More than 45,000 properties are in Cook County’s Tax Sale and 18,000 owe under $1,000
45,088 property owners are encouraged to pay their delinquent bills immediately to prevent their unpaid taxes from being offered for auction at the Cook County Tax Sale that runs November 15 – 18, 2022. Properties with unpaid 2020 property taxes (due in 2021) will be offered at the Sale.
Owners were sent notices via certified mail informing them that their unpaid taxes could be auctioned, which would put a lien against their properties. Less than $1,000 is owed on 12,163 properties in Chicago and 6,100 properties in suburban Cook County.
Owners can avoid the Tax Sale by paying the delinquent taxes and interest before the Sale begins. Check to see if your taxes are delinquent by visiting
cookcountytreasurer.com. Use the box on the home page labeled “Avoid the Tax Sale” to search for your home or other property by entering a Property Index Number or an address. Property owners can also use the website to make sure they are receiving the
exemptions for which they qualify. These include the homeowner, senior and senior freeze exemptions.
Payment can be made in five ways:
- Online for free at cookcountytreasurer.com
- At any Chase Bank location
- At any of more than 100 community banks where you have an account
- By mail
- At the Treasurer’s Office
Per Illinois law, an annual tax sale is conducted 13 months after the due date. But the pandemic delayed the 2018 and 2019 tax sales. The 2018 Tax Sale was held in November 2021, and the 2019 Tax Sale was held in May.
