Tax Information

YearEnd Tax Information:

We do not mail out YearEnd tax information. Please use your prior tax bill for amount paid and parcel ID number.

If you do not have your bill, click here to View or Pay Bill.

Our goal is to provide you with as many convenient ways to pay your real estate taxes as possible. Paying taxes is never fun, but we are striving to make it easy. Please note that back taxes cannot be paid through this website; you will need to contact the Winnebago County Clerk's office at (815) 319-4253 for payment of back taxes.

Current Year Tax Information:
Partial payments are not accepted.

You can pay with e-Check (ACH). Payments are FREE - click Pay Taxes Online above or below.
You can pay with Debit & Credit Card. These payments are 2.29% of the amount charged. No portion of these fees are retained by Winnebago County, the fees are paid directly to our Payment Servicer, Autoagent. - click Pay Taxes Online above or below.
You can also call Autoagent directly at 815-859-9650, this is an automated line - if using debit or credit there is a fee of 2.29% of amount charged.
You can pay at many local banks with cash or checks. Please have your bill with you.
Associated Bank, First Mid, First Community Credit Union, German American State Bank, Generations Credit Union, Holcomb Bank, Members Alliance Credit Union, Midland State Bank, Northwest Bank , Illinois Bank & Trust, Harvard State Bank, Rockford Bell Credit Union, CB & I Bank & Trust, Rockford Community Bank, Solutions Bank, State Bank of Davis, Stillman Valley Bank, The First National Bank of Amboy, Union Savings Bank.

Attention Mortgage Companies and Title Companies:
There is a duplicate bill fee of $3.00 per parcel if you do not have the original bill. Please enclose a separate check for this cost when mailing payments.
This bill fee does NOT pertain to homeowners mailing payments or payments made in person.

Real Estate Taxes

First Installment:
	Payments should include the installment coupon numbered "1" from the top right-hand portion of the bill.
	Your check should be for the full amount of the installment and made payable to the WINNEBAGO COUNTY COLLECTOR.
	To avoid any late penalty, the payment must be made on or before due date.
	A United States Postal Service postmark is accepted as date of payment in the calculation of a late penalty.

Second Installment:
	Payments should include the installment coupon numbered "2" from the bottom right-hand portion of the bill.
	Your check should be for the full amount of the installment and made payable to the WINNEBAGO COUNTY COLLECTOR.
	To avoid any late penalty, the payment must be made on or before due date.
	A United States Postal Service postmark is accepted as date of payment in the calculation of a late penalty.

	How to Pay Your Tax Bill:
	Mail your tax bill and payment to: Susan J. Goral Winnebago County Treasurer P.O. Box 1216 Rockford, IL 61105-1216

	You may pay in person at Winnebago County Treasurer Susan Goral's Office, located at: Winnebago County Administration Building Room 205 404 Elm Street Rockford, IL 61101

	Pay Taxes Online 1. e-Check (ACH) - no fees 2. Online Credit or Debit through Autoagent - fees @ 2.29% of amount charged

	For your convenience, many participating Financial Institutions in Winnebago County are accepting property tax payments.

Mobile Home Taxes

Tax Bills are mailed 60 days prior to due date. Current due date is March 29, 2024.
Owners of mobile homes on January 1st of each year are responsible for the tax.
If you would like a receipt, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your payment.
Tax is calculated by multiplying the rate (based on the age of the mobile home) times the square footage.
If mobile home taxes are not paid by the due date a $25.00 late fee will be applied per year.

Senior Information

Senior Citizen Exemption:

Available for taxpayers who will be 65 years or older at any time during the assessment year, and who own and occupy their principal dwelling on January 1st of that year.
The exemption reduces the state equalized valuation by $5,000.
If you qualify and have not received this exemption, call the Supervisor of Assessments at (815)319-4460.
Deadline for filing: Dec 31st of the assessment year.

Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Exemption:

Qualified Senior Citizens can freeze the equalized assessed value of their property for as long as they remain eligible.
Exemption must be applied for before July 1st of each year, and requires a household income below $65,000.
The applicant must be the owner of record, and use the residence as his or her principal residence.
If you qualify for this exemption please contact the Supervisor of Assessments at (815)319-4460.

Senior Citizen Tax Deferral Program:

Available to qualified seniors 65 years of age and older with an annual income of $65,000 or less.
"Deferred" property taxes are paid by the state, with repayment plus interest due upon settlement of the estate or sale of the property.
The maximun amount that can be deferred each tax year is now $7,500. The taxpayer will be responsible for paying the County any amount due over the $7,500.
For information call (815)319-4400.
Deadline for filing: March 1st of the assessment year.

Tax Increment Financing

Your tax bill this year may have a new listing under the Taxing Body section. If you own property in a tax increment financing (TIF) district, you will have a listing called "something" TIF. For example, in the City of Rockford, you may own property in the East Side TIF District. These districts are created by local governments in accordance with State law whereby certain areas (as defined under State law) in need of development/redevelopment can have such necessary improvements done in order to make the areas viable again. Such improvements (upon meeting qualifications) can be financed through TIF district revenues.

Revenues for the districts are generated by the collection of property taxes each year at an increment based on the increase in assessed valuation of properties within the area since the districts were created. This excess tax revenue collected can only be used to fund projects located with the district.

Prior to this year, this increment was part of the current tax for each taxing body. Thus, the amount shown for each taxing body consisted of the base, the amount due the taxing body, and the increment, the increase generated by assessment growth since the district was created, the amount due the TIF district.

For this year, the increments have been separated from each taxing body and collectively identified as the increment for a TIF district. For more information about TIF districts, please contact the local government sponsoring the TIF district found on your tax bill.

Tax Sale

What is a tax sale?

• By Illinois State Statutes (35ILCS200) the county collector/treasurer is required to sell any taxes that have not been paid for the current tax year.
• We do not sell the property; we sell only the unpaid taxes.
• At the sale the tax buyers pay the taxes for the homeowner, and then the County Treasurer distributes the money to the taxing bodies.
• After the sale is completed the owner of record deals directly with the Winnebago County Clerk’s office for redemption amounts.
• If the property taxes are not redeemed in 2 ½ years the homeowner could lose the property; 2 years for vacant land.
• The longer the time between the sale and redemption, the higher the interest is likely to be.

Tax Sale Auction

• The tax sale is typically held last week of October or early November, dates to be determined by Treasurer. Our current tax sale date is November 19, 2024.
• You must be a registered buyer to attend. Tax Sale registration depends on tax sale date; limited time for registration based on this date.
• There is a $500.00 registration fee to attend the sale. There is also a $200.00 fee for the delinquent properties listing showing the parcels going to tax sale. These must be two separate checks made payable to the Winnebago County Treasurer. The $500.00 fee is put towards taxes purchased at the sale. If you do not show for the sale the $500.00 is forfeited to Winnebago County. If you come to the sale and are not an active bidder the $500.00 will be forfeited to Winnebago County. These checks must be sent with the Tax Sale Registration form. This form is not available online. You must contact our office to receive a registration either by phone (815) 319-4400 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• All first time buyers must provide a letter from your bank noting you are good up to a certain dollar amount.
• Every county handles tax sales differently. In Winnebago County, Illinois, we sell taxes, not property. This is a live auction, similar to a reverse auction. There are no phone or internet bids accepted. Registered tax buyers bid a percentage rate with a cap at 9%. The caller accepts the lowest bid to win. The homeowner has a period of 2 ½ years to redeem (buy back) their taxes; 2 years for vacant land. Registered buyers make a profit from the interest earned. If these taxes are not paid back the tax buyers can petition for tax deed through the court.
• Please note that participating in the Sale involves significant risk. The Winnebago County Treasurer’s office strongly recommends that the tax buyer research and check for liens on all properties prior to bidding at tax sale. This office does not check for structures or liens prior to printing the tax sale book. This will avoid filing for a Sale in Error and costing Winnebago County taxing bodies their funds. It is the tax buyer’s responsibility to check parcels prior to bidding at sale. The legal requirements to purchase at the Tax Sale and procedures that must be followed to obtain a tax deed are outlined in the Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 35, Act 200, available at public libraries or on the internet at www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp Knowledge regarding procedures and statutory requirements is the tax buyer’s responsibility.

After the Sale

Posting Subsequents