Papas reminds property owners to pay the second installment of property tax by the deadline on October 1st (Thursday).

Chicago, September 29, 2026 / PRNewswire / — Cook County Finance Officer Maria Papas reminded taxpayers today that the second installment of the 2025 property tax is due on October 1 (Thursday).

The Office of the Comptroller stated that nearly 1.8 million bills were published online on cookcountytreasurer.com in mid-August, and paper bills were mailed to taxpayers at the beginning of September.

For those who are unable to pay in full, the Finance Officer's Office accepts partial payments. According to state law, after October 1st, any unpaid balance will incur a fee of 0.75% per month. Illinois legislators approved reforms pushed by Papas in 2023, reducing the interest rate in Cook County from 1.5% per month to 0.75% per month, which translates to an annual rate reduction from 18% to 9%.

For payment or to download a copy of the tax invoice, please visit cookcountytreasurer.com.

• Select the blue boxes marked with “Pay Online for Free”;
• Search by property address, or enter the property index number ( Property Index Number );
• If the total amount due is displayed, click on the blue button “pay now”;
• Follow the steps indicated; you will need to know your account number as well as the bank's routing and number.

You can also do so through this website:

• Inquire about the $105 million refund that can be claimed;
• Check if you have missed out on tax reductions totaling $19 million that could lower the amount of your tax bill.

If you choose mail payment, the envelope with the postmark must be sent on or before the deadline of October 1st.

If you wish to make on-site payments, you can visit any of the nearly 400 TD Bank branches ( Chase Bank ) in Illinois. There are also over 100 community banks in the Chicago metropolitan area that accept property tax payments for Cook County.

In addition, starting from October 2nd, the office will provide free payment plan calculators ( Payment Plan Calculator ) for property owners who are overdue with their taxes. These calculators can help taxpayers in arrears to budget for their property tax expenses by making monthly or bi-monthly payments.

A short video tutorial is also available, guiding taxpayers on how to use the payment plan calculator, with versions in English, Spanish, and Polish.