Chicago homeowners can appeal their property’s assessed value for free, without a lawyer, first with the Cook County Assessor and then with the Cook County Board of Review, but only during the short filing window set for their township each year.
Last reviewed October 13, 2026 · Chicago First Time Home Buyer editorial team
At a glance
| Who sets the value | Cook County Assessor’s Office |
| Where to appeal | 1. Assessor’s Office, 2. Board of Review, then optionally 3. Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB) or Cook County Circuit Court |
| Cost | Free at the Assessor and the Board of Review |
| Lawyer needed? | No, if the home is in your own name. Property held by an LLC or corporation must be appealed by an attorney at the Board of Review. |
| When | Only while your township is open, usually about 30 days |
| Common grounds | Overvaluation, lack of uniformity with similar homes, or wrong property details |
| Chicago in 2026 | Not a reassessment year for the city (last reassessed in 2024), but appeals are still allowed township by township |
| When a win shows up | On the second-installment tax bill issued the following year |
2026 appeal windows for Chicago’s eight townships
Chicago is split into eight assessment townships. Find yours by searching your address on the Assessor’s website. Dates below are from the Assessor’s calendar as updated October 11, 2026.
| Township | Assessor notices mailed | Assessor last file date | Board of Review window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Park | April 17, 2026 | June 1, 2026 (closed) | Aug. 3 – Sept. 1, 2026 (closed) |
| Lake View | May 28, 2026 | July 13, 2026 (closed) | Aug. 31 – Sept. 29, 2026 (closed) |
| West Chicago | July 10, 2026 | Aug. 21, 2026 (closed) | Not yet posted |
| Hyde Park | Aug. 26, 2026 | Oct. 8, 2026 (closed) | Not yet posted |
| Lake | Sept. 16, 2026 | Oct. 29, 2026 (open) | Not yet posted |
| Jefferson | Sept. 29, 2026 | Nov. 12, 2026 (open) | Not yet posted |
| North Chicago | Oct. 9, 2026 | Nov. 24, 2026 (open) | Not yet posted |
| South Chicago | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | Not yet posted |
If your township has already closed at the Assessor, you can still file at the Board of Review when it opens your township. You can pre-register with the Board of Review online before then so your appeal is on time.
Step 1: Appeal to the Assessor
The Assessor’s Office encourages filing online, and says a filing can take about 20 minutes. The last day to file is printed on your notice. Residential appeals cover single-family homes, townhomes, condos, co-ops and buildings of up to six units (Class 2 property).
- Overvaluation: the estimated market value is higher than the home would sell for. Support it with a recent closing statement, an appraisal (it must follow USPAP), or sale prices of similar homes.
- Uniformity: your assessment is out of line with similar homes in your assessment neighborhood. You can pick comparables on the County’s Cook Viewer map, or leave it to the Assessor’s analysts.
- Incorrect information: wrong square footage, unit count or other details. Send dated photos, a deed or other records.
Upload all evidence with the appeal; the Assessor does not accept it later.
Step 2: Appeal to the Board of Review
The Board of Review is a separate agency, and its decision sets the final county value for the year. You can file there whether the Assessor granted, denied or never saw an appeal from you. Filing is free and can be done online, in person or at a commissioner’s outreach event.
A photo of your property is required, and photos of comparable homes are encouraged. You have a right to a phone hearing but can waive it without penalty; analysts review the file either way. The Board can only hear the current year, so a missed window means waiting until next year.
Step 3: PTAB or Circuit Court
After a Board of Review decision, you can take the case to the state’s Property Tax Appeal Board or to Cook County Circuit Court. A PTAB appeal must be filed within 30 days of the Board of Review’s written decision. PTAB rules on the assessment only, not the tax rate or the bill.
What a recent buyer should know
Your purchase price is useful evidence, but it does not set your value automatically. The Assessor says a sale price is sometimes, not always, a fair measure of market value, because it depends on the buyer, the seller and the timing. Keep your closing statement; it is the document both offices ask for when you argue overvaluation.
The Assessor’s rule of thumb: if the property details on your notice are right and the estimated value is within about 10% of what you think the home is worth, an appeal is unlikely to change your bill much. If you paid well below the estimated value, or the notice lists the wrong unit count or size, an appeal is more likely to be worth the time.
Two other things lower a new owner’s bill and are often worth more than an appeal: the Homeowner Exemption, which does not carry over from the seller, and getting the property tax proration right at closing (see what it costs to buy a home in Chicago).
Common questions
Do I need a lawyer or a tax appeal firm to appeal in Cook County?
No. Both the Assessor and the Board of Review say homeowners can file themselves for free. An attorney is required at the Board of Review only when the property is owned by an LLC or other company.
Will a successful appeal cut my tax bill by the same percentage?
Not necessarily. Your bill also depends on exemptions, tax rates and local levies, so a lower assessment lowers your share of the levy rather than the bill by a fixed amount.
Should I hold off paying my tax bill until my appeal is decided?
No. The Board of Review says to pay on time. The first installment is set by law at 55% of the prior year’s bill, and the second installment is calculated after appeals are finished, so a reduction shows up there.
Do I have to appeal again every year?
No. The Assessor says a granted value stays in place until the next reassessment unless the property changes significantly. Chicago’s next reassessment is scheduled for 2027.
Sources
- Cook County Assessor’s Office, Assessment & Appeal Calendar (updated Oct. 11, 2026)
- Cook County Assessor’s Office, Overview of How Appeals Work
- Cook County Assessor’s Office, Residential Appeals
- Cook County Board of Review, Frequently Asked Questions
- Cook County Board of Review, Residential Appeals
- Illinois Property Tax Code, 35 ILCS 200/16-160 (PTAB filing deadline)
- Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board
Cite this page: Chicago First Time Home Buyer, “How to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment in Chicago,” reviewed October 13, 2026, chicagofirsttimehomebuyer.com/after-you-buy/property-tax-appeal/.