How to Pay Your Property Tax Bill in McHenry County

Paying your property tax bill is an important responsibility for all homeowners and landowners in McHenry County. The due dates for property tax payments are June 1st and September 1st each year. If you miss these deadlines penalties and interest will accrue. Fortunately the McHenry County Treasurer’s Office makes it easy to look up and pay your tax bill online or in person. In this article, we’ll walk through the simple steps to pay your McHenry County property taxes on time.

Looking Up Your Property Tax Bill

The first step is to look up how much you owe for your property’s real estate taxes. Here are two easy ways to find your tax bill amount:

Check Online

The easiest way to look up your McHenry County tax bill is to use the Treasurer’s online portal. Just go to the Treasurer’s website and click “Pay Tax Bill” in the upper right corner. This will take you to a search page where you can look up your tax bill by:

• Parcel Number
• Property Address
• Name

Once you enter the required information, your current tax bill will pop up. Make note of the amounts due so you know how much to pay.

Call or Visit the Treasurer’s Office

You can also look up your tax bill by calling or visiting the McHenry County Treasurer’s Office:

• Phone: Call (815) 334-4290 to speak with a representative who can assist you. Have your parcel number or property address ready.

• In Person: Visit the Treasurer’s Office on the 1st floor of the Administration Building (667 Ware Rd #101, Woodstock, IL 60098). Bring a form of ID and any documentation with your parcel number or property address.

Calling or visiting the Treasurer’s Office allows you to speak directly with a knowledgeable staff member who can answer any questions you may have about your property tax bill.

Paying Your McHenry County Tax Bill

Once you’ve looked up your bill amount, it’s time to pay your property taxes. The McHenry County Treasurer offers several convenient payment options:

Pay Online

The quickest way to pay is through the Treasurer’s online payment portal. You can make a direct payment from your bank account or by credit card. The online system accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Make sure you have your parcel number or property address handy to pull up the correct bill.

Pay by Mail

You can mail in a personal check or money order made payable to the McHenry County Collector. Include your parcel number and tax year on the check memo line. Send your mailed payment to:

McHenry County Collector
P.O Box 897
Woodstock, IL 60098

Allow 3-5 business days for your mailed payment to reach and be processed by the Treasurer’s Office. Payments must be postmarked by the due date to avoid late fees.

Pay in Person

You can pay your tax bill in person at the Treasurer’s Office on the 1st floor of the McHenry County Administration Building (667 Ware Rd #101, Woodstock, IL 60098). The office accepts cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards. Make sure to bring proper ID and documentation with your parcel details.

Paying in person allows you to get a same-day payment receipt. The Treasurer’s Office is open Monday-Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM, except on holidays.

Pay via Escrow

If you have an escrow account with your mortgage lender, your property taxes are likely paid through escrow. Contact your lender to confirm the payment was made if you don’t see it reflected on your online tax bill.

Deadlines and Penalties

To avoid any penalties or interest, make sure to pay your McHenry County property tax bill by the biannual due dates:

• 1st Installment: June 1st
• 2nd Installment: September 1st

If you miss the deadlines, you will incur the following penalties:

• After June 1st: 1.5% penalty per month
• After September 1st: 2.5% penalty per month

Once your payments are 60 days past due, your penalties jump up again:

• 60-90 days late: 6% penalty
• 90-120 days late: 9% penalty

On top of penalties, you will also accrue 1.5% interest on your overdue tax amount for each month it is late. Paying on time saves you from incurring these extra costs.

Getting Tax Bill Payment Help

If you are unable to pay your property tax bill in full by the due dates, you may qualify for payment assistance programs or exemptions:

• The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral program allows qualifying seniors 65+ to defer property tax payments until the home is sold.

• Homestead exemptions provide tax reductions for certain groups like veterans with disabilities.

• Payment plans allow you to break up the amount owed into smaller monthly installments.

Contact the McHenry County Treasurer’s Office if you need help understanding exemptions or setting up a payment plan that works for your financial situation. Their knowledgeable staff can explain the various options available to you.

Avoid Tax Bill Late Fees