Homestead Exemption Info

This exemption lowers the equalized assessed value of your property up to $6,000.  To receive this exemption, you must contact the Assessor's office to verify that you are living in the property.

This exemption provides a $2,000 reduction in a property’s EAV to a qualifying property owned by a disabled person. A disabled person must file an annual application by the county’s due date to continue to receive this exemption. Obtain an application for the exemption at the Assessor's office or use the link at the top of the page for a printable form.  If you are renewing your exemption please use the renewal application form.

This exemption provides a reduction in a property’s EAV to a qualifying property owned by a veteran with a service-connected disability certified by the U. S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. A $2,500 homestead exemption is available to a veteran with a service-connected disability of 30% or more but less than 50%; a $5,000 homestead exemption is available to a veteran with a service-connected disability of 50% or more but less than 70%; and the property is tax exempt to a veteran with a service-connected disability of 70% or more. A disabled veteran must file an annual application by the county’s due date to continue to receive this exemption. Obtain an application for the exemption at the Assessor's office or use the link at the top of the page for a printable form.  If you are renewing your exemption please use the renewal application form.

This exemption lowers the equalized assessed value of your property by $5,000.  To receive this exemption, you must:

• Have reached age 65 during the tax year.
• Apply for the exemption at the Assessor's office or you can use the link at the top of the page for a printable form. You will need to bring proof of ownership of the property and your drivers license or state ID with you when you apply.

This exemption freezes the assessment on your property, but does not freeze the tax rate.  You need to understand that the actual taxes you pay may continue to increase based on the amounts levied by the taxing bodies where you reside (school districts, sanitary district, county, city, township, etc).

The filing deadline for this exemption is Sept. 30 of each year and must be renewed annually. To receive this exemption, you must:

• Have owned and occupied the property for two years starting Jan. 1
• Be age 65 or older.
• Have a maximum gross household income of $75,000.  The household income includes that of all persons using the property as their principal dwelling place on January 1 of the tax year.
• Obtain an application for the exemption at the Assessor's office or you can use the link at the top of the page for a printable form.  Your completed application must be notarized and returned to the City Assessor's or Knox County Assessor's office.

This exemption defers for four years any increase in the assessment of your property due to an addition or other qualifying improvement to your home for which the Assessor would add value.

• A maximum of $25,000 of assessed value may be deferred under this program.
• Call the Assessor's Office at 309-342-1106 for more information about this exemption.

Religious, charitable, educational organizations, federal, state and local governments are eligible for exemption from property taxes. The organization must apply for the exemption. The application for this exemption is available at the Assessor's office. The Knox County Board of Review will forward the application with their recommendation to the Department of Revenue for processing. The Department of Revenue determines eligibility for this exemption.

Veterans with Disabilities Exemption for Specially-Adapted Housing

This exemption may be up to $100,000 reduction on the assessed value for certain types of housing owned and used exclusively by a veteran with a disability in which federal funds have been used for the purchase or construction of specially adapted housing. The exemption is valid for as long as the veteran, the spouse, or the unmarried surviving spouse resides on the property. Federal and state financial assistance is provided for service-connected veterans with disabilities for the purpose of acquiring or remodeling suitable dwelling units with special fixtures or moveable facilities made necessary by the veteran's permanent and total service-connected disabilities as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Beginning with the 2015 tax year, the exemption also applies to housing that is specifically constructed or adapted to suit a qualifying veteran's disability if the housing or adaptations are donated by a charitable organization, and the veteran has been approved to receive funds or the purchase or construction of Specially Adapted Housing through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This exemption is also available on a mobile home owned and used exclusively by a veteran with a disability or his or her spouse.

If you receive this exemption, you are not eligible for the Homestead Exemption for Persons with Disabilities or Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities. 

You apply for this exemption through the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs. Once the exemption has been approved, the Assessor's office is notified automatically.  Please note that this exemption must be renewed each year.

For more information or to apply for this exemption, contact the local Veteran Service Officer.

This exemption provides a $5,000 reduction in a property’s equalized assessed value (EAV) for two consecutive years' to qualifying veterans who return from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States. To receive this exemption, the veteran must file an application upon their return home. Obtain an application for the exemption at the Assessor's office or use the link at the top of the page for a printable form.