Real Estate Tax Billing & Payment FAQs

Your Total Real Estate Tax Bill is Payable in Two (2) Installments.

You are sent one bill with the two (2) Payment Stubs at the bottom. Check payment status and reprint the current or past tax bills via wEdge or Invoice Cloud.

More payment information can before on the How to Pay Your Real Estate Bill FAQ page.

1. When is the tax bill mailed?

We aim to mail the tax bill around May 1^st each year.
The 2025 Tax bill was mailed on May 1, 2026.

2. What if I haven’t received my tax bill?

• • Your tax bill, once mailed, is available to you online through wEdge or Invoice Cloud to download as a PDF.
  • If you have not received your tax bill by May 15^th, and are unable to download the PDF, please contact our office via email, treasurer@dekalbcounty.org, or call 815-895-7112.
  • If you are a new homeowner and the bill was issued in the previous owner’s name, please use our online portals listed above to download a duplicate copy or contact our office.

3. What if I received a tax bill that is not my responsibility to pay?

• • If a mortgage company is to pay your bill, it is your responsibility to call them and ask if they need a copy of the bill. Many mortgage companies pay electronically and do not need a copy of the bill to pay. It is good practice to keep your real estate bill as it may be needed for other filings throughout the year.
  • If you no longer own the property, it is your responsibility to forward the bill to the new owner.
  • If you are a new homeowner and did not own the property last year, please check your closing documents, your title company, or the lawyer who helped with your closing to determine if the bill is your responsibility to pay.

4. When is each installment due?

• • Generally, each year the first installment is due around June 1^st and the second installment is due around September 1^st. For the current tax year, the exact due dates are:
    • • 1^st installment: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
      • 2^nd installment: Thursday, September 3. 2026

5. Can I pay both installments at once?

Yes. To avoid late fees, both installments must be paid by the 1^st installment due date. Both installments can be paid after the 1^st or 2^nd installment due dates, but the payment must include all applicable fees and costs.

6. What method of payment does the Treasurer/Collector’s Office accept?

View our Paying Real Estate & Mobile Home FAQ

7. How long do I have to pay via each payment option?

• • Cash, Cashier’s Check, Money Order – Any time through the last day to pay, Friday, October 25, 2026.
  • Personal or Business Check – September 18, 2026 (this date is also listed on the back of the payment stub each year)
  • Credit or Debit Card/eCheck/PayPal/Tap to Pay online or in our office – October 9, 2026 (This date is typically about 2 weeks before the last day to pay for the tax year.)
  • Location/Payment Submission:
    • • Treasurer’s Office – Through the last day to pay.
      • Mail – All payments must be in our office by 4:30 pm on the last day to pay. Postmarks are no longer accepted after the certified delinquent notices are mailed. Be sure to have it hand canceled at the post office as postmarks are not being applied locally and can take several days after mailing to be postmarked.
      • Local Banks – As long as you’re paying on or before the corresponding installment due date, the bank will accept your payment.

8. Do you accept postmarks?

Yes, through the point that Certified Delinquent Notices are mailed. This is typically about two (2) weeks after the 2^nd installment due date.

With the recent changes to the USPS post marking procedure (mail is not post marked until it reaches a regional processing center), mail will not be postmarked for 1 to 2 business days after it is has been picked up, if at all. It is strongly recommended that you mail your payment early and that you take your payment inside the Post Office and have it hand-canceled at the counter.

If you are using a Bank Online Bill Pay or any other 3rd party bill pay, read your their physical check information. Bill Pay services send in physical checks and this processes can take several days after your “bill pay” date.  We generally suggest having a bill pay date at least a week prior to the due date, but please defer to your bill pay vender’s timeline for physical check processing.

Postage machine dates or similar are not accepted.

9. What if I do not pay my installment on time?

By Illinois state law, all payments not received or postmarked on or before the due date will immediately have a 1.5% penalty applied beginning the day after the due date.  An additional 1.5% will be added each month thereafter through September. The Payment Stub indicates the penalty period deadlines. Additional costs and fees may be incurred after the 2^nd installment due date.

What if I can’t pay my taxes by the last day to pay?

We accept payments through 4:30 pm in our office on the last day to pay. The last day to pay is the Friday before the Monday Tax Sale. The Yellow Certified Delinquent Tax Notice and the publication in the newspaper include the dates for the current tax year.

Any unpaid taxes, including any penalties and fees, will be sold to a registered tax buyer at the tax sale for an interest rate. Please note, your property is not being sold at this point, only the taxes due. You will then have to contact the County Clerk’s Office to redeem the unpaid taxes, interest, and additional fees generated by the tax sale. The County Clerk’s Office will also have a timeline for what happens going forward. You can contact them at 815-895-7149. Be sure to have your parcel number when you call.

 

More payment information can before on the How to Pay Your Real Estate Bill FAQ page.