When you sell a house in Chicago, three transfer taxes apply: the Illinois state tax, the Cook County tax and the City of Chicago tax. By custom, the seller pays the state and county taxes plus the CTA portion of the city tax, and the buyer pays the larger city portion. Outside the city, many suburbs add their own tax, and the rate and who pays it change from one town to the next.
The short answer
On a typical Chicago sale, the seller pays $0.50 per $500 to the state, $0.25 per $500 to Cook County and $1.50 per $500 for the CTA portion of the city tax. Together that is $4.50 for every $1,000 of the sale price. The buyer pays the city’s $3.75 per $500, or $7.50 per $1,000. Suburban towns set their own rules, from no tax at all to $10 per $1,000 charged to the seller.
What are the transfer tax rates in Chicago?
| Tax | Rate | Per $1,000 | Who normally pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois state | $0.50 per $500 | $1.00 | Seller |
| Cook County | $0.25 per $500 | $0.50 | Seller |
| City of Chicago | $3.75 per $500 | $7.50 | Buyer |
| CTA portion of the city tax | $1.50 per $500 | $3.00 | Seller |
The state rate is set in the Illinois Property Tax Code, and Cook County’s rate is $0.25 per $500 of the transfer price. The city tax and its CTA supplement add up to $5.25 per $500. The City of Chicago Department of Finance says that, in general, the buyer is responsible for the $3.75 and the seller for the $1.50. The city figures its tax per $500 “or fraction thereof,” so a price that isn’t an even multiple of $500 rounds up.
These splits are custom, not law. Your purchase contract can shift who pays what, and lenders, estates and investors sometimes negotiate it differently. If your contract is silent, your attorney and the title company will follow the usual Chicago practice shown above.
How much is the transfer tax on a $300,000 Chicago house?
Here is how the math works on a $300,000 sale price. The price is only an example, but the rates are the current ones.
- State: 600 units of $500 × $0.50 = $300 (seller)
- Cook County: 600 × $0.25 = $150 (seller)
- CTA portion: 600 × $1.50 = $900 (seller)
- City of Chicago: 600 × $3.75 = $2,250 (buyer)
So the seller’s side comes to $1,350 and the buyer’s side to $2,250, for $3,600 in total transfer tax. On a $500,000 sale, the seller’s share would be $2,250.
Do Chicago suburbs charge their own transfer tax?
Many do, and they don’t follow one pattern. Some charge nothing. Some put the whole tax on the seller. A few split it or put it on the buyer. Many also tie the stamp to other conditions, like a paid water bill or a pre-sale inspection. Here are a few Cook County examples from the Chicago Title transfer tax list dated July 1, 2026, checked against ATG’s ordinance pages:
| Town | Local rate | Who pays | Other conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Lawn | $5 per $1,000 | Seller | Water bill paid, village form |
| Berwyn | $10 per $1,000 | Seller | Final water reading, inspection, debts owed to the city paid |
| Cicero | $10 per $1,000 | Seller | Water bill paid, basement and attic affidavit, compliance inspection for many transfers |
| Evanston | $5 per $1,000 up to $1.5 million, $7 from $1.5 to $5 million, $9 above $5 million | Seller | Final water reading and bill paid, all sums due the city paid |
| Calumet City | $8 per $1,000 under $2 million | Split 50/50 | Water bill paid, inspection, plat of survey |
| Worth | No transfer tax | None | Certificate showing water and sewer are paid |
Village rules change, so treat any list as a starting point. Your title company checks the current ordinance for the exact address, including whether the property sits in an unincorporated area, where Cook County requires a zoning certificate instead.
How are transfer stamps bought at closing?
“Stamps” are proof the tax was paid. Today most of them are electronic, and the title company handles the process. Here is the usual order:
- Declarations. The title company or attorney prepares the Illinois transfer declaration in MyDec, the state’s online system, which all Cook County transactions use. Buyer and seller information both go on it.
- City requirements. In Chicago, the city won’t issue stamps until water and sewer charges are paid and, for residential buildings with five or fewer units that aren’t condos or co-ops, a zoning certification is in place.
- City stamps. Chicago declarations are filed online. Stamps come from the Department of Finance or from a title company registered to print them.
- Village stamps. In the suburbs, you or your attorney usually get the stamp from village hall before closing, after the water reading, inspection and any village fees are cleared. Cicero asks for documents at least two or three business days ahead, and Evanston takes online applications seven to ten business days before closing.
- State and county stamps. The title company buys MyDec revenue stamps, and the Cook County Clerk adds the stamp information electronically when the deed is recorded.
Each party’s share shows up as a line on the closing statement. Without the required stamps, the deed can’t be recorded, so missing paperwork is a common reason closings slip.
Is the transfer tax a big reason to sell one way or another?
Usually not on its own. On a $300,000 Chicago sale, the seller’s share is about $1,350, while an agent commission is usually several times larger. The bigger questions are what the house needs, how fast you need to move and what you would net after everything. Transfer tax is one line on a longer list.
How selling to us works with transfer taxes
When you sell to us, we pay all of the transfer taxes. That includes the state tax, the Cook County tax, the CTA portion, the city tax and any village tax, even in towns like Berwyn and Cicero where the ordinance puts it on the seller. We also pay the normal closing costs, and there are no commissions or fees.
We buy houses as-is, in any condition. You get a fair cash offer within 24 hours, and we show you the math behind it. We can close in as little as 2–3 weeks, or on the date you choose, at a local title company. You can read the steps on our how it works page, and we buy throughout Chicago and the rest of Cook County.
To be fair about it: if your house is updated and you have time to wait for the right buyer, listing with an agent will often bring a higher price, even after you pay your share of transfer tax. A cash sale fits better when the house needs work, has tenants, is part of an estate or needs to sell on a deadline.
Want to see your numbers side by side? Request a free, no-obligation cash offer, or call or text us at (773) 825-9855.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rates and local rules change, so confirm the current requirements for your property with your attorney or title company.