How to get a tax delinquent list in Illinois
In Illinois, unpaid property tax is collected by the county collector (usually the treasurer; in Cook County the County Clerk runs the tax sale). The system for unpaid tax is: tax lien sale. LeadCounty tracks 71,231 tax-delinquent properties in 2 Illinois counties, refreshed weekly. Some counties publish their list free; LeadCounty matches, scores and filters the records for you.
Where the official list lives
The office is the county collector (usually the treasurer; in Cook County the County Clerk runs the tax sale). Whether it shows a full delinquent list, a parcel-by-parcel search or a sale notice, and whether there is a fee, is decided by each county, so check the office's website for your county.
Property tax rolls and ownership come from the county auditor, assessor or appraiser. A parcel number links the tax record to the deed and the owner's mailing address.
The free route
Many counties let you look up a parcel's tax status for free, and some publish the whole list. If you only need one list in one county, the county office may be enough. LeadCounty is useful when you want the records of many offices matched to the right property, scored with reasons, and refreshed every week, with filters such as years behind, amount owed and absentee owner.
Tax delinquent properties in Illinois counties we cover
| County | Tax delinquent | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Cook County (Chicago) | 70,914 | 1,864,270 |
| DuPage County | 317 | 336,922 |
Illinois tax sale rules at a glance
- Unpaid tax
- Tax lien sale. Counties hold a yearly sale of the unpaid tax; bidders bid the penalty rate down. Cook County also holds a scavenger sale for long-delinquent parcels.
- Redemption period
- For most homes the redemption period is 2½ years from the sale (it can be extended to 3); the buyer then asks the court for a tax deed.
- Mortgage foreclosure
- Judicial. Foreclosures go through circuit court; owners have a redemption period before the judicial sale.
- Statute
- 35 ILCS 200, Articles 21 and 22 (Property Tax Code: sale and redemption)
General information, not legal advice. Check the statute and the county office before you act.
Questions
Who has the tax delinquent list in Illinois?
Unpaid property tax is collected by the county collector (usually the treasurer; in Cook County the County Clerk runs the tax sale). Some counties publish the full list on that office's website; others only let you search one parcel at a time. The format and any fee are set by each county.
Is the tax delinquent list in Illinois free?
Often the county shows delinquent accounts for free, one parcel at a time. Some publish a full list or sell it. LeadCounty's value is matching, scoring and filtering the records, not owning them.
What happens to a tax delinquent property in Illinois?
See the table above for the sale type and redemption period. Check the statute and your county office for the current rules.
How we make these guides
Written by the LeadCounty editorial and data team from official county, court and state sources and our own weekly counts. We name the office behind every number, say what we cannot see, and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice. Refreshed weekly.
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