an opportunity to object and a hearing upon the objections as provided in Section 21‑175, and order those properties sold by the County Collector at public sale to the highest bidder for cash, notwithstanding the bid may be less than the full amount of taxes, special taxes, special assessments, interest, penalties and costs for which judgment has been entered.

(a) Conducting the sale ‑ Bidding. All properties shall be offered for sale in consecutive order as they appear in the delinquent list. The minimum bid for any property shall be $250 or one‑half of the tax if the total liability is less than $500. The successful bidder shall immediately pay the amount of minimum bid to the County Collector in cash, by certified or cashier's check, by money order, or, if the successful bidder is a governmental unit, by a check issued by that governmental unit. If the bid exceeds the minimum bid, the successful bidder shall pay the balance of the bid to the county collector in cash, by certified or cashier's check, by money order, or, if the successful bidder is a governmental unit, by a check issued by that governmental unit by the close of the next business day. If the minimum bid is not paid at the time of sale or if the balance is not paid by the close of the next business day, then the sale is void and the minimum bid, if paid, is forfeited to the county general fund. In that event, the property shall be reoffered for sale within 30 days of the last offering of property in regular order. The collector shall make available to the public a list of all properties to be included in any reoffering due to the voiding of the original sale. The collector is not required to serve or publish any other notice of the reoffering of those properties. In the event that any of the properties are not sold upon reoffering, or are sold for less than the amount of the original voided sale, the original bidder who failed to pay the bid amount shall remain liable for the unpaid balance of the bid in an action under Section 21‑240. Liability shall not be reduced where the bidder upon reoffering also fails to pay the bid amount, and in that event both bidders shall remain liable for the unpaid balance of their respective bids. A sale of properties under this Section shall not be final until confirmed by the court.

(b) Confirmation of sales. The county collector shall file his or her report of sale in the court within 30 days of the date of sale of each property. No notice of the county collector's application to confirm the sales shall be required except as prescribed by rule of the court. Upon confirmation, except in cases where the sale becomes void under Section 22‑85, or in cases where the order of confirmation is vacated by the court, a sale under this Section shall extinguish the in rem lien of the general taxes, special taxes and special assessments for which judgment has been entered and a redemption shall not revive the lien. Confirmation of the sale shall in no event affect the owner's personal liability to pay the taxes, interest and penalties as provided in this Code or prevent institution of a proceeding under Section 21‑440 to collect any amount that may remain due after the sale.

(c) Issuance of tax sale certificates. Upon confirmation of the sale the County Clerk and the County Collector shall issue to the purchaser a certificate of purchase in the form prescribed by Section 21‑250 as near as may be. A certificate of purchase shall not be issued to any person who is ineligible to bid at the sale or to receive a certificate of purchase under Section 21‑265.

(d) Scavenger Tax Judgment, Sale and Redemption Record ‑ Sale of parcels not sold. The county collector shall prepare a Scavenger Tax Judgment, Sale and Redemption Record. The county clerk shall write or stamp on the scavenger tax judgment, sale, forfeiture and redemption record opposite the description of any property offered for sale and not sold, or not confirmed for any reason, the words "offered but not sold". The properties which are offered for sale under this Section and not sold or not confirmed shall be offered for sale annually thereafter in the manner provided in this Section until sold, except in the case of mineral rights, which after 10 consecutive years of being offered for sale under this Section and not sold or confirmed shall no longer be required to be offered for sale. At any time between annual sales the County Collector may advertise for sale any properties subject to sale under judgments for sale previously entered under this Section and not executed for any reason. The advertisement and sale shall be regulated by the provisions of this Code as far as applicable.

(e) Proceeding to tax deed. The owner of the certificate of purchase shall give notice as required by Sections 22‑5 through 22‑30, and may extend the period of redemption as provided by Section 21‑385. At any time within 6 months prior to expiration of the period of redemption from a sale under this Code, the owner of a certificate of purchase may file a petition and may obtain a tax deed under Sections 22‑30 through 22‑55. All proceedings for the issuance of a tax deed and all tax deeds for properties sold under this Section shall be subject to Sections 22‑30 through 22‑55. Deeds issued under this Section are subject to Section 22‑70. This Section shall be liberally construed so that the deeds provided for in this Section convey merchantable title.

(f) Redemptions from scavenger sales. Redemptions may be made from sales under this Section in the same manner and upon the same terms and conditions as redemptions from sales made under the County Collector's annual application for judgment and order of sale, except that in lieu of penalty the person redeeming shall pay interest as follows if the sale occurs before September 9, 1993:

(1) If redeemed within the first 2 months from the date of the sale, 3% per month or portion thereof upon the amount for which the property was sold;

(2) If redeemed between 2 and 6 months from the date of the sale, 12% of the amount for which the property was sold;

(3) If redeemed between 6 and 12 months from the date of the sale, 24% of the amount for which the property was sold;

(4) If redeemed between 12 and 18 months from the date of the sale, 36% of the amount for which the property was sold;

(5) If redeemed between 18 and 24 months from the date of the sale, 48% of the amount for which the property was sold;

(6) If redeemed after 24 months from the date of sale, the 48% herein provided together with interest at 6% per year thereafter.

If the sale occurs on or after September 9, 1993, the person redeeming shall pay interest on that part of the amount for which the property was sold equal to or less than the full amount of delinquent taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs, included in the judgment and order of sale as follows:

(1) If redeemed within the first 2 months from the date of the sale, 3% per month upon the amount of taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs due for each of the first 2 months, or fraction thereof.

(2) If redeemed at any time between 2 and 6 months from the date of the sale, 12% of the amount of taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs due.

(3) If redeemed at any time between 6 and 12 months from the date of the sale, 24% of the amount of taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs due.

(4) If redeemed at any time between 12 and 18 months from the date of the sale, 36% of the amount of taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs due.

(5) If redeemed at any time between 18 and 24 months from the date of the sale, 48% of the amount of taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs due.

(6) If redeemed after 24 months from the date of sale, the 48% provided for the 24 months together with interest at 6% per annum thereafter on the amount of taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs due.

The person redeeming shall not be required to pay any interest on any part of the amount for which the property was sold that exceeds the full amount of delinquent taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs included in the judgment and order of sale.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, except for owner‑occupied single family residential units which are condominium units, cooperative units or dwellings, the amount required to be paid for redemption shall also include an amount equal to all delinquent taxes on the property which taxes were delinquent at the time of sale. The delinquent taxes shall be apportioned by the county collector among the taxing districts in which the property is situated in accordance with law. In the event that all moneys received from any sale held under this Section exceed an amount equal to all delinquent taxes on the property sold, which taxes were delinquent at the time of sale, together with all publication and other costs associated with the sale, then, upon redemption, the County Collector and the County Clerk shall apply the excess amount to the cost of redemption.

(g) Bidding by county or other taxing districts. Any taxing district may bid at a scavenger sale. The county board of the county in which properties offered for sale under this Section are located may bid as trustee for all taxing districts having an interest in the taxes for the nonpayment of which the parcels are offered. The County shall apply on the bid the unpaid taxes due upon the property and no cash need be paid. The County or other taxing district acquiring a tax sale certificate shall take all steps necessary to acquire title to the property and may manage and operate the property so acquired.

When a county, or other taxing district within the county, is a petitioner for a tax deed, no filing fee shall be required on the petition. The county as a tax creditor and as trustee for other tax creditors, or other taxing district within the county shall not be required to allege and prove that all taxes and special assessments which become due and payable after the sale to the county have been paid. The county shall not be required to pay the subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments at any time. Upon the written request of the county board or its designee, the county collector shall not offer the property for sale at any tax sale subsequent to the sale of the property to the county under this Section. The lien of taxes and special assessments which become due and payable after a sale to a county shall merge in the fee title of the county, or other taxing district, on the issuance of a deed. The County may sell the properties so acquired, or the certificate of purchase thereto, and the proceeds of the sale shall be distributed to the taxing districts in proportion to their respective interests therein. The presiding officer of the county board, with the advice and consent of the County Board, may appoint some officer or person to attend scavenger sales and bid on its behalf.

(h) Miscellaneous provisions. In the event that the tract of land or lot sold at any such sale is not redeemed within the time permitted by law and a tax deed is issued, all moneys that may be received from the sale of properties in excess of the delinquent taxes, together with all publication and other costs associated with the sale, shall, upon petition of any interested party to the court that issued the tax deed, be distributed by the County Collector pursuant to order of the court among the persons having legal or equitable interests in the property according to the fair value of their interests in the tract or lot. Section 21‑415 does not apply to properties sold under this Section. Appeals may be taken from the orders and judgments entered under this Section as in other civil cases. The remedy herein provided is in addition to other remedies for the collection of delinquent taxes.

(i) The changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly apply only to matters in which a petition for tax deed is filed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 95‑477, eff. 6‑1‑08.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑265)

Sec. 21‑265. Scavenger sale; persons ineligible to bid or purchase.

(a) No person, except a unit of local government, shall be eligible to bid or receive a certificate of purchase at any sale under Section 21‑260 unless that person has completed and delivered to the county clerk a true, accurate and complete application for certificate of purchase which shall affirm that:

(1) the person has not bid upon or applied to purchase any property at the sale for a person who is the party or agent of the party who owns the property or is responsible for the payment of the delinquent taxes;

(2) the person is not, nor is he or she the agent for, the owner or party responsible for payment of the general taxes on any property which is located in the same county in which the sale is held and which is tax delinquent or forfeited for all or any part of each of 2 or more years, excepting any year for which a certificate of error issued under Sections 14‑15, 14‑20 and 14‑25 is pending for adjudication; and

(3) the person, although otherwise eligible to bid, has not either directly or through an agent twice during the same sale failed to complete a purchase by the immediate payment of the minimum bid or the payment of the balance of a bid within the time provided by Section 21‑260.

(Source: P.A. 86‑949; 87‑669; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑270)

Sec. 21‑270. Scavenger sale registration. No person, except a unit of local government, shall be eligible to bid or to receive a certificate of purchase who did not register with the county collector at least 5 business days in advance of the first day of the sale under Section 21‑260. The collector may charge, for each registration, a fee of not more than $50 in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants and not more than $100 in counties of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants. Registration shall be made upon such forms and according to such regulations as the county collector deems necessary in order to effect complete and accurate disclosure of the identity of all persons beneficially interested, directly or indirectly, in each sale under Section 21‑260. The information to be disclosed shall include, but not be limited to, the name, address and telephone number of the purchaser to whom the clerk and collector will be requested to issue a certificate of purchase; if the purchaser is a corporation, the place of incorporation and the names and addresses of its shareholders unless the corporation is publicly held; if the purchaser is a partnership, the names and addresses of all general and limited partners; if the purchaser is doing business under an assumed business name, the county where such name is registered and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all persons having an ownership interest in the business; and the identity and location of any other tax delinquent property owned by the bidder and purchaser.

Every application for certificate of purchase and form for registration authorized and required by this Section and Section 21‑275 shall be executed under penalty of perjury as though under oath or affirmation, but no acknowledgement is required.

(Source: P.A. 86‑949; 87‑669; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑275)

Sec. 21‑275. Scavenger sale; application for certificate of purchase. The application for certificate of purchase shall be executed by the purchaser and by any individual bidder acting in the purchaser's behalf. The application shall be initially executed and delivered to the county clerk at the time of registration for the sale as provided in this Section. Before receiving any certificate of purchase, each purchaser and individual bidder acting in the purchaser's behalf shall sign and deliver to the county clerk a schedule or schedules of the properties for which that purchaser has successfully bid and is applying to purchase, which schedule(s) shall be attached to and incorporated within the application. The schedule(s) shall be accompanied by a fee, for each property listed, of $10 in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants and $20 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants. The application and schedule(s) shall be in substantially the following form: APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF PURCHASE Date of Application: ...............

Name of Purchaser: .................

Address: ...........................

Name of Bidder: ....................

Address: ...........................

I (we) hereby apply to the County Clerk and County Treasurer of ..... County for issuance of a certificate of purchase for each of the properties on the attached schedule(s), and state as follows:

1. I (we) made (or authorized) the successful bid on each property listed on the attached schedule(s) at the sale of delinquent properties under Section 21‑260 of the Property Tax Code conducted by the County Treasurer of ..... County, Illinois, on the dates indicated for each property on the schedule(s).

2. At least 5 business days before the first day of this sale, I (we) submitted a truthful, accurate and complete registration to the Treasurer of ..... County on the form(s) and according to the regulations prescribed by the Treasurer's office.

3. Neither I (we) nor any person or firm identified in the registration submitted to the Treasurer of ..... County was an owner or agent of an owner, mortgagee or agent of a mortgagee, lienholder or agent of a lienholder, holder of beneficial interest or agent of a holder of a beneficial interest in or of any property identified on the schedule(s) attached to this application on January 1st of any years for which taxes were delinquent at the time of my (our) bid(s) described in the schedule(s).

4. Neither I (we) nor any person or firm identified in the registration submitted to the Treasurer of ..... County was an owner or agent of an owner, mortgagee or agent of a mortgagee, lienholder or agent of a lienholder, holder of a beneficial interest or agent of a holder of a beneficial interest in or of the property identified on the schedule(s) attached to this application at the time of the bid(s) described in the schedule.

5. Neither I (we) nor any person or firm identified in the registration submitted to the Treasurer of ..... County was an owner or agent for an owner, or party or agent for a party responsible for the payment of delinquent taxes, on any property in the county which was tax delinquent or forfeited for all or any part of each of 2 or more years when the registration was submitted.

6. Neither I (we) nor any person acting in my (our) behalf has twice failed to complete a purchase at the sale during which the properties on the attached schedule(s) were offered by failing to immediately pay a minimum bid or by failing to pay the balance of a bid for any property within one business day thereafter.

I (we) hereby affirm that I (we) have read this application and that the statements made in it are personally known by me (us) to be true, accurate and complete, under penalty of perjury as provided by law.

I (we) further understand that this application shall be void unless the schedule(s) of properties referred to in the application is (are) completed and delivered to the County Clerk.

........................ Dated: ..............

(Signature of Purchaser)

........................ Dated: ..............

(Signature of Bidder) SCHEDULE OF PROPERTIES Permanent Index Number Date of Bid

(insert number) (insert date)

I (we) hereby affirm that I (we) successfully bid upon the above properties at the sale conducted by the County Treasurer of ..... County on the indicated dates, and I (we) request that the County Clerk of ..... County attach this schedule to my (our) application for certificate of purchase dated ......

Signed under penalty of perjury as provided by law:

........................ Dated: ..............

(Signature of Purchaser)

........................ Dated: ..............

(Signature of Bidder)

(Source: P.A. 86‑949; 87‑669; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑280)

Sec. 21‑280. Scavenger sale; ineligible bid; liability.

(a) Any person who is ineligible under Section 21‑265 to bid or to receive a certificate of purchase from a sale under Section 21‑260, who nevertheless registers to bid or bids or receives or acquires ownership of a certificate of purchase from a sale, and any person who registers to bid or bids at a sale on behalf of an ineligible person, shall be personally liable, jointly and severally, in a sum equal to the full amount of delinquent or forfeited general taxes, special taxes or special assessments, interest, penalties, and costs for which the judgment for sale under Section 21‑260 was entered. The liability provided by this Section shall be in addition to the liability for the general taxes imposed by Section 9‑175 through 9‑185 and shall not be offset by any other payment of the taxes.

(b) The state's attorney of the county in which the sale under Section 21‑260 was conducted may bring an action in the name of the People of the State of Illinois against the person and, upon a finding of liability under this Section, the court shall enter judgment against the person in a sum equal to the full amount of delinquent or forfeited general taxes, special taxes or special assessments, interest, penalties, and costs for which judgment for sale under Section 21‑260 was entered, together with the costs of the action and reasonable attorney's fees. The proceeds of any judgment under this Section shall be paid into the county general fund.

(Source: P.A. 86‑949; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑285)

Sec. 21‑285. Tax scavenger sale fraud; definitions. For purposes of Section 21‑290:

(1) "Ownership interest" means any title or other interest in property, including without limitation any beneficial interest in a land trust, the holder of which is considered to be the owner of the property for purposes of taxation under Section 9‑175.

(2) "Nonownership interest" means any interest in real property other than a contingent interest and other than an ownership interest as defined in this Section, including without limitation a mortgage, equitable mortgage or other interest in the nature of a mortgage, leasehold, easement, or lien.

(3) "Real property" has the same meaning as defined in Section 1‑130, and includes leasehold estates subject to taxation as property under Section 9‑195.

(4) "Beneficial interest" and "land trust" have the meanings given to those terms in the Land Trust Beneficial Interest Disclosure Act.

(Source: P.A. 86‑949; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑290)

Sec. 21‑290. Offense of scavenger sale fraud. A person commits the offense of tax sale fraud who knowingly:

(a) enters a bid or authorizes or procures the entry of a bid on any property offered for sale under Section 21‑260, when the person in whose behalf the bid is made or authorized or procured has an ownership interest or nonownership interest in the property, or where that person had such an interest on January 1 of any year for which delinquent taxes were included within the judgment for sale under Section 21‑260;

(b) acquires, or attempts to acquire, ownership of any certificate of purchase for property sold under Section 21‑260, when the person in whose behalf such certificate of purchase is or would be acquired has an ownership interest or nonownership interest in the property, or where that person had that interest on January 1 of any year for which delinquent taxes were included within the judgment for sale under Section 21‑260;

(c) conveys or assigns any certificate of purchase for property sold under Section 21‑260 to any person who has an ownership interest or nonownership interest in the property, or who had that interest on January 1 of any year for which delinquent taxes were included within the judgment for sale under Section 21‑260;

(d) makes a false statement in any application for certificate of purchase or registration form submitted under Sections 21‑270 and 21‑275; or

(e) forfeits 2 or more bids at any one sale under Section 21‑260 by failing to pay the minimum cash bid timely or by failing to pay the balance of the bid timely as required by Section 21‑260.

Tax sale fraud is a Class A misdemeanor. A subsequent conviction for tax sale fraud as defined in subsections (a) through (d) of this Section is a Class 4 felony.

(Source: P.A. 86‑949; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 21 Div. 6 heading) Division 6. Indemnity fund; sales in error

(35 ILCS 200/21‑295)

Sec. 21‑295. Creation of indemnity fund.

(a) In counties of less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, each person purchasing any property at a sale under this Code shall pay to the County Collector, prior to the issuance of any certificate of purchase, a fee of $20 for each item purchased. A like sum shall be paid for each year that all or a portion of subsequent taxes are paid by the tax purchaser and posted to the tax judgment, sale, redemption and forfeiture record where the underlying certificate of purchase is recorded.

(a‑5) In counties of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, each person purchasing property at a sale under this Code shall pay to the County Collector a fee of $80 for each item purchased plus an additional sum equal to 5% of taxes, interest, and penalties paid by the purchaser, including the taxes, interest, and penalties paid under Section 21‑240. In these counties, the certificate holder shall also pay to the County Collector a fee of $80 for each year that all or a portion of subsequent taxes are paid by the tax purchaser and posted to the tax judgment, sale, redemption, and forfeiture record, plus an additional sum equal to 5% of all subsequent taxes, interest, and penalties. The additional 5% fees are not required after December 31, 2006. The changes to this subsection made by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly are not a new enactment, but declaratory of existing law.

(b) The amount paid prior to issuance of the certificate of purchase pursuant to subsection (a) or (a‑5) shall be included in the purchase price of the property in the certificate of purchase and all amounts paid under this Section shall be included in the amount required to redeem under Section 21‑355. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of Section 21‑300, all money received under subsection (a) or (a‑5) shall be paid by the Collector to the County Treasurer of the County in which the land is situated, for the purpose of an indemnity fund. The County Treasurer, as trustee of that fund, shall invest all of that fund, principal and income, in his or her hands from time to time, if not immediately required for payments of indemnities under subsection (a) of Section 21‑305, in investments permitted by the Illinois State Board of Investment under Article 22A of the Illinois Pension Code. The county collector shall report annually to the county clerk on the condition and income of the fund. The indemnity fund shall be held to satisfy judgments obtained against the County Treasurer, as trustee of the fund. No payment shall be made from the fund, except upon a judgment of the court which ordered the issuance of a tax deed.

(Source: P.A. 94‑412, eff. 8‑2‑05.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑300)

Sec. 21‑300. Amount to be retained in indemnity fund.

(a) The county board in each county shall determine the amount of the fund to be maintained in that county, which amount shall not be less than 0.03% of the total assessed valuation, as equalized by the Department, of property within the County, or $50,000, whichever is greater, and shall not be greater than $1,000,000 in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, and not greater than $2,000,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants. Any moneys accumulated by the County Treasurer in excess of the amount so established, as trustee of the fund, shall be paid by him or her annually to the general fund of the County.

(b) In counties in which a Tort Liability Fund is established, all sums of money received under subsection (a) of Section 21‑295 may be deposited in the general fund of the county for general county governmental purposes, if the county board provides by ordinance that the indemnity required by this Section shall be provided by the Tort Liability Fund.

(Source: P.A. 86‑1028; 86‑1431; 88‑455.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑305)

Sec. 21‑305. Payments from Indemnity Fund.

(a) Any owner of property sold under any provision of this Code who sustains loss or damage by reason of the issuance of a tax deed under Section 21‑445 or 22‑40 and who is barred or is in any way precluded from bringing an action for the recovery of the property shall have the right to indemnity for the loss or damage sustained, limited as follows:

(1) An owner who resided on property that contained 4 or less dwelling units on the last day of the period of redemption and who is equitably entitled to compensation for the loss or damage sustained has the right to indemnity. An equitable indemnity award shall be limited to the fair cash value of the property as of the date the tax deed was issued less any mortgages or liens on the property, and the award will not exceed $99,000. The Court shall liberally construe this equitable entitlement standard to provide compensation wherever, in the discretion of the Court, the equities warrant the action.

An owner of a property that contained 4 or less dwelling units who requests an award in excess of $99,000 must prove that the loss of his or her property was not attributable to his or her own fault or negligence before an award in excess of $99,000 will be granted.

(2) An owner who sustains the loss or damage of any property occasioned by reason of the issuance of a tax deed, without fault or negligence of his or her own, has the right to indemnity limited to the fair cash value of the property less any mortgages or liens on the property. In determining the existence of fault or negligence, the court shall consider whether the owner exercised ordinary reasonable diligence under all of the relevant circumstances.

(3) In determining the fair cash value of property less any mortgages or liens on the property, the fair cash value shall be reduced by the principal amount of all taxes paid by the tax purchaser or his or her assignee before the issuance of the tax deed.

(4) If an award made under paragraph (1) or (2) is subject to a reduction by the amount of an outstanding mortgage or lien on the property, other than the principal amount of all taxes paid by the tax purchaser or his or her assignee before the issuance of the tax deed and the petitioner would be personally liable to the mortgagee or lienholder for all or part of that reduction amount, the court shall order an additional indemnity award to be paid directly to the mortgagee or lienholder sufficient to discharge the petitioner's personal liability. The court, in its discretion, may order the joinder of the mortgagee or lienholder as an additional party to the indemnity action.

(b) Indemnity fund; subrogation.

(1) Any person claiming indemnity hereunder shall petition the Court which ordered the tax deed to issue, shall name the County Treasurer, as Trustee of the indemnity fund, as defendant to the petition, and shall ask that judgment be entered against the County Treasurer, as Trustee, in the amount of the indemnity sought. The provisions of the Civil Practice Law shall apply to proceedings under the petition, except that neither the petitioner nor County Treasurer shall be entitled to trial by jury on the issues presented in the petition. The Court shall liberally construe this Section to provide compensation wherever in the discretion of the Court the equities warrant such action.

(2) The County Treasurer, as Trustee of the indemnity fund, shall be subrogated to all parties in whose favor judgment may be rendered against him or her, and by third party complaint may bring in as a defendant any person, other than the tax deed grantee and its successors in title, not a party to the action who is or may be liable to him or her, as subrogee, for all or part of the petitioner's claim against him or her.

(c) Any contract involving the proceeds of a judgment for indemnity under this Section, between the tax deed grantee or its successors in title and the indemnity petitioner or his or her successors, shall be in writing. In any action brought under Section 21‑305, the Collector shall be entitled to discovery regarding, but not limited to, the following:

(1) the identity of all persons beneficially interested in the contract, directly or indirectly, including at least the following information: the names and addresses of any natural persons; the place of incorporation of any corporation and the names and addresses of its shareholders unless it is publicly held; the names and addresses of all general and limited partners of any partnership; the names and addresses of all persons having an ownership interest in any entity doing business under an assumed name, and the county in which the assumed business name is registered; and the nature and extent of the interest in the contract of each person identified;

(2) the time period during which the contract was negotiated and agreed upon, from the date of the first direct or indirect contact between any of the contracting parties to the date of its execution;

(3) the name and address of each natural person who took part in negotiating the contract, and the identity and relationship of the party that the person represented in the negotiations; and

(4) the existence of an agreement for payment of attorney's fees by or on behalf of each party.

Any information disclosed during discovery may be subject to protective order as deemed appropriate by the court. The terms of the contract shall not be used as evidence of value.

(Source: P.A. 91‑564, eff. 8‑14‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑306)

Sec. 21‑306. Indemnity fund fraud.

(a) A person commits the offense of indemnity fund fraud when that person knowingly:

(1) offers or agrees to become a party to, or to acquire an interest in, a contract involving the proceeds of a judgment for indemnity under Section 21‑305 before the end of the period of redemption from the tax sale to which the judgment relates;

(2) fraudulently induces a party to forego bringing an action for the recovery of the property;

(3) makes a deceptive misrepresentation during the course of negotiating an agreement under subsection (c) of Section 21‑305; or

(4) conspires to violate any of the provisions of this subsection.

(b) Commission of any one act described in subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. Commission of more than one act described in subsection (a) during a single course of conduct is a Class 4 felony. A second or subsequent conviction for violation of any portion of this Section is a Class 4 felony.

(c) The State's Attorney of the county in which a judgment for indemnity under Section 21‑305 is entered may bring a civil action in the name of the People of the State of Illinois against a person who violates paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a). Upon a finding of liability in the action the court shall enter judgment in favor of the People in a sum equal to three times the amount of the judgment for indemnity, together with costs of the action and reasonable attorney's fees. The proceeds of any judgment under this subsection shall be paid into the general fund of the county.

(Source: P.A. 91‑564, eff. 8‑14‑99.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑310)

Sec. 21‑310. Sales in error.

(a) When, upon application of the county collector, the owner of the certificate of purchase, or a municipality which owns or has owned the property ordered sold, it appears to the satisfaction of the court which ordered the property sold that any of the following subsections are applicable, the court shall declare the sale to be a sale in error:

(1) the property was not subject to taxation, or all or any part of the lien of taxes sold has become null and void pursuant to Section 21‑95 or unenforceable pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 18‑250 or subsection (b) of Section 22‑40,

(2) the taxes or special assessments had been paid prior to the sale of the property,

(3) there is a double assessment,

(4) the description is void for uncertainty,

(5) the assessor, chief county assessment officer, board of review, board of appeals, or other county official has made an error (other than an error of judgment as to the value of any property),

(5.5) the owner of the homestead property had tendered timely and full payment to the county collector that the owner reasonably believed was due and owing on the homestead property, and the county collector did not apply the payment to the homestead property; provided that this provision applies only to homeowners, not their agents or third‑party payors,

(6) prior to the tax sale a voluntary or involuntary petition has been filed by or against the legal or beneficial owner of the property requesting relief under the provisions of 11 U.S.C. Chapter 7, 11, 12, or 13,

(7) the property is owned by the United States, the State of Illinois, a municipality, or a taxing district, or

(8) the owner of the property is a reservist or guardsperson who is granted an extension of his or her due date under Sections 21‑15, 21‑20, and 21‑25 of this Act.

(b) When, upon application of the owner of the certificate of purchase only, it appears to the satisfaction of the court which ordered the property sold that any of the following subsections are applicable, the court shall declare the sale to be a sale in error:

(1) A voluntary or involuntary petition under the provisions of 11 U.S.C. Chapter 7, 11, 12, or 13 has been filed subsequent to the tax sale and prior to the issuance of the tax deed.

(2) The improvements upon the property sold have been substantially destroyed or rendered uninhabitable or otherwise unfit for occupancy subsequent to the tax sale and prior to the issuance of the tax deed.

(3) There is an interest held by the United States in the property sold which could not be extinguished by the tax deed.

(4) The real property contains a hazardous substance, hazardous waste, or underground storage tank that would require cleanup or other removal under any federal, State, or local law, ordinance, or regulation, only if the tax purchaser purchased the property without actual knowledge of the hazardous substance, hazardous waste, or underground storage tank. This paragraph (4) applies only if the owner of the certificate of purchase has made application for a sale in error at any time before the issuance of a tax deed.

(c) When the county collector discovers, prior to the expiration of the period of redemption, that a tax sale should not have occurred for one or more of the reasons set forth in subdivision (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(6), or (a)(7) of this Section, the county collector shall notify the last known owner of the certificate of purchase by certified and regular mail, or other means reasonably calculated to provide actual notice, that the county collector intends to declare an administrative sale in error and of the reasons therefor, including documentation sufficient to establish the reason why the sale should not have occurred. The owner of the certificate of purchase may object in writing within 28 days after the date of the mailing by the county collector. If an objection is filed, the county collector shall not administratively declare a sale in error, but may apply to the circuit court for a sale in error as provided in subsection (a) of this Section. Thirty days following the receipt of notice by the last known owner of the certificate of purchase, or within a reasonable time thereafter, the county collector shall make a written declaration, based upon clear and convincing evidence, that the taxes were sold in error and shall deliver a copy thereof to the county clerk within 30 days after the date the declaration is made for entry in the tax judgment, sale, redemption, and forfeiture record pursuant to subsection (d) of this Section. The county collector shall promptly notify the last known owner of the certificate of purchase of the declaration by regular mail and shall promptly pay the amount of the tax sale, together with interest and costs as provided in Section 21‑315, upon surrender of the original certificate of purchase.

(d) If a sale is declared to be a sale in error, the county clerk shall make entry in the tax judgment, sale, redemption and forfeiture record, that the property was erroneously sold, and the county collector shall, on demand of the owner of the certificate of purchase, refund the amount paid, pay any interest and costs as may be ordered under Sections 21‑315 through 21‑335, and cancel the certificate so far as it relates to the property. The county collector shall deduct from the accounts of the appropriate taxing bodies their pro rata amounts paid.

(Source: P.A. 94‑312, eff. 7‑25‑05; 94‑662, eff. 1‑1‑06; 95‑331, eff. 8‑21‑07.)

(35 ILCS 200/21‑315)

Sec. 21‑315. Refund of costs; interest on refund.

(a) If a sale in error under Section 21‑310, 22‑35, or 22‑