Transfer Tax By Municipality is a list that the Cook County Clerk's Office compiles for each city or village in Cook County, showing the party liable, the proof of exemption, the exemption requirements, the transfer tax amount and the date the tax was enacted. If you searched for Cook County property tax, note that this list covers transfer taxes, the fees paid when property changes ownership. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published by the Clerk's Office at cookcountyclerkil.gov.
Last updated
What is Transfer Tax By Municipality – Cook County, IL?
Transfer Tax By Municipality is a courtesy list, compiled by the Cook County Clerk's Office, that shows the transfer tax rules of the State of Illinois, Cook County and each listed city or village in one table, with 74 numbered rows in the May 2024 update.
The Clerk's page defines a transfer tax as a fee paid when property changes ownership, typically based on the sale price. In Illinois, transfer taxes apply at the state, county and sometimes municipal levels. The list gives, for each entry:
- the municipality name, address and phone number;
- the party liable (seller, buyer, either or both);
- the proof of exemption, such as a rubber stamp, sticker, certificate or water bill;
- the exemption requirements, which may include a fee;
- the transfer tax amount;
- the date the tax was enacted, or "Not Avail".
The document carries an explicit warning. The Clerk's Office compiles it as a courtesy, stamp purchasers should always consult the local municipality for the most accurate and final amounts, and the amounts listed are not legally binding in any way. Some rows hold special notes, for example Chicago's requirement that its form be completed online in Mydec, and a separate Mt. Prospect agent row marked N/A. It is a reference table, not an application.
Who needs to file Transfer Tax By Municipality – Cook County, IL?
Stamp purchasers are the audience the list names: people buying transfer stamps for a property transfer in Cook County use it to see what each level of government and each municipality requires. In practice that includes sellers and buyers, since the list shows which party is liable in each municipality. It is SELLER in most rows, BUYER in some, and EITHER or BOTH in others.
Use it to find:
- the municipality's address and phone number for the final amount;
- the proof of exemption the municipality accepts, and any fee for the exemption;
- the date the municipal tax was enacted.
The list does not replace the municipality's own answer. The Clerk's Office tells stamp purchasers to consult the local municipality, and says the amounts are not legally binding. If your property is in an unincorporated area, the list asks you to advise the Clerk's Office, because no municipality row applies to it.
The list is not a transfer declaration or an exemption claim. Chicago's row states that its completed form, required for all exempt deeds, must be completed online in Mydec starting 1.1.2016.
When to file Transfer Tax By Municipality – Cook County, IL
The list is consulted when property is about to change ownership, because that is when a transfer tax is paid. It is not filed and has no due date of its own: no deadline is printed on it. Check it before you buy transfer stamps or prepare a deed for recording, since it shows what proof of exemption a municipality requires, and in some rows that proof, such as a certificate of payment, is attached to the recording. The date in the last column is the date each tax was enacted, not a filing date. The document was updated in May 2024, so confirm every entry with the municipality before relying on it.
Documents you need
- Proof of exemption in the form the municipality lists (rubber stamp, sticker or other), when you claim an exemption in that municipality.
- Current or final water bill, in the municipalities whose rows list it as proof of exemption or an exemption requirement, such as Chicago Heights, Maywood or Midlothian.
- Certificate of payment attached to the recording, in the municipalities whose rows require it, such as Lansing and Park Ridge.
- Inspection certificate, with a fee in some rows, in the municipalities whose rows list one, such as Berkeley, Broadview and Northlake.
- Exemption letter attached to the recording, in Oak Lawn.
- Chicago's completed form, which must be completed online in Mydec; Chicago's row says a water certification is required for all exempt deeds.
- Certificate of Final Payment attached to the recording, in Glencoe; the row excludes trusts, estate planning and quit claim deeds.
How to fill out Transfer Tax By Municipality – Cook County, IL
Open the current list
Use the Clerk's Office list marked UPDATED May-2024 and read the disclaimer at the top: amounts are a courtesy and not legally binding.
Find your municipality row
Locate the city or village in the MUNICIPALITY NAME column. If the property is in an unincorporated area, advise the Clerk's Office.
Check the party liable
Read the PARTY LIABLE column to see whether the seller, buyer, either or both pay in that municipality.
Read the proof of exemption
In PROOF OF EXEMPTION, note what the municipality uses, such as a rubber stamp, sticker, certificate or water bill.
Review the exemption requirements
In EXEMPTION REQUIREMENTS, note any fee or document the row lists, such as an inspection certificate or "No fee exemption".
Note the tax amount and date
Read TRANSFER TAX AMOUNT and DATE ENACTED. Some rows print a note or "Not Avail" instead of a figure.
Confirm with the municipality
Call or visit using the ADDRESS and PHONE in the row to get the most accurate and final amount.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that the rows you rely on are correct, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF.
How to submit Transfer Tax By Municipality – Cook County, IL
This list is not submitted to any agency; it is a reference you use when dealing with the State of Illinois, Cook County or a municipality on a transfer.
- Municipality: each row gives the address and phone number of the city or village. The Clerk's Office tells stamp purchasers to consult the municipality for the final amount.
- State of Illinois and Cook County: both rows give 118 N. Clark St. and 312.603.5050.
- Chicago: the row lists 121 N. LaSalle, Rm. 107 and 312.747.4747, and says the completed form must be completed online in Mydec starting 1.1.2016.
- Online search: the Clerk's transfer fees page at https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/recordings/transfer-fees lets you pick a municipality from a dropdown menu.
Some municipalities attach a certificate or printout to the recording, as their rows state. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; any dealings with the agencies follow the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the listed amounts as final; the list says they are not legally binding and tells stamp purchasers to consult the municipality.
- Skipping the municipality's own requirements, such as a current water bill, certificate of payment or inspection certificate, where its row lists them.
- Assuming the seller always pays; the party liable is BUYER, EITHER or BOTH in some municipalities, such as Burnham, Cicero and Chicago.
- Using the list for a property in an unincorporated area without telling the Clerk's Office, which the list asks you to do.
- Assuming a Chicago transfer under a dissolution of marriage is exempt; Chicago's row says such transfers are not exempt.
- Not completing Chicago's required form online in Mydec, which the row says applies starting 1.1.2016.
- Treating the Mt. Prospect Agent row as a municipality; it is marked N/A in every column except the address and phone.
- Relying on an old copy, when the Clerk updates the list; this version is marked UPDATED May-2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cook County Transfer Tax By Municipality list?
It is a list compiled by the Cook County Clerk's Office showing, for the State of Illinois, Cook County and each listed city or village, the party liable, proof of exemption, exemption requirements, transfer tax amount and date enacted.
Is the Cook County property tax the same as the transfer tax?
No. This list covers transfer taxes, which the Clerk's page describes as a fee paid when property changes ownership, typically based on the sale price. It is not a Cook County property tax bill or rate table.
Are the amounts on the list legally binding?
No. The list states that it is compiled as a courtesy and that the amounts are not legally binding in any way. Stamp purchasers should always consult the local municipality for the most accurate and final tax amount.
Who pays the transfer tax in my municipality?
It depends on the row. The party liable column shows SELLER for most municipalities, BUYER for some, such as Burnham and Niles, and EITHER or BOTH for others, such as Cicero and Chicago. Confirm with the municipality.
What if my property is in an unincorporated area?
The list asks you to advise the Cook County Clerk's Office if your property is in an unincorporated area, because the list has rows only for the State of Illinois, Cook County and the listed municipalities.
How does Chicago handle transfer tax exemptions?
Chicago's row says a completed form, with water certification, is required for all exempt deeds, and that the form must be completed online in Mydec starting 1.1.2016. Transfers pursuant to a dissolution of marriage are not exempt.
Can I fill out the transfer tax list online on FillingPDF?
You can use FillingPDF to fill out the PDF online and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of Cook County and does not file anything or set transfer tax amounts; confirm every entry with the Clerk's Office or the municipality.
Where do I look up one municipality instead of the full list?
The Clerk's transfer fees page at https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/recordings/transfer-fees has a dropdown menu: select a municipality and click Search. The full list is also available there as a download.
Ready to fill out Transfer Tax By Municipality – Cook County, IL?
Fill out Transfer Tax By Municipality – Cook County, IL now