Appealing property taxes in Chicago in 2026

Chicago is eight townships

For property taxes, Cook County divides the City of Chicago into eight townships. Your appeal dates follow your township, not your ward, ZIP code or neighborhood name.

Community areas ranked by number of parcels: our calculation from Cook County open data (Assessor Parcel Universe). Township lines do not follow neighborhood lines, so one area can sit in two townships.

A few names confuse people. Lake Township is on Chicago's south-west side and has nothing to do with Lake County. North Chicago, South Chicago and West Chicago are names of townships inside the city, not directions.

To be sure, type your address into the Assessor's address search. It shows your township and your 14-digit PIN.

Chicago was not reassessed in 2026

Cook County reassesses property once every three years, and the year depends on the township. The Assessor's calendar says that in 2026 the south and west suburbs are being reassessed. Properties in the north suburbs and the City of Chicago are not.

There is one exception. If a Chicago property had division work, permit applications or other special changes, it may be reassessed, and the owner gets a Reassessment Notice with a new estimated market value.

The Assessor's archive lists the City of Chicago under its 2024 assessment calendar. So for most Chicago homes, the 2026 value is the one set in that cycle, plus any later appeal results or changes.

Not being reassessed does not close the door. In the Assessor's words: "Even though the townships listed below are not scheduled to be reassessed in 2026, property owners still have an opportunity to file an appeal."

Each township has its own window

The Assessor opens townships one at a time. When a township opens, its last file date appears on the Assessor's calendar, and the deadline is also printed on any notice you receive.

The Board of Review runs a second, separate window later. It opens a township after the Assessor has finished it, and its FAQ says "All townships are opened a minimum of 30 days."

The box at the top of this page lists the townships that are open right now. For every Chicago township's dates in one place, see our 2026 deadlines by township.

Treat each date as final. The Assessor's rules call them "hard" deadlines, and all evidence must be in by the same day.

Two places to appeal: the Assessor, then the Board of Review

You can appeal first to the Cook County Assessor and then to the Board of Review. Both are free, and you do not need to hire anyone. The Assessor says filing "can be done online in as little as 20 minutes."

• Assessor: file online through SmartFile while your township is open.
• Board of Review: file through its online portal. The Board says it "is not bound by the final determination of the Assessor," so you can file there even if the Assessor already gave you a reduction.
• After the Board: you may go on to the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB) or circuit court. A PTAB petition is due within 30 days of the postmark on the Board's decision notice.

The Board of Review also lets you pre-register before your township opens, so your appeal is on time. Our guide to the Assessor vs the Board of Review explains the differences.

Is an appeal worth it for your home?

The Assessor gives a simple rule of thumb. If the facts about your home are correct and the estimated market value is within 10 percent of what you think it is worth, an appeal is unlikely to change your bill much.

The common grounds for a residential appeal are:

• Uniformity: your assessed value is out of line with similar homes nearby.
• Overvaluation: the market value is higher than your home would sell for. Recent closing statements or sale prices of similar homes help here.
• Incorrect information: wrong square footage, age or other details on your record.

If you bought the home within two years of January 1 of the appeal year, the Assessor's rules require you to disclose the sale date and price.

Many Chicago homes are condos. Under the Assessor's rules, owners are encouraged to file with their association, but an individual owner may opt out and file for their own unit only.

Not sure where you stand? Check your home free against similar homes before you decide.

What an appeal can and cannot do

An appeal asks the county to correct your assessment. It works best when you can show it is out of line: comparable homes in your neighborhood with lower values per square foot, recent sale documents, or a characteristic on your record that is wrong. Many appeals end with no change, and a reduction is never certain.

A lower assessment also does not cut your bill by the same percentage. The Assessor explains that your bill depends on your share of the total assessed value in your community, your exemptions and the levies set by local taxing bodies.

When a reduction shows up on your bill

Cook County bills come in two installments. The first is 55% of the previous year's total bill, so it does not reflect a new appeal.

A reduction from a 2026 appeal would show up on the second-installment bill for tax year 2026, which is issued in 2027. Keep paying your bills on time while you wait.

If an appeal is granted and nothing about the property changes, the Assessor says that value stays your assessed value until the next reassessment.

How to file in Chicago, step by step

1. Find your township and PIN with the Assessor's address search.
2. Check your township's window on our deadlines page or the Assessor's calendar.
3. Look up the facts on your record and compare your assessed value with similar homes.
4. File with the Assessor through SmartFile before the last file date, with all evidence attached.
5. When the Board of Review opens your township, file there too, or pre-register early. The Board requires a photo of your property.

Our step-by-step guide on how to appeal in Cook County walks through each screen.