Illinois Homestead Exemption: Amounts, Deadlines and How to Apply

Illinois' General Homestead Exemption reduces the equalized assessed value (EAV) of an owner-occupied principal residence by the amount its EAV has risen above the 1977 level, up to $10,000 in Cook County, $8,000 in counties next to Cook, and $6,000 in all other counties (35 ILCS 200/15-175). Your county assessment office administers it, and outside Cook County the statute grants it automatically. Seniors, people with disabilities and veterans can claim separate exemptions on top. Other states' rules are in our guide to homestead exemptions by state.

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers the Illinois property-tax homestead exemptions in Article 15 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-167 through 15-180), the erroneous-exemption rules in 35 ILCS 200/9-275, the senior tax deferral program, and, briefly, the creditor homestead in 735 ILCS 5/12-901 and following. It does not state Cook County Assessor deadlines or procedures we could not verify, county-option exemptions in specific counties, business or rental property rules, or other states' laws.

How much is the Illinois homestead exemption?

Every Illinois homestead exemption is a reduction in equalized assessed value, not a flat cut in your tax bill. The statute describes the general exemption as "a reduction in the equalized assessed value of homestead property equal to the increase in equalized assessed value for the current assessment year above the equalized assessed value of the property for 1977, up to the maximum reduction set forth below." Because it lowers EAV, it reduces the base that every local taxing district's rate applies to, and the dollar savings depend on those rates.

The general exemption's amounts have stood since taxable year 2023. The statute states: "For taxable years 2023 and thereafter, the maximum reduction is $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, $8,000 in counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, and $6,000 in all other counties." Cook is the only county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants.

Married persons living in separate residences each receive 50% of the general exemption under 35 ILCS 200/15-175.

Who is eligible?

The general exemption applies to residential property "occupied by its owner or owners as his or their principal dwelling place." It also reaches a leasehold on which a single-family home sits, if the person living there "has an ownership interest therein, legal or equitable or as a lessee," and is liable for the property taxes.

Eligibility is tied to occupancy as of January 1 of the assessment year. A second home, a rental, or a property you do not live in does not qualify for the general exemption.

How and when to apply

In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, which is every county except Cook, the statute says "the owner of the property shall automatically receive the exemption" in the amount of the increase over the 1977 assessment, up to the maximum. In any county, the assessor may check eligibility by application, inspection or questionnaire.

After a sale, the statute states that "the homestead exemption shall remain in effect for the remainder of the assessment year of the sale." Outside Cook County, the assessor "may require the new owner of the property to apply for the homestead exemption for the following assessment year" (35 ILCS 200/15-175(j)). In Cook County, the assessor mails the new owner notice and forms, and if the new owner "fails to apply or reapply for a homestead exemption during the applicable filing period," the assessor "shall cancel such exemption for any ensuing assessment year" (15-175(i-5)). If you just bought a home, contact the county assessment office so the exemption is in your name for the next year.

Illinois has no single statewide filing deadline for the general exemption; each county sets its own application periods. The Illinois Department of Revenue publishes the forms and guidance, but your Chief County Assessment Office (the county assessor or supervisor of assessments) decides the claims. Our research could not verify the Cook County Assessor's current application process or deadlines, so Cook homeowners should check directly with the Cook County Assessor's Office.

There is no single state form for the general exemption. Counties that have elected the alternative general homestead exemption under 35 ILCS 200/15-176 use applications "clearly marked as applications for the Additional General Homestead Exemption."

Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption

Owners 65 or older can take an additional EAV reduction. The Department of Revenue states: "The maximum amount of the reduction in equalized assessed value is $8,000 in Cook County and counties contiguous to Cook County or $5,000 in all other counties." This exemption has no income test.

You can apply in the year you turn 65: "A person who will be 65 years of age during the current assessment year shall be eligible to apply for the homestead exemption during that assessment year" (35 ILCS 200/15-170). You must be liable for the property taxes and hold an ownership interest of record or a legal or equitable interest.

Filing rules vary. Some counties require an initial Form PTAX-324, Application for Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption, or a yearly Form PTAX-329, Certificate of Status. The statute says to apply "during the application period in effect for the county of his residence." In Cook County, a taxpayer granted the senior exemption "need not reapply" for taxable years 2019 and later, but must notify the assessor if the property is no longer qualified (35 ILCS 200/15-170(i)). In other counties, the county board may by resolution waive reapplication (15-170(j)).

Senior assessment freeze and income limits

The Low-income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption holds a qualifying senior's EAV steady. In the Department of Revenue's words, it "freezes the senior citizen's property's equalized assessed value the year that the senior citizen qualifies for the exemption," and the EAV "does not increase as long as qualification for the exemption continues." The exemption equals the current EAV minus the base-year EAV.

It is not a freeze on your tax bill. The department warns that "the tax bill may still increase if any tax rates are increased or if improvements are added that increase the value of the property."

You must be 65 or older and meet a household income limit. The Department of Revenue lists these limits:

Those figures are set by P.A. 104-852 (effective August 21, 2026), which amended 35 ILCS 200/15-172. The Illinois General Assembly's website also shows a version of the section from P.A. 104-598 (effective January 1, 2027); that act made wording changes to the earlier text of the section and did not change the income limits. Household income is counted for the calendar year before the taxable year.

Enrollment in some benefit programs, such as SNAP, Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled, LIHEAP, Benefit Access or the Circuit Breaker program, may be presumed to satisfy the income test. Ask your county which documents it accepts.

How to apply for the senior freeze

"Each year applicants must file a Form PTAX-340, Low-income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption Application and Affidavit, with the Chief County Assessment Office." In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the statute requires the application "by July 1 of each taxable year," unless the county sets a different date by ordinance. Cook County gives notice of its own application period each year.

If a documented physical or mental condition kept you from filing on time, the assessment officer in those counties may extend the deadline until 30 days after you regain the ability to file, but "in no case may the filing deadline be extended beyond 3 months of the original filing deadline" (35 ILCS 200/15-172).

Disability and veteran exemptions

The Homestead Exemption for Persons with Disabilities is "an annual $2,000 reduction in the EAV of the primary residence that is occupied by a person with a disability who is liable for the payment of property taxes." You apply on Form PTAX-343 with proof of disability, and "the exemption must be renewed each year by filing Form PTAX-343-R," although for taxable years 2022 through 2027, Cook County and counties that authorize it may renew it without an annual application (35 ILCS 200/15-168(d-15)); ask your assessment office whether yours does. A property "cannot receive this exemption in the same year it is receiving" either veterans' disability exemption.

The Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities (35 ILCS 200/15-169) scales with the service-connected disability rating "as certified by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs":

This exemption must be reapplied for each year during your county's application period, except for World War II veterans and veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled by the VA (35 ILCS 200/15-169(e)).

For tax years 2024 and later, the Department of Revenue says the property of a World War II veteran is exempt regardless of disability level. The unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran killed in the line of duty receives a 100% reduction. Since tax year 2023, an unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran whose death was service-connected and who receives VA dependency and indemnity compensation may also qualify. A property can receive only one of the specially adapted housing exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-165), the disability exemption and the veterans' disability exemption in a given tax year. A surviving spouse "can continue to receive this exemption on his or her spouse's primary residence or transfer this exemption to another primary residence after the original primary residence of a veteran with a disability is sold," using Form PTAX-342.

The Returning Veterans' Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-167) "provides a $5,000 reduction in the EAV of a veteran's principal residence upon returning from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States," for two consecutive tax years. "The veteran must own and occupy the property as his or her principal residence on January 1 of each assessment year." File Form PTAX-341 with the Chief County Assessment Office.

Home improvements and the senior tax deferral

The Homestead Improvement Exemption shields up to "$75,000 (or $25,000 in assessed value, which is 33 1/3 percent of fair cash value)" a year of value added by a new improvement or by rebuilding after a catastrophe. It "continues for four years from the date the improvement or rebuilding is completed and occupied." Some counties grant it automatically and others require Form PTAX-323; in Cook County, you file with the Assessor "along with a valuation complaint."

The Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program lets people "65 years of age and older, who meet certain income and other qualifications for the year, to defer all or part of the real estate taxes and special assessments on their principal residences." The deferred amount becomes a lien against the property. You must be 65 by June 1 of the year, have owned and lived in qualifying Illinois property for at least the last 3 years, and have household income of no more than $77,000 for tax year 2026 ($79,000 for 2027 and later) (320 ILCS 30/2). The Department of Revenue says the total deferred, including interest and lien fees, cannot exceed 80 percent of your equity, and the deferral "must be repaid within one year of the taxpayer's death or 90 days after the property ceases to qualify for this program." Apply through your County Treasurer on Forms IL-1017 and IL-1018.

Is there a cap on assessment increases?

Illinois has no general statewide cap on how fast a homestead's assessment can rise. The senior assessment freeze above is the main statewide limit, and it applies only to income-qualified seniors. The Department of Revenue also notes that the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law "does not 'cap' either individual property tax bills or individual property assessments."

Some counties have elected the alternative general homestead exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-176) and the long-time occupant exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-177), which limit yearly growth in adjusted homestead value to 7% or 10%. Only electing counties use them, and our research did not verify which counties do; ask your county assessment office.

Selling, moving and erroneous exemptions

The general and senior exemptions do not move with you. A new home needs its own qualification. Outside Cook County, a buyer may be asked to apply; in Cook County, a buyer who does not apply during the filing period loses the exemption for later years (35 ILCS 200/15-175(i-5)). The veterans' disability exemption is the exception noted above for a surviving spouse.

Claiming an exemption you are not entitled to can be costly in Cook County. Under 35 ILCS 200/9-275, which applies in counties of 3,000,000 or more, one or two erroneous exemptions in the prior three collection years bring back taxes plus 10% interest a year. Three or more in the prior six collection years bring "the erroneous exemption principal amount, plus a penalty of 50% of the total amount of the erroneous exemption principal amount for that property and 10% interest per annum." These amounts become a lien on the property.

A taxpayer who notifies the assessor within 60 days of an assessment notice and pays the principal plus interest avoids the penalties. Cook County owners who stop living in the home must notify the assessor by March 1 of the collection year (35 ILCS 200/15-175), or the exemption is treated as erroneous. Our research did not read the rules for counties outside Cook.

Illinois creditor homestead (a separate law)

The property-tax exemption does not protect your home from creditors. A different statute does: "Every individual is entitled to an estate of homestead to the extent in value of $50,000 of his or her interest in a farm or lot of land and buildings thereon, a condominium, or personal property, owned or rightly possessed by lease or otherwise and occupied by him or her as a residence, or in a cooperative that owns property that the individual uses as a residence" (735 ILCS 5/12-901, as amended by P.A. 104-120, effective January 1, 2026).

When two or more people own the property, each person's exemption is limited to his or her share of $100,000 by ownership percentage. The homestead "is exempt from attachment, judgment, levy, or judgment sale for the payment of his or her debts or other purposes." The sections our research read do not require a recorded declaration; the protection arises from occupying the property as a residence.

There are exceptions. "No property shall, by virtue of Part 9 of this Article, be exempt from sale for nonpayment of taxes or assessments, or for a debt or liability incurred for the purchase or improvement thereof" (735 ILCS 5/12-903). Our research did not read the sections on child support or other creditor categories, so this is not a promise that a home is safe from every debt.

In bankruptcy, Illinois has opted out of the federal exemption list: residents "shall be prohibited from using the federal exemptions provided in Section 522(d) of the Bankruptcy Code," except as Illinois law permits (735 ILCS 5/12-1201). For how the homestead works in a case, see our Illinois bankruptcy guide.

After a homeowner dies

The creditor homestead "shall continue after the death of such individual, for the benefit of the spouse surviving, so long as he or she continues to occupy such homestead, and of the children until the youngest child becomes 18 years of age" (735 ILCS 5/12-902). Other family allowances belong to the probate process; see our Illinois probate guide.

Finding your county assessment office

Your Chief County Assessment Office, usually the county assessor or supervisor of assessments, takes exemption applications, and the county collector or treasurer bills and collects the tax. To look up how your parcel is recorded, see our Illinois property records guide.

Related

• Homestead exemptions by state
• Illinois bankruptcy guide
• Illinois probate guide
• Illinois property records

This article provides general legal information about Illinois property-tax homestead exemptions under the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200) and the homestead exemption from creditors under 735 ILCS 5/12-901, as verified on October 7, 2026. It is not tax or legal advice. For your situation, contact your county assessment office, the Illinois Department of Revenue, or a lawyer licensed in Illinois.

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the homestead exemption in Illinois?

The General Homestead Exemption reduces a home's equalized assessed value by its increase over the 1977 level, up to $10,000 in Cook County, $8,000 in the counties next to Cook, and $6,000 in all other counties, for taxable years 2023 and later (35 ILCS 200/15-175). It reduces EAV, so the dollar savings depend on your local tax rate.

When is the deadline to file for homestead exemption in Illinois?

Illinois has no single statewide deadline; each county sets its application period. For the senior assessment freeze, counties under 3,000,000 people require Form PTAX-340 by July 1 each year unless the county sets another date by ordinance (35 ILCS 200/15-172).

Do I have to reapply for homestead exemption every year in Illinois?

Outside Cook County, the general exemption is granted automatically, but a new owner may have to apply after a sale (35 ILCS 200/15-175). The senior freeze (Form PTAX-340) must be filed every year, and the disability exemption is renewed yearly on Form PTAX-343-R unless your county renews it without an application. The veterans' disability exemption must be reapplied for each year, except for World War II veterans and veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled (35 ILCS 200/15-169(e)). In Cook County, the senior exemption does not need to be refiled each year once granted (35 ILCS 200/15-170(i)).

What is the income limit for the senior freeze in Illinois?

The Illinois Department of Revenue lists household income of $75,000 or less for taxable year 2026 (payable 2027), $77,000 for taxable year 2027, and $79,000 for taxable year 2028 and after. Those limits were set by P.A. 104-852, which amended 35 ILCS 200/15-172.

Is the homestead exemption automatic in Illinois?

The general exemption is automatic in counties with fewer than 3,000,000 people, though the assessor may ask for an application, an inspection or a questionnaire (35 ILCS 200/15-175). The senior, senior freeze, disability and veteran exemptions require applications on Department of Revenue forms filed with your county.

What property tax exemption do disabled veterans get in Illinois?

Under 35 ILCS 200/15-169, a veteran with a service-connected disability of 30% to under 50% gets a $2,500 EAV reduction, 50% to under 70% gets $5,000, and 70% or more has the first $250,000 of EAV exempt. The rating must be certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Does the Illinois homestead exemption protect my house from creditors?

No, the property-tax exemption does not. A separate law, 735 ILCS 5/12-901, protects $50,000 of an individual's interest in a home they occupy as a residence, effective January 1, 2026, with exceptions such as unpaid property taxes and debts to buy or improve the property.