Real Estate Transfer Tax

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City of Evanston Real Estate Transfer Tax

In 1986, The City of Evanston enacted a Real Estate Transfer Tax Ordinance (33-O-86) on the transfer of real property. The City Collector's office collects the tax and issues exemptions from the tax. It is paid by the seller, unless other arrangements have been made by contract. Revenue from this tax goes into the City's General Fund.

On January 13, 2025, Evanston City Council adopted ordinance 18-O-25, Amending Title 3, Chapter 25, Section 8, “Revenue Stamps Required” of the City Code to Allow for Electronic Real Estate Transfer Stamps.

Real Estate Transfer Stamp Request

We encourage applicants to submit their requests seven to ten business days prior to the closing date.

NOTE: expedited requests are not being accepted at this time, and no exceptions will be made. (Before calling or going online to submit the request, have the sale contract or deed accessible.)

Online:

Visit The Evanston Online Service Request Portal (click here)

Enter the property address in the "Issue Location" section.
Type "Real Estate Transfer Stamp" in the "Type of Issue" section.

Phone:

Call the Evanston 3-1-1 Center: (847) 448-4311

Once your Service Request has been entered, an email notification will be sent to you once your request has been successfully submitted and again when it is completed. Each request submitted will be assigned a unique number linked to the specific property. Once your request is complete, you will receive detailed instructions on how to acquire the transfer stamp.

All real estate transactions necessitate a request to be submitted to the City of Evanston. These requests must be submitted either online or by contacting 3-1-1; in-person applications will not be accepted. Please allow (5) business days for processing, with the processing period commencing on the business day following the receipt of your request. The final water bill will be processed as part of the Transfer Stamp request, excluding condos and vacant land. Please note that a transfer stamp will not be issued until these steps has been completed and all outstanding debt owed to the City of Evanston has been paid and documents have been verified.

City of Evanston Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration Form

Transfer Tax Rate and Exemption Information

The tax imposed shall be determined on the sale price as follows:

Sale rates effective January 1, 2019 (Ordinance 148-O-18):

For sales prices up to $1,500,000, the tax imposed is $5 for every $1,000 value or fraction thereof.
For sales prices from $1,500,000.01 to $5,000,000, the tax imposed is $7 for every $1,000 value or fraction thereof.
For sales prices from $5,000,000.01 or more, the tax imposed is $9 for every $1,000 value or fraction thereof.

Exemption stamp rate effective March 20, 2006:

Pursuant to Evanston City Code 3-25-8-1 "Exemption Transaction Fee" There shall be a $100.00 fee for any exempt transaction enumerated in Sections 3-25-6 and 3-35-7 effective March 20, 2006.

Payment Methods

NOTE: We recommend that you use the online payment link(s) that are communicated in your Service Request for the transfer tax stamp charge and additional fees. You can choose to pay using either a credit card or a bank account.

Pay Online:

Payment instructions will be sent upon receipt of the completed declaration form. (Instructions include the weblink, account number, zip code and amount.)
The Electronic Transfer Stamp will be emailed to you once all fees have been verified.

Pay In-Person:

Visit the City of Evanston, Lorraine H. Morton City Hall, City Collector's Office, 909 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60201.
Acceptable forms of payment are credit card, money order, check, and cash. All checks should be made payable to the "City of Evanston."
Please bring all required documentation, forms, and your Service Request number.

Pay By Mail:

Send all required documentation, completed forms, Service Request number, and payment to the address below. (Acceptable forms of payment by mail are check or money order only. All checks should be made payable to the "City of Evanston.") Please note that it may take our staff an additional 1-2 business days after delivery to sort the mail before it is ready for internal distribution.

City of Evanston
City Collector's Office
Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center
909 Davis Street
Evanston, IL 60201

Payments for Transfer Stamp Amounting to $5,000 or More:

For transfer tax amounts ranging from $5,000 to $49,999, payment can only be made via credit card, cashier's check, title company check, or wire transfer. Please note that personal checks and attorney's checks are not accepted for this range.
For transfer tax amounts of $50,000 or more, payment for the transfer stamp must be submitted either by cashier's check or wire transfer.

Paying Your Final Evanston Water Bill:

A final water bill, if applicable, will be generated close to your closing date and communicated to you via your service request.

For information on making a final payment, please follow the instructions below. Before visiting the website, please ensure you have your account number and the billing amount accessible.

To pay your bill, click on "pay my bill" at, https://cityofevanston.watersmart.com/ and use the provided credentials to access your bill.

Upon verification of all fees and documents, your electronic real estate transfer tax stamp will be promptly issued to you.