Let’s talk about three important documents you get in the mail regarding your property taxes and how to make sense of them: your Reassessment Notice and your property tax bill.
Quick recap on reassessment: Properties in Cook County are typically reassessed every three years, rotating each year between the north suburbs, south suburbs, and City of Chicago. Properties may also be reassessed if there are major changes due to a permit application, property division, demolition, or other special application. Review the “how properties are valued” to learn more about reassessments. |
Your Reassessment Notice and Tax Bill
Your reassessment notice and tax bills both include general information about your property. Examples include:
- Your home’s Property Index Number (PIN)
- Property characteristics (like square footage, land size, building stories, etc.)
- Your property’s fair market value and assessed value
- A list of exemptions for homeowners (savings on your taxes) applied to the property in the past several years
Learn more about the purpose of each document:
Your Reassessment Notice and Tax Bill
Your reassessment notice and tax bills both include general information about your property. Examples include:
- Your home’s Property Index Number (PIN)
- Property characteristics (like square footage, land size, building stories, etc.)
- Your property’s fair market value and assessed value
- A list of exemptions for homeowners (savings on your taxes) applied to the property in the past several years
Learn more about the purpose of each document:
Your Reassessment Notice
What it says: Provides the most recent update of your property value
Who sends it: The Cook County Assessor’s Office
How often do you receive this: Once every three years
How it affects you: Your reassessment notice affects your second installment tax bill the following year. If your reassessment notice arrives in 2025, the tax bill reflecting this assessment will arrive in the summer of 2026.
If you think there is an issue with your latest property value reassessment, you have the right to appeal. If your appeal results in a change to your property’s value, the changes will affect your second installment tax bill.
Your Property Tax Bill
Your annual property tax bill comes from the Cook County Treasurer’s Office in two installments: the first installment is due in Spring, and the second installment is due in summer every year.
First Installment
What it says: Notifies you of what you owe for property taxes
Who sends it: The Cook County Treasurer’s Office
How often do you receive this: Every spring
How it works: include how it works
- 55% of the amount paid the year before.
Second Installment
What it says: Notifies you of what you owe for property taxes
Who sends it: The Cook County Treasurer’s Office
How often do you receive this: Every summer
How it works: include details here
- Exemptions or savings for homeowners only appear on the second installment tax bill. If the property has been reassessed the new value appears on this bill.
- For example if you were reassessed in 2024, the new Fair Market Value will appear on the second installment tax bill in 2025.
- How does the Assessor's Office value property?
You can learn more about residential valuation and commercial valuation on our website.
- Something about appealing assessments vs taxes?
What is an appeal?
- If I believe the information on the reassessment notice is incorrect, how do I appeal?
Here are some common reasons to file an appeal:
- The characteristics listed for your home are wrong
- You think your home is worth less than the fair market value on this notice
- You think there is information about your property that was not taken into account
Appeals can be filed with our office or with the Cook County Board of Review. Please see our Appeals section for information on how and when to file an appeal with our office. Visit cookcountyboardofreview.com for information and deadlines about appeals with their office.
- If my property’s value increases, does that mean that my tax bill will increase?
Not necessarily. The assessed value of your property is only one factor in determining your property taxes. Your total tax levy, set by local taxing bodies like schools, is an important factor in setting your tax rate.
We have more information available on how our property tax system works here.
- Am I eligible for any savings?
To learn more about tax savings called exemptions that can reduce your tax bill, visit our Exemptions section.