State guide · IL
Transfer tax in Illinois
Illinois charges roughly 0.15% when a home changes hands — about $405 on a median-priced home, customarily paid by seller for state/county; buyer pays most of chicago's city tax.
Rate
0.15%
On a median home
$405
Customarily paid by
Seller
State tax of $0.50 per $500 (0.1%) plus $0.25 per $500 county (0.05%); Chicago adds $5.25 per $500 (1.05%, mostly buyer-paid).
Transfer taxes are one line of the larger closing bill. For the full picture in Illinois — title, escrow, attorney conventions, and typical buyer costs — see our Illinois closing costs guide, or estimate your own bottom line with the seller net proceeds calculator.
How Illinois compares
| Rank | State | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| #27 | Iowa | 0.16% |
| #28 | Hawaii | 0.15% |
| #29 | Illinois | 0.15% |
| #30 | Oklahoma | 0.15% |
| #31 | California | 0.11% |
Common questions
Does Illinois have a real estate transfer tax?
Yes. State tax of $0.50 per $500 (0.1%) plus $0.25 per $500 county (0.05%); Chicago adds $5.25 per $500 (1.05%, mostly buyer-paid). On a median-priced Illinois home (about $270,000), that's roughly $405.
Who pays the transfer tax in Illinois?
Seller for state/county; buyer pays most of Chicago's city tax. Like every closing cost, this is custom rather than law — the purchase contract can assign it to either side, and in competitive negotiations it sometimes moves.
Selling in Illinois? See what you'd keep
Sale price minus commissions, payoff, and taxes like this one — the number that actually lands in your account.
Open the net proceeds calculatorRates are representative combined state and typical local figures compiled from public sources and rounded for readability; graduated schedules, exemptions, and city add-ons can change your number. Confirm with your closing agent or county recorder. Median home values are approximate.