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Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

REVENUE
(35 ILCS 200/) Property Tax Code.

35 ILCS 200/Art. 12

 
    (35 ILCS 200/Art. 12 heading)
Article 12. Assessment Notice and Publication Provisions

35 ILCS 200/Art. 12 Div. 1

 
    (35 ILCS 200/Art. 12 Div. 1 heading)
Division 1. Initial Assessment Process

35 ILCS 200/12-5

    (35 ILCS 200/12-5)
    Sec. 12-5. Taxpayer entitled to statement of valuation. The chief county assessment officer, when requested, shall deliver to any person a copy of the description or statement of property assessed in his or her name or in which he or she is interested, and the valuation placed thereon by the assessor, chief county assessment officer, board of review, or board of appeals.
(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88-455.)

35 ILCS 200/12-10

    (35 ILCS 200/12-10)
    Sec. 12-10. Publication of assessments; counties of less than 3,000,000. In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, as soon as the chief county assessment officer has completed the assessment in the county or in the assessment district, he or she shall, in each year of a general assessment, publish for the county or assessment district a complete list of the assessment, by townships if so organized. In years other than years of a general assessment, the chief county assessment officer shall publish a list of property for which assessments have been added or changed since the preceding assessment, together with the amounts of the assessments, except that publication of individual assessment changes shall not be required if the changes result from equalization by the supervisor of assessments under Section 9-210, or Section 10-200, in which case the list shall include a general statement indicating that assessments have been changed because of the application of an equalization factor and shall set forth the percentage of increase or decrease represented by the factor. The publication shall be made on or before December 31 of that year, and shall be printed in some public newspaper or newspapers published in the county. In every township or assessment district in which there is published one or more newspapers of general circulation, the list of that township shall be published in one of the newspapers.
    At the top of the list of assessments there shall be a notice in substantially the following form printed in type no smaller than eleven point:
"NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS
    Median Level of Assessment--(insert here the median level of assessment for the assessment district)
    Your property is to be assessed at the above listed median level of assessment for the assessment district. You may check the accuracy of your assessment by dividing your assessment by the median level of assessment. The resulting value should equal the estimated fair cash value of your property. If the resulting value is greater than the estimated fair cash value of your property, you may be over-assessed. If the resulting value is less than the fair cash value of your property, you may be under-assessed. You may appeal your assessment to the Board of Review."
    The notice published under this Section shall also include the following:
        (1) A statement advising the taxpayer that
    
assessments of property, other than farm land and coal, are required by law to be assessed at 33 1/3% of fair market value.
        (2) The name, address, phone number, office hours,
    
and, if one exists, the website address of the assessor.
        (3) A statement advising the taxpayer of the steps to
    
follow if the taxpayer believes the full fair market value of the property is incorrect or believes the assessment is not uniform with other comparable properties in the same neighborhood. The statement shall also (i) advise all taxpayers to contact the township assessor's office, in those counties under township organization, first to review the assessment, (ii) advise all taxpayers to file an appeal with the board of review if not satisfied with the assessor review, and (iii) give the phone number to call for a copy of the board of review rules; if the Board of Review maintains a web site, the notice must also include the address of the website where the Board of Review rules can be viewed.
        (4) A statement advising the taxpayer that there is a
    
deadline date for filing an appeal with the board of review and indicating that deadline date (30 days following the scheduled publication date).
        (5) A brief explanation of the relationship between
    
the assessment and the tax bill.
        (6) In bold type, a notice of possible eligibility
    
for the various homestead exemptions as provided in Section 15-165 through Section 15-175 and Section 15-180.
    The newspaper shall furnish to the local assessment officers as many copies of the paper containing the assessment list as they may require.
(Source: P.A. 97-146, eff. 7-14-11.)

35 ILCS 200/12-15

    (35 ILCS 200/12-15)
    Sec. 12-15. Publication fee - Counties of less than 3,000,000. The newspaper shall be paid a fee for publishing the assessment list according to the following schedule:
    (a) For a parcel listing including the name of the property owner, a property index number, property address, or both, and the total assessment, 80¢ per parcel;
    (b) (Blank);
    (c) (Blank);
    (d) (Blank);
    (e) (Blank);
    (f) (Blank); and
    (g) For the preamble, headings, and any other explanatory matter either required by law, or requested by the supervisor of assessments, to be published, the rate shall be set according to the Legal Advertising Rate Act.
(Source: P.A. 97-146, eff. 7-14-11.)

35 ILCS 200/12-20

    (35 ILCS 200/12-20)
    Sec. 12-20. Publication of assessments; counties of 3,000,000 or more. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, in each year of a general assessment, for each county or assessment district therein if the county is divided into assessment districts as provided in Section 9-220, the county assessor shall publish a complete assessment list as soon as the assessment is completed as required under this Section. If the county assessor revises the assessment after the complete assessment list is published, then the county assessor must publish a subsequent list of all the revised assessments for that year. In years other than years of a general assessment or reassessment, the county assessor shall cause to be published, within the time and in the manner described here, a complete list of assessments in which changes are made together with the changes made in the valuation or assessment of property since the last preceding assessment. The publication shall contain a copy of the land value map for the township, if required by the Department.
    The publication of the assessments or the changes shall be printed in some newspaper or newspapers of general circulation published in the county except that, in every township or incorporated town which has superseded a civil township, in which there is published one or more newspapers of general circulation, the assessment list of each township shall be published in one of the newspapers. In cities of more than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the assessment list of the city shall be printed in one or more newspapers of general circulation published in the township assessment district within the city or, in the event a newspaper of general circulation is not published within the township assessment district, in one or more newspapers of general circulation published within the city.
    Any newspaper publishing an assessment list under this Section is entitled to a fee of 40¢ per column line for publishing the list.
(Source: P.A. 93-759, eff. 1-1-05.)

35 ILCS 200/12-25

    (35 ILCS 200/12-25)
    Sec. 12-25. Contents of assessment list publication; payment. In all counties, the expense of printing and publication of assessment lists shall be paid out of the county treasury. The publication of the assessments shall include the name of the owner or of the person who last paid the taxes on each property, and the total amount of its assessment. When any property so assessed is susceptible of description or identification by street name and street or house number, or by a property index number, the publication of the street name and street or house number, or property index number shall constitute a sufficient description of the property for the purposes of publication required by this Code.
(Source: P.A. 97-146, eff. 7-14-11.)

35 ILCS 200/12-30

    (35 ILCS 200/12-30)
    Sec. 12-30. Mailed notice of changed assessments; counties of less than 3,000,000.
    (a) In every county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, in addition to the publication of the list of assessments in each year of a general assessment and of the list of property for which assessments have been added or changed, as provided above, a notice shall be mailed by the chief county assessment officer to each taxpayer whose assessment has been changed since the last preceding assessment, using the address as it appears on the assessor's records, except in the case of changes caused by a change in the county equalization factor by the Department or in the case of changes resulting from equalization by the chief county assessment officer under Section 9-210, during any year such change is made. The notice may, but need not be, sent by a township assessor.
    (b) The notice sent under this Section shall include the following:
        (1) The previous year's assessed value after board of
    
review equalization.
        (2) Current assessed value and the date of that
    
valuation.
        (3) The percentage change from the previous assessed
    
value to the current assessed value.
        (4) The full fair market value (as indicated by
    
dividing the current assessed value by the median level of assessment in the assessment district as determined by the most recent 3 year assessment to sales ratio study adjusted to take into account any changes in assessment levels since the data for the studies were collected).
        (5) A statement advising the taxpayer that
    
assessments of property, other than farm land and coal, are required by law to be assessed at 33 1/3% of fair market value.
        (6) The name, address, phone number, office hours,
    
and, if one exists, the website address of the assessor.
        (7) Where practicable, the notice shall include the
    
reason for any increase in the property's valuation.
        (8) The name and price per copy by mail of the
    
newspaper in which the list of assessments will be published and the scheduled publication date.
        (9) A statement advising the taxpayer of the steps to
    
follow if the taxpayer believes the full fair market value of the property is incorrect or believes the assessment is not uniform with other comparable properties in the same neighborhood. The statement shall also (i) advise all taxpayers to contact the township assessor's office, in those counties under township organization, first to review the assessment, (ii) advise all taxpayers to file an appeal with the board of review if not satisfied with the assessor review, and (iii) give the phone number to call for a copy of the board of review rules.
        (10) A statement advising the taxpayer that there is
    
a deadline date for filing an appeal with the board of review and indicating that deadline date (30 days following the scheduled publication date).
        (11) A brief explanation of the relationship between
    
the assessment and the tax bill (including an explanation of the equalization factors) and an explanation that the assessment stated for the preceding year is the assessment after equalization by the board of review in the preceding year.
        (12) In bold type, a notice of possible eligibility
    
for the various homestead exemptions as provided in Section 15-165 through Section 15-175 and Section 15-180.
    (c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (b) of this Section, in every county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, where the chief county assessment officer maintains and controls an electronic database containing the physical characteristics of the property, the notice shall include the following:
        (1) The physical characteristics of the taxpayer's
    
property that are available from that database; or
        (2) A statement advising the taxpayer that detailed
    
property characteristics are available on the county website and the URL address of that website.
    (d) In addition to the requirements of subsection (b) of this Section, in every county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, where the chief county assessment officer does not maintain and control an electronic database containing the physical characteristics of the property, and where one or more townships in the county maintain and control an electronic database containing the physical characteristics of the property and some or all of the database is available on a website that is maintained and controlled by the township, the notice shall include a statement advising the taxpayer that detailed property characteristics are available on the township website and the URL address of that website.
    (e) Except as provided in this Section, the form and manner of providing the information and explanations required to be in the notice shall be prescribed by the Department.
(Source: P.A. 96-122, eff. 1-1-10.)

35 ILCS 200/12-35

    (35 ILCS 200/12-35)
    Sec. 12-35. Notice sent to address of mortgage lender. Whenever a notice is to be mailed as provided in Section 12-30, and the address that appears on the assessor's records is the address of a mortgage lender, or in any event whenever the notice is mailed by the township assessor or chief county assessment officer to a taxpayer at or in care of the address of a mortgage lender, the mortgage lender, within 15 days of the mortgage lender's receipt of the notice, shall mail a copy of the notice to each mortgagor of the property referred to in the notice at the last known address of each mortgagor as shown on the records of the mortgage lender.
(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)

35 ILCS 200/Art. 12 Div. 4

 
    (35 ILCS 200/Art. 12 Div. 4 heading)
Division 4. Revisions and corrections

35 ILCS 200/12-40

    (35 ILCS 200/12-40)
    Sec. 12-40. Notice provisions; equalization by board of review. The assessment of any class of property or of any township or multi-township or part thereof, or any portion of the county, shall not be increased by an equalization factor applied by a board of review until the board has made one publication of notice in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county, of such proposed increase and has given an opportunity to be heard, within 20 days of the publication date, to the owners of the property affected or any one representing them, and other citizens of the territory. The assessor or chief county assessment officer shall have like opportunity to be heard thereon, except where such action is taken in individual cases upon complaint. The board shall hear any person, upon request, in opposition to a proposed reduction in the assessment of any person or territory.
(Source: P.A. 86-345; 86-413; 86-1028; 86-1481; 88-455.)

35 ILCS 200/12-45

    (35 ILCS 200/12-45)
    Sec. 12-45. Publication of certificates of error. At the time publication is made under Section 12-60, the board of review shall also publish a complete list of the changes made in assessments by the issuance of certificates of error under Sections 14-20 and 16-75. The published list shall contain for each change the information enumerated in Section 12-25 and shall show the amount of the assessment prior to and after the action of the board of review. Publication shall be made in some newspaper or newspapers of general circulation published in the county in which the assessment is made, except that in every township or assessment district in which there is published one or more newspapers of general circulation, the list of that township shall be published in one of those newspapers.
    This Section applies prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, but does not apply for any certificate of error issued on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act.
(Source: P.A. 97-146, eff. 7-14-11.)

35 ILCS 200/12-50

    (35 ILCS 200/12-50)
    Sec. 12-50. Mailed notice to taxpayer after change by board of review or board of appeals. In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if final board of review or board of appeals action regarding any property, including equalization under Section 16-60 or Section 16-65, results in an increased or decreased assessment, the board shall mail a notice to the taxpayer whose property is affected by such action, at his or her address as it appears on the complaint, unless the taxpayer has been represented in the appeal by an attorney, in which case the notice shall be mailed to the attorney, and in the case of a complaint filed with a board of review under Section 16-25 or 16-115, the board shall mail a notice to the taxing body filing the complaint. In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the board shall provide notice by mail, or by means of electronic record, to the taxpayer whose property is affected by such action, at his or her address or e-mail address as it appears in the assessment records or a complaint filed with the board, unless the taxpayer has been represented in the appeal by an attorney, in which case the notice shall be mailed or e-mailed to the attorney, and, in the case of a complaint filed with a board of review under Section 16-125 or 16-115, the board shall provide notice to the taxing body filing the complaint. A copy shall be given to the assessor or chief county assessment officer if his or her assessment was reversed or modified by the board. Written notice shall also be given to any taxpayer who filed a complaint in writing with the board and whose assessment was not changed. The notice shall set forth the assessed value prior to board action; the assessed value after final board action but prior to any equalization; and the assessed value as equalized by the board, if the board equalizes. This notice shall state that the value as certified to the county clerk by the board will be the locally assessed value of the property for that year and each succeeding year, unless revised in a succeeding year in the manner provided in this Code. The written notice shall also set forth specifically the facts upon which the board's decision is based. In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the notice shall also contain the following statement: "You may appeal this decision to the Property Tax Appeal Board by filing a petition for review with the Property Tax Appeal Board within 30 days after this notice is mailed to you or your agent, or is personally served upon you or your agent". In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the notice shall also contain the following statement: "You may appeal this decision to the Property Tax Appeal Board by filing a petition for review with the Property Tax Appeal Board within 30 days after the date of this notice or within 30 days after the date that the Board of Review transmits to the county assessor pursuant to Section 16-125 its final action on the township in which your property is located, whichever is later". The Board shall publish its transmittal date of final action on each township in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county. The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly apply to the 1999 assessment year and thereafter.
(Source: P.A. 97-1054, eff. 1-1-13.)

35 ILCS 200/12-55

    (35 ILCS 200/12-55)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-583)
    Sec. 12-55. Notice requirement if assessment is increased; counties of 3,000,000 or more.
    (a) In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, a revision by the county assessor, except where such revision is made on complaint of the owner, shall not increase an assessment without notice to the person to whom the most recent tax bill was mailed and an opportunity to be heard before the assessment is verified. When a notice is mailed by the county assessor to the address of a mortgagee, the mortgagee, within 7 business days after the mortgagee receives the notice, shall forward a copy of the notice to each mortgagor of the property referred to in the notice at the last known address of each mortgagor as shown on the records of the mortgagee. There shall be no liability for the failure of the mortgagee to forward the notice to each mortgagor. The assessor may provide for the filing of complaints and make revisions at times other than those dates published under Section 14-35. When the county assessor has completed the revision and correction and entered the changes and revision in the assessment books, an affidavit shall be attached to the assessment books in the form required by law, signed by the county assessor.
    (b) In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, for parcels, other than parcels in the class that includes the majority of the single-family residential parcels under a county ordinance adopted in accordance with Section 4 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution, located in the assessment district for which the current assessment year is a general assessment year, within 30 days after sending the required notices under this Section, the county assessor shall file with the board of appeals (until the first Monday in December 1998, and the board of review beginning the first Monday in December 1998 and thereafter) a list of the parcels for which the notices under this Section were sent, showing the following information for each such parcel: the parcel index number, the township in which the parcel is located, the class for the current year, the previous year's final total assessed value, the total assessed value proposed by the county assessor, and the name of the person to whom the notice required under this Section was sent. The list shall be available for public inspection at the office of the board during the regular office hours of the board. The list shall be retained by the board for at least 10 years after the date it is initially filed by the county assessor.
    (c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this Section shall be applicable beginning with the assessment for the 1997 tax year.
(Source: P.A. 90-4, eff. 3-7-97; 91-751, eff. 6-2-00.)
 
    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-583)
    Sec. 12-55. Notice requirement if assessment is increased; counties of 3,000,000 or more.
    (a) In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, a revision by the county assessor, except where such revision is made on complaint of the owner, shall not increase an assessment without notice to the person to whom the most recent tax bill was mailed and an opportunity to be heard before the assessment is verified. The county assessor shall continue to accept appeals from the taxpayer for a period of not less than 30 business days from the later of the date the assessment notice is mailed as provided in this subsection or is published on the assessor's website. When a notice is mailed by the county assessor to the address of a mortgagee, the mortgagee, within 7 business days after the mortgagee receives the notice, shall forward a copy of the notice to each mortgagor of the property referred to in the notice at the last known address of each mortgagor as shown on the records of the mortgagee. There shall be no liability for the failure of the mortgagee to forward the notice to each mortgagor. The assessor may provide for the filing of complaints and make revisions at times other than those dates published under Section 14-35. When the county assessor has completed the revision and correction and entered the changes and revision in the assessment books, an affidavit shall be attached to the assessment books in the form required by law, signed by the county assessor.
    (b) In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, for parcels, other than parcels in the class that includes the majority of the single-family residential parcels under a county ordinance adopted in accordance with Section 4 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution, located in the assessment district for which the current assessment year is a general assessment year, within 30 days after sending the required notices under this Section, the county assessor shall file with the board of appeals (until the first Monday in December 1998, and the board of review beginning the first Monday in December 1998 and thereafter) a list of the parcels for which the notices under this Section were sent, showing the following information for each such parcel: the parcel index number, the township in which the parcel is located, the class for the current year, the previous year's final total assessed value, the total assessed value proposed by the county assessor, and the name of the person to whom the notice required under this Section was sent. The list shall be available for public inspection at the office of the board during the regular office hours of the board. The list shall be retained by the board for at least 10 years after the date it is initially filed by the county assessor.
    (c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this Section shall be applicable beginning with the assessment for the 1997 tax year.
(Source: P.A. 103-583, eff. 6-1-24.)

35 ILCS 200/12-60

    (35 ILCS 200/12-60)
    Sec. 12-60. List of assessment changes; publications. When the board of review in any county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants decides to reverse or modify the action of the chief county assessment officer, or to change the list as completed, or the assessment or description of any property, the changes shall be entered upon the assessment books.
    On or before the annual date for adjournment as fixed by Section 16-35, the board of review shall make a full and complete list, by township if the county is so organized, of all changes in assessments made by the board of review prior to the adjournment date. The list shall contain the information enumerated in Section 12-25 and shall show the amount of the assessment as it appeared prior to and after being acted upon by the board of review. The board of review need not show on the list changes which only correct the description of the assessed property, the ownership of the property, or the name of the person in whose name the property is assessed. Changes by the board that raise or lower, on a percentage basis, the total assessed value of property in any assessment district or the value of a particular class of property, need not be shown on the list. However, the list shall contain a general statement indicating that a change has been made and shall state the percentage of increase or decrease.
    The board of review shall deliver a copy of the list to the county clerk who shall file it in his or her office, and a copy to the chief county assessment officer. The lists shall be public records and open to inspection of all persons, and shall be preserved or destroyed in the manner described in Section 16-90.
(Source: P.A. 97-146, eff. 7-14-11.)

35 ILCS 200/12-65

    (35 ILCS 200/12-65)
    Sec. 12-65. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 88-455. Repealed by P.A. 97-146, eff. 1-1-12.)