Right to redeem after a tax sale — 2½ to 3 years for most homes
35 ILCS 200/21-350
In plain words
When Illinois property taxes are sold at the annual tax sale, the buyer gets a lien certificate, not the home. You can redeem through the county clerk by paying the taxes plus penalties, which grow over time. For most homes the period is at least 2½ years from the sale; a 2026 amendment may have lengthened it to 3 years — check your notice. The buyer must serve you notice months before the period ends.
Who is protected
Owners of Illinois property sold at a tax sale.
When it applies
- Only in Illinois.
- Only if you are behind on property taxes.
What you can do
Get property-tax help
Get a redemption estimate from the county clerk and pay there, not to the tax buyer.
Deadline: Before the redemption expiration date in the buyer’s take notice
Open the toolPut the deadline on your calendar
Mark it the day you receive the notice.
Deadline: The expiration date in the take notice
Open the tool
Honest limits
- Penalties rise over time, so redeeming early costs less.
- This is general education, not legal advice. Laws change and details depend on your papers and your court; check the current law or ask a lawyer or legal aid.
The law
- State lawPeriod of redemption
35 ILCS 200/21-350
What it says: Sets the period for redeeming property sold at a tax sale.
Read the official texthttps://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=003502000K21-350
Court cases
- Homeowner wonSame topicTyler v. Hennepin County
Tyler v. Hennepin County, 598 U.S. 631 (2023)
a government that sells a home for unpaid taxes and keeps the value beyond the tax debt takes property without just compensation
- Homeowner wonSame topicHall v. Meisner
Hall v. Meisner, 51 F.4th 185 (6th Cir. 2022)
a homeowner's equity in property taken for a smaller tax debt is protected property, and taking it without compensation states a federal takings claim
- Homeowner wonSame topicJones v. Flowers
Jones v. Flowers, 547 U.S. 220 (2006)
when mailed notice of a tax sale is returned undelivered, the government must take additional reasonable steps to notify the owner before selling the property
- Homeowner wonSame topicMennonite Board of Missions v. Adams
Mennonite Bd. of Missions v. Adams, 462 U.S. 791 (1983)
a person with a recorded interest in property is entitled to notice by mail or equally reliable means before a tax sale, and publication or posting alone is not enough
- Homeowner lostSame topicPung v. Isabella County
Pung v. Isabella County, No. 25-95, slip op. (U.S. June 23, 2026)
after a fairly conducted tax sale, the government owes the former owner the surplus from the sale price, not the property's fair market value
Related rights
The right to real notice before the government takes or sells your home
U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 1Due Process Clause
Before a state or county sells your property — for example at a tax sale, or through a court foreclosure — the Constitution requires notice that is reasonably likely to actually reach you. If the government knows your address, publishing a notice in the newspaper is not enough. If a mailed notice comes back unclaimed, the government must take extra reasonable steps to reach you, if it practicably can.
Read this rightThe government cannot keep your home equity beyond the tax debt
U.S. Const. amend. VTakings Clause
If your home is taken or sold to pay property taxes, the government may collect what you owe, but it may not keep the extra value. Keeping the surplus is a "taking" of your property without just compensation, which the Fifth Amendment forbids (Tyler v. Hennepin County, 2023). You may be able to claim the surplus, but you usually must follow your state's claim process and deadlines.
Read this rightFair handling of your escrow account
12 C.F.R. § 1024.17(c)(1)
If your servicer collects money for taxes and insurance (escrow), it must pay those bills on time as long as you are not more than 30 days behind. It must review the account every year and send you a statement. It cannot keep more than a small cushion (one-sixth of a year's payments), and it must refund a surplus of $50 or more within 30 days of the review. When you pay off the loan, it must return what is left within 20 business days.
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