Effingham County Treasurer – FAQs

Your parcel identification/index number is a ten digit number that identifies your particular piece of property. This number is located on the left hand side of your tax bill below the name.

Tax bills were mailed on August 2, 2024. If you do not receive your bill by August 23, 2024, please contact our office at 217-342-6844.

If you do not receive a bill, it is your responsibility to contact our office to get a duplicate bill. If you are a new home owner and the bill was issued in the previous owner’s name and you are responsible for paying the current year’s taxes, contact the Treasurer’s Office for a duplicate bill. Failure to receive a tax bill, or receiving one late for any reason, will not relieve the taxpayer from paying taxes or late penalties.

If you need to change an address to receive a tax bill, contact the Supervisor of Assessments Office. That number is 217-342-6711.

If you purchased property in late 2023 or 2024, you should check your closing documents, or check with your closing agent or attorney to see if you owe the current taxes due on the property purchased. Depending upon the closing and document recording dates, the tax bill may have been sent to the previous owner.

If a mortgage company is to pay your bill, it is your responsibility to call them and ask if you need to send them a copy. Many mortgage companies now pay electronically and may not require a bill. If you no longer own the property and per the closing statement do not owe the taxes, it is your responsibility to forward the bill to the new owner.

The first installment of the 2023 payable 2024 real estate tax is due September 6, 2024. The second installment is due October 18, 2024.

Yes, provided you pay on or before the first installment due date.

1. You may pay your bill by mail. Include the proper installment stub(s) along with your check. Mailed payment must be postmarked on or before the due date.
2. Payments may be made at the Treasurer’s Office on the second floor of the County Office Building. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.
3. You can also pay at most banks in Effingham County. Banks cannot accept past due payments.
4. Taxes can also be paid online by credit card of E-check. a credit card convenience fee applies. Payments made by credit card and e-check will not reflect on your taxes until payment is processed and received by our office. Processing time can take up to 7 days. Pay Taxes Online
5. Taxes must be paid on or before the due dates.

All payments made after the due date must include penalty and can only be paid at or mailed to the County Treasurer’s Office or paid on-line. A 1.5% penalty per month is charged for all delinquent taxes. The penalty amount increases every 30 days. Late payment dates and amounts can be found on the payment stubs at the bottom of the tax bill. Once the due date has passed, banks can no longer accept tax payments.

After the second installment payments are posted, delinquent bills will be sent by certified mail. Delinquent notices will be mailed November 8, 2024. At that time, a $10.00 per parcel fee will be charged for sending a delinquent bill as certified mail and for the publication of names of delinquent taxes in the newspaper. This is in addition to the penalties assessed after the due dates.

We will not accept personal or business checks after certified delinquent notices have been mailed. After that time, you must pay with cash, cashier’s check or money order. Online payments will be accepted until December 10, 2024.

If you are late, you may still pay your taxes and penalties until one business day prior to the day of the tax sale. We are required by law to hold a tax sale each year. At that time, your taxes will be sold to a tax buyer who will pay the taxes for you. It is important to note, the property itself will not be sold. The 2023 payable 2024 tax sale will be held December 19, 2024. After the tax sale, you will be liable for the tax amount sold at the tax sale and interest at a rate to be determined the day of the sale. To pay the taxes due after the tax sale you must contact the County Clerk’s office at 217-342-6535

Your tax bill is determined by two factors; the equalized assessed value of your property, and the tax rate. Questions regarding equalized assessed values or exemptions should be directed to the County Assessor’s Office at 217-342-6711.

Tax rates are computed by the County Clerk based on the amount levied by each local government taxing body. Questions regarding tax rates and tax levies should be directed to the County Clerk’s Office 217-342-8433.

To effectively appeal a tax rate, you must prove that the rate or a portion of the tax rate is illegal or excessive. Contact the County Treasurer’s Office for detailed instructions for filing an appeal of your tax rate.