McHenry County property tax bills are in the mail. Here’s how to pay

Property tax bills are on their way to McHenry County mailboxes.

But if you don’t want to wait for it to arrive in the mail, you can check it online, and you can pay your bill starting Friday.

Here’s what to know about property tax bills.

How do I look up my property tax bill?

Visit treasurer.mchenrycountyil.gov.
Select “Look Up/Pay Your Tax Bill” from the menu.
Search for your property.

You can also access the online portal by scanning the QR code on the upper right-hand side of the paper copy of the tax bill. QR codes are also available on the payment coupons.

When are taxes due?

The first payment is due June 9. The second payment is due Sept. 9. If you are late, there is a 1.5% penalty. Another 1.5% penalty applies every 30 days after the due date if it is still late.

How can I pay my taxes?

There are several ways to pay. If you want to pay online, they include:

Digital wallet, like Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo. Those options are new this year.
Credit/debit cards
PayPal Credit is available to qualifying taxpayers who want to stretch out their payments, county officials said.
eCheck

County officials said eCheck is free to use if you pay online, but you need your routing and account numbers to use it. You can find that information on a paper check or the banking app on your phone. If you use the other options, a 2.4% convenience fee applies.

“Every year, we have been unveiling new ways to make property taxes easier to pay and easier to understand. With the rise of digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, we now offer taxpayers these payment options,” McHenry County Treasurer Donna Kurtz said in a news release. “By accepting PayPal, taxpayers now have the option to assess whether to pay their property taxes in installments through PayPal Credit. Like other credit/debit card options, taxpayers will need to contact digital wallet providers to apply and qualify. In doing so, I encourage all taxpayers paying with digital wallet to read the fine print.”

Kurtz, a Republican, is running for reelection this fall. She will run against Democrat Amin Karim, in a rematch from 2022, in November.

What if I don’t want to pay online?

You can pay in other ways. Those include:

By phone. Call 844-928-0420 and follow the prompts in English or Spanish. Taxpayers should write down the payment confirmation code for their records.
In person. Visit the treasurer’s office at 2100 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Pay at the window or the drive-thru lane using cash, check, debit or credit card, or digital wallet.
Drop boxes. One walk-up and one drive-up drop box are available at the treasurer’s office. Dropoff payments can be made by check or money order, made payable to the McHenry County Collector, and placed in an envelope with the payment coupon. Cash is not accepted in drop boxes.
At local banks. Many banks accept walk-in property tax payments. A full list is available at the treasurer’s website, mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/treasurer, or by calling 815-334-4260. Credit and debit card payments are not accepted at the banks. People must bring their tax bill or a copy of it, and officials said there might be other procedures.
By mail. Send the payment and payment coupon to McHenry County Collector, P.O. Box 8730, Carol Stream, IL 60197-8730. If paying by check, taxpayers are asked to write their property PIN on the check. Those mailing their payment within five days of the due date should mail it in person at the post office and ask for a postmark to make sure it’s marked appropriately to avoid late penalties. Taxpayers are urged not to send cash in the mail.

Can I get a due-date reminder?

Yes. You can get reminders by signing up for the county’s VIP taxpayer program. That also allows you to get next year’s tax bill electronically. You can sign up at bit.ly/4tZSver.

I have an exemption and it’s not on my bill. What do I do?

Kurtz said it can take three to four weeks for an exemption to process and for you to get a refund, if necessary.

If you catch it early, you may be able to contact the treasurer’s office, apply for the exemption and get it approved. The treasurer’s office will then send you a corrected tax bill. If you catch it between installments, Kurtz recommends submitting the application.

If you catch it within a few weeks of the due date, Kurtz suggested paying the bill to avoid late fees and then applying for the exemption. The treasurer’s office would issue you a corrected tax bill and a refund. If you paid the first installment but not the second, the second amount would be lowered to adjust for the overpayment.