Montgomery County Tax Records

Montgomery County property tax records are managed by the county treasurer and supervisor of assessments in Hillsboro. Sitting in south-central Illinois, Montgomery County has a population of about 27,942 and includes towns like Hillsboro, Litchfield, and Nokomis. The treasurer's office collects property taxes while the assessor sets values used to calculate bills. You can search tax records online for free, check your bill amount, view exemptions, and review payment history. Both offices are in the Montgomery County Courthouse.

Online Tax Search

The Montgomery County tax search portal lets you look up any parcel's tax record for free. Enter the owner name, property address, or parcel identification number. The tool returns the current bill, prior year amounts, assessed value, and exemption details. No signup needed.

The results show a full breakdown by taxing district. Each line item tells you what goes to schools, roads, fire protection, libraries, park districts, and other bodies. Montgomery County has a good number of overlapping taxing districts, so the breakdown is especially useful here. The portal keeps several years of data online, which helps when you need to trace a property's tax history.

Print results or save them from the page. The portal uses the same data the treasurer's staff works with daily.

Montgomery County Treasurer

The Montgomery County Treasurer is in charge of collecting all property taxes. The office is in the Montgomery County Courthouse in Hillsboro. Staff can help with questions about your bill and process payments during normal business hours.

Pay at the counter, send a check by mail, or use the online system. Mail payments must include the bill stub and be made payable to the Montgomery County Treasurer. The office also administers the annual tax sale. When property taxes go unpaid, the Illinois Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200) requires interest at 1.5% per month. The county eventually sells the delinquent taxes to bidders. The buyer pays what is owed and earns interest while the property owner has a chance to redeem, typically over two to three years. If the owner does not redeem, the buyer may petition for a tax deed.

Assessments in Montgomery County

Every parcel in Montgomery County is assessed at 33.33% of fair market value. That is the standard for all Illinois counties except Cook. A property worth $100,000 on the market has an assessed value near $33,333. Township assessors set initial values. The supervisor of assessments in Hillsboro checks them and handles corrections.

The state then steps in with an equalization multiplier. The Illinois Department of Revenue figures this number each year based on how close local assessments are to the 33.33% level. The multiplier brings the entire county's values in line. After equalization, the county clerk extends rates from each taxing district onto the EAV. That math produces the final number on your bill.

Farmland is handled differently. Agricultural property uses a soil-based productivity formula. Farm taxes in Montgomery County reflect what the land can produce, not what it might sell for. This keeps farm bills lower than they would be under market-based assessment.

Exemptions

Exemptions reduce the equalized assessed value of your property and lower the tax bill. The general homestead exemption provides up to $6,000 off the EAV for homes where the owner lives. File at the supervisor of assessments office in Hillsboro.

Seniors 65 and older can get the senior homestead exemption for an extra $8,000 off. The senior freeze locks the EAV for qualifying seniors with limited income. A disabled persons exemption of $2,000 is available too. Disabled veterans may get bigger breaks based on disability level. Most exemptions need yearly renewal. Apply early so you do not miss the window. All approved exemptions show on the Montgomery County property tax record for the parcel.

Payment Schedule and Late Penalties

Montgomery County taxes are billed in two installments. The first comes due in summer. The second hits in fall. Exact dates are on the bill. Property taxes are paid in arrears. Your 2026 bill covers the 2025 tax year.

Late payments trigger a penalty of 1.5% per month. It starts the day after the due date. Both installments unpaid? The parcel goes on the delinquent roll. The county holds a tax sale to recover what is owed. Buyers pay the unpaid taxes and earn interest during the redemption period. That window is usually two to three years. If no one redeems, the buyer can take steps to get a tax deed. Each of these events becomes part of the Montgomery County property tax records for the parcel.

Appealing an Assessment

If you believe your property's assessed value is too high, appeal it. The Montgomery County Board of Review is the starting point. Present comparable sales, an appraisal, or other proof that the current value is off. The board meets each year in a fixed window. Ask the supervisor of assessments for exact dates and filing requirements.

Unhappy with the outcome? You can take the case to the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB). PTAB reviews cases from all counties. A successful appeal lowers the EAV and cuts the tax bill. The decision stays attached to the property record.

Other Property Records

Tax records are one part of the picture. The Montgomery County Recorder stores deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements. When property changes hands, the new deed gets recorded and the assessor updates ownership in the tax system. These records work together to give a complete view of any parcel.

The Illinois Property Tax Public Inquiry website pulls data from many counties. For Montgomery County, the local portal will usually have the freshest data. The Illinois Property Tax Code spells out every rule governing assessments, exemptions, collections, and tax sales statewide.

Nearby Counties

Properties near a county border may fall in a neighboring jurisdiction. Always verify which county your parcel is in before searching.