Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) are granting tax relief to several northern Illinois counties affected by tornadoes, heavy rainfall, straight-line winds and flooding earlier this year.
Taxpayers in eligible counties can request a waiver of penalties and interest from the IDOR if they’re struggling to file tax returns or make payments on time because of the storms.
According to a state-issued press release, relief applies to 11 Illinois counties affected by devastating storms between March 10 and June 21 of this year.
Counties included in Pritzker’s June state disaster proclamation are the ones eligible for this relief.
They include Coles, Cook, Effingham, Jefferson, Kankakee, LaSalle, McLean, Stephenson, Warren, Winnebago and Woodford counties.
Any counties added later will also be eligible.
Relief is available for income, withholding, sales, specialty and excise taxes.
To apply for a waiver, individuals or businesses located in any one of these counties must send a brief written explanation to IDOR explaining why they are unable to file or pay on time.
Full name, account number, mailing address and an estimate of when taxes can be filed or paid again should also be provided.
Requests may be submitted by mail using the address on the return or electronically by emailing REV.DisasterRelief@illinois.gov.
For requests made by postal mail, taxpayers should write “Severe Storms - Summer 2026” at the top of the return in red ink.
This phrase should also appear in all communications with IDOR involving relief requests.
Taxpayers who have already been billed for penalties should email REV.DisasterRelief@illinois.gov and include the periods during which they filed late.
