07/22/2026
Jefferson County Treasurer Bob Watt has announced that the 2025 real estate property tax bills will be mailed by July 29, 2026. The due dates will be: August 28 for the first installment, and September 28 for the second installment.
The due dates this year are about two weeks earlier than last year which is in keeping with the County’s ongoing effort to move up tax due dates, and to collect and distribute property taxes in accordance with Illinois statute. By statute, taxes are to be collected in June and September, and distributed to the taxing districts within 30 days of each installment due date. Jefferson County taxes have been billed late for decades, but the county offices of Supervisor of Assessments, County Clerk, and Treasurer have been working together for the past several years to correct this. As this process continues, property owners can expect to see tax bills coming out a few weeks earlier each year for the next few years. Ultimately, tax bills will be arriving in mailboxes and email inboxes in early May, hopefully, by 2028. Once May billing has been achieved, the due dates will be set in early to mid-June for the first installment, and early to mid-September for second installments, and continue this way into the future.
In an effort to meet the changing needs of our society, and offer as many payment opportunities as possible, additional payment options are now being offered. This year, for the first time, property owners will be able to pay by using their digital wallet options: Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, or Venmo. The new payment options are in addition to the many options that were already available.
Property owners who wish to pay now may do so by going to payments.municipay.com/il_jefferson. When paying online, there are multiple options; e-Check payments are free, but be aware of fees for payments by credit or debit cards, and some digital wallet options.
Payments by mail must be postmarked no later than the installment due date. Most local banks will also accept “on-time” payments, but payers may be required to go inside, and of course we will accept payments in the Treasurer’s office at the Jefferson County Courthouse located at 100 South 10th Street in Mt Vernon, Illinois.
Sometimes mail gets lost, or becomes delayed for any number of reasons. If a tax bill does not arrive, owners are encouraged to go online to jeffersonil.devnetwedge.com where tax bills may be viewed and printed for no charge, and while there, owners will also find a link to pay online if so desired. Duplicate copies of tax bills are also available at the Treasurer’s office for a small fee. Property owners are reminded that the tax is due whether the bill arrives or not, and they are encouraged to take action to find out how much is due, and when it is due. Late payments are assessed a 1.5% per month late fee if paid after the installment due date.
For questions regarding tax bills, or payment options, please call the Treasurer’s office at 618-244-8010.
