Illinois Transfer Tax: How Much It Is and Who Pays
Illinois's Real Estate Transfer Tax is $0.50 per $500 of price or fraction (0.1%): $315 on a $314,200 home. Cities and counties add their own; Cook County's brings the total there to $472.
Illinois transfer tax by purchase price
| Purchase price | State tax | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $150 | $150 |
| $200,000 | $200 | $200 |
| $250,000 | $250 | $250 |
| $300,000 | $300 | $300 |
| $350,000 | $350 | $350 |
| $400,000 | $400 | $400 |
| $450,000 | $450 | $450 |
| $500,000 | $500 | $500 |
| $600,000 | $600 | $600 |
| $700,000 | $700 | $700 |
| $800,000 | $800 | $800 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
Transfer tax calculator
Who pays
In Illinois the seller pays the transfer tax by statute or custom, so it usually reduces the seller's proceeds rather than adding to the buyer's closing costs. No statute assigns liability, but because the seller/grantor must deliver a recordable deed and the recorder will not record without stamps affixed, the seller customarily purchases the state and county stamps (Fannie Mae v. Hamer, No. 12 C 50230, 2013 WL 591979 (N.D. Ill. 2013), applying Illinois law). Source
City and county transfer taxes in Illinois
These stack on the state tax. Open a jurisdiction for the combined figure at every price.
| Jurisdiction | Local rate | Total on a $314,200 home |
|---|---|---|
| Cook County | $0.25 per $500 of price or fraction (0.05%) | $472 |
| City of Chicago | $5.25 per $500 of price or fraction (1.05%) | $3,617 |
| DuPage County | $0.25 per $500 of price or fraction (0.05%) | $472 |
| Varies | $3 per $1,000 of price or fraction (0.3%) | $1,260 |
| Lake County | $0.25 per $500 of price or fraction (0.05%) | $472 |
| Madison County | $0.25 per $500 of price or fraction (0.05%) | $472 |
| St. Clair County | $0.25 per $500 of price or fraction (0.05%) | $472 |
| Will County | $0.25 per $500 of price or fraction (0.05%) | $472 |
| Winnebago County | $0.25 per $500 of price or fraction (0.05%) | $472 |
Frequently asked questions
How much is the transfer tax in Illinois?
The state rate is $0.50 per $500 of price or fraction (0.1%), which is $315 on a $314,200 home; Cook County, City of Chicago and DuPage County add a local tax on top.
Who pays the transfer tax in Illinois?
In Illinois the seller pays the transfer tax by statute or custom, so it usually reduces the seller's proceeds rather than adding to the buyer's closing costs. No statute assigns liability, but because the seller/grantor must deliver a recordable deed and the recorder will not record without stamps affixed, the seller customarily purchases the state and county stamps (Fannie Mae v. Hamer, No. 12 C 50230, 2013 WL 591979 (N.D. Ill. 2013), applying Illinois law). Source
Is there a mortgage or recordation tax too?
No. Illinois taxes the deed only; recording the mortgage costs a flat recording fee, not a percentage.
Are there exemptions?
No first-time buyer or principal-residence exemption was identified in the Illinois, Cook County, or Chicago transfer tax rules.
Sources
Rates as the statute or revenue department publishes them, checked 2026-09-22. Figures are computed from those rates and rounded to the dollar; exemptions for first-time buyers or principal residences are noted where they exist and are not applied. All sources.
All Illinois buyer closing costs → Illinois title insurance cost →
Figures are computed from the statute cited above and rounded to the dollar. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Transfer tax in every state