Illinois Tax Sale Calendar

Quick answerIllinois tax sale timing: Annual tax sale held by each county collector, typically in the fall (roughly October-December; Cook County's annual sale for tax year 2023 was scheduled December 15, 2026). A separate biennial scavenger sale covers parcels delinquent over multiple years in Cook County. What is sold: Tax lien certificates. Registration and deposits are due before the sale — in most counties, the day before — so the list posting date matters as much as the sale date.

Verified Illinois sale dates are added as counties publish their lists — members get them by text and email the moment they post. The sale rhythm below is from Illinois law.

Rate / penalty: Penalty bid down from a statutory maximum of 9% per 6-month period (18% annualized); the winning (lowest) penalty percentage is applied to the certificate amount at sale and again every 6 months thereafter (35 ILCS 200/21-215, as reduced from 18% per 6-month period by P.A. 102-0363; 35 ILCS 200/21-355). Subsequent taxes paid by the buyer earn 12% per year.

Redemption: Generally 2.5 years from the date of sale; 1 year for vacant non-farm property, commercial or industrial property, and property with a structure of 7 or more residential units (certificates issued on or after January 1, 2024, per 35 ILCS 200/21-350 as amended by the 103rd General Assembly). The certificate holder may extend the period, up to a maximum of 3 years (35 ILCS 200/21-385).

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New Illinois lists post county by county, and properties redeem and vanish weekly. LienToDeed texts you when new properties are listed in your counties — and when a watched property drops off.

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Rules: Illinois tax sale laws · Playbook: Illinois investing guide