Property Tax Exemptions

  1. Disabled Veterans Exemption (Granted by Federal Government) (PDF)
  2. Homestead Improvement Exemption (PDF)
  3. Natural Disaster Homestead Exemption (PDF)
  4. Owner-Occupied General Homestead Exemption (DOCX)
  5. Persons with Disabilities Homestead Exemption (PDF)
  6. Physician's Statement PTAX 343-A (PDF)
  7. PTAX 760 New Construction (PDF)
  8. Returning Veterans' Homestead Exemption (PDF)
  9. Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (SCAFE) (PDF)
  10. Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption (PDF)
  11. Standard Homestead Exemption for VETERANS with Disabilities (SHEVD) (PDF)

For exemption questions contact 618-687-7220 ext. 3107.

Owner-Occupied General Homestead Exemption

Application Requirements

Initial Owner-Occupied Exemption Application

File with

Chief County Assessment Office

Filing Deadline

Prior to the annual Tax Sale held by the Treasurer's Office. 

Income (Requirements)

N/A

Age (Requirements)

N/A

Description

Exemption on owner-occupied residence in an amount equal to the difference between current EAV and 1977 EAV up to a $6,000 maximum statewide. One exemption per parcel except for cooperatives and life care facilities. May prorate for new construction from the time it is owner-occupied.

Homestead Improvement Exemption

Application Requirements

Form PTAX-323

File with

Chief County Assessment Office

Filing Deadline

Prior to the annual Tax Sale held by the Treasurer's Office. 

Income (Requirements)

N/A

Age (Requirements)

N/A

Description

Exemption on owner-occupied residence as of Jan. 1 of the assessment year that prevents increases in assessed valuation due to new improvements of the existing structure or its rebuilding following a catastrophic event for up to 4 years. Maximum $75,000 ($25,000 assessed value) in the fair cash value of improvements.

Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption

Application Requirements

Form PTAX-324 initially then Senior Citizens Exemption Renewal Form annually. 

File with

Chief County Assessment Office 

Filing Deadline

Prior to the annual Tax Sale held by the Treasurer's Office.

Income (Requirements)

N/A

Age (Requirements)

65*

Description

Exemption on owner-occupied residence as of January 1 of the assessment year with a $5,000 statewide reduction in EAV. May prorate the exemption for a senior citizen that occupies the property as their principal residence after Jan. I of any assessment year.  Need to file annually.

Eligible if the applicant turns 65 within the tax year.

Homestead Exemption for Persons with Disabilities (HEPD)

Application Requirements

Form PTAX-343 annually

File with

Chief County Assessment Office

Filing Deadline

Prior to the annual Tax Sale held by the Treasurer's Office. 

Income (Requirements)

N/A

Age (Requirements)

N/A

Description

Provides an annual $2,000 reduction in the equalized assessed value (EAV) of the property owned and occupied as the primary residence on January 1 of the assessment year by a person with a disability who is liable for the payment of property taxes.

Who is eligible?

To qualify for the HEPD you must:

  • have a disability during the assessment year (i.e. cannot participate in any "substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment" which will result in the person's death or that will last for at least 12 continuous months),
  • own or have a legal or equitable interest in the property on which a single-family residence is occupied as your primary residence on January 1 of the assessment year, and
  • be liable for the payment of the property taxes.

Note: The property's total EAV must be less than $250,000 after subtracting any portion used for commercial purposes. "Commercial purposes" include any portion of the property rented for more than 6 months.

Standard Homestead Exemption for VETERANS with Disabilities (SHEVD)

Application Requirements

Form PTAX-342 annually

File with

Chief County Assessment Office

Filing Deadline

Prior to the annual Tax Sale held by the Treasurer's Office. 

Income (Requirements)

N/A

Age (Requirements)

N/A

Description

This exemption reduces the equalized assessed value (EAV) by the amount of the exemption. Beginning with the 2015 (payable 2016) year, the reduction is:

  • All EAV from the residential property for a veteran with at least a 70%service-connected disability.
  • $5,000 of EAV from the property for a veteran with a 50%-69% service-connected disability.
  • $2,500 of EAV from the property for a veteran with a 30%-49% service-connected disability.

Who is eligible?

To qualify for the SHEVD, the veteran must

  • be an Illinois resident who served as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty or state active duty, Illinois National Guard, or U.S. Reserve Forces, and who has an honorable discharge;
  • have at least 30 percent service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs; and
  • own and occupy the property as the primary residence on January 1 of the assessment year or lease and occupy a single-family residence on January 1 of the assessment year and be liable for the payment of the property taxes to the county.

Note: The property's total EAV must be less than $250,000 after subtracting any portion used for commercial purposes. "Commercial purposes" include any portion of the property rented for more than 6 months.

Disabled Veterans Exemption (Granted by Federal Government)

Application Requirements

File form RLG-52A annually.

File with

IL Dept of Veterans Affairs (217-782-3421)

Filing Deadline

By Sept. 15 prior to the tax year

Income (Requirements)

N/A

Age (Requirements)

N/A

Description

Reduction of up to $70,000 in assessed value of the property. Disabled veterans, their spouses, or unmarried surviving spouses must own and exclusively use specially adapted housing (as defined by federal law) as their primary residence on January 1 of the assessment year.

A disabled veteran means a person who has served in the Armed Forces of the United States and whose disability is rated as 100% service-connected by the Veterans Administration.

  • be an Illinois resident who served as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty or state active duty, Illinois National Guard, or U.S. Reserve Forces, and who has an honorable discharge;
  • have at least a 30% service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs; and
  • own and occupy the property as the primary residence on January 1 of the assessment year.

Returning Veterans' Homestead Exemption

Application Requirements

Form PTAX-341

File with

Chief County Assessment Office

Filing Deadline

Prior to the annual Tax Sale held by the Treasurer's Office. 

Income (Requirements)

N/A

Age (Requirements)

N/A

Description

Provides a one-time $5,000 reduction in the equalized assessed value (EAV) of the veteran's principal residence for the taxable year that the veteran returns from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States. The veteran must own and occupy or lease and occupy the property on January 1 of the assessment year as his or her principal residence.

Note: For purposes of this exemption, "occupy" means your principal place of dwelling which is "the place where a person has his or her true, fixed permanent home and principal establishment, and to which, whenever he or she is absent, he or she has the intention of returning".

Who is eligible?

To qualify for this exemption you must

  • be an Illinois resident who has served as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, Illinois National Guard, or U.S. Reserve Forces,
  • return from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the U.S.,
  • have owned or had a legal or equitable interest in the property used as your principal place of residence on January 1 of the assessment year, and
  • be liable for the payment of the property taxes.

Natural Disaster Homestead Exemption

Application Requirements

File PTAX-327 annually.

File with

Chief County Assessment Office 

Filing Deadline

Prior to the annual Tax Sale held by the Treasurer's Office.

Income (Requirements)

N/A

Age (Requirements)

N/A

Description

This exemption is on homestead property (primary residence) for a rebuilt residential structure following a widespread natural disaster occurring in the taxable year 2012 or any taxable year thereafter. "Natural Disaster" means an occurrence of widespread or severe damage or loss of property resulting from any catastrophic cause including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, wind storm, or extended period of severe inclement weather. In the case of flooding, the structure shall not be eligible for this exemption unless it is located within a local jurisdiction that is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. The amount of the exemption is the reduction in the EAV of the residence in the first taxable year for which the taxpayer applies for an exemption minus the EAV of the residence for the taxable year prior to the taxable year in which the natural disaster occurred. The exemption continues at the same amount until the taxable year in which the property is sold or transferred.

Requirements for New Residential Structure

  1. The residential structure must be rebuilt within 2 years after the date of the natural disaster.
  2. The square footage of the rebuilt residential structure may not be more than 110% of the square footage of the original residential structure as it existed immediately prior to the natural disaster.
  3. The taxpayer's initial application for an exemption must be made no later than the first taxable year after the residential structure is rebuilt.