Midwest · IL
Illinois Sales Tax Guide
Retailers' Occupation Tax and Use Tax with state and highly granular local layers
What people ask about Illinois sales tax
Does Illinois have a statewide sales tax?
Retailers' Occupation Tax and Use Tax with state and highly granular local layers Illinois sourcing is role-sensitive. In-state retailers often source occupation tax from the selling location, while remote retailers can face destination-based state and local use-tax rules. Home-rule, business-district, RTA, and Metro-East layers add submunicipal complexity.
What sales tax rate and sourcing rules matter in Illinois?
The state general merchandise component is 6.25%, but local overlays and sourcing regime determine the combined result. ZIP codes cannot safely identify many business and transportation districts.
What Illinois sales tax return or form is used?
The principal repository-tracked return is ST-1. Paper eligibility is taxpayer-specific; electronic filing or a waiver may control.
How are marketplace sales reported in Illinois?
Facilitator-collected sales are generally excluded from the seller's return when the state's evidence and certification requirements are satisfied.
What resale or exemption certificate applies in Illinois?
The repository tracks Illinois Certificate of Resale and supports generation from reviewed fields. Certificate validity still depends on the purchaser, seller, claimed use, dates, signatures, and any state-specific acceptance conditions.
Does Illinois have a sales tax holiday?
The current Atlas research does not publish an active holiday rule for this state. Confirm the current revenue-department calendar before changing tax.
What special sales tax rates or excise layers apply in Illinois?
No separately verified special-rate category is published in the current member-state register for this jurisdiction. Product-specific research observations remain available below.
What does the Illinois research say about prewritten software?
The corpus contains one prewritten software observation under these researched conditions: software origin: prewritten; transfer method: electronic; sale context: downloaded or mobile application. The research observation says the observed treatment is included in base; with general rate lookup; a 6.25% state rate; local interaction: ordinary local stack; sourcing: special; effective from 2026-01-01. Downloaded canned software including mobile applications and games is taxable at the high rate unless a separate license exemption applies. Status: Research observation — independent review required. Confirm the cited authority and transaction facts before use.
What does the Illinois research say about prepared food?
The corpus contains one prepared food observation under these researched conditions: sale context: on premises or immediate consumption. The research observation says the observed treatment is included in base; with general rate lookup; a 6.25% state rate; local interaction: ordinary local stack; sourcing: standard situs; effective from 2026-01-01. Food for on-premises or immediate consumption is taxable at the high rate. Status: Research observation — independent review required. Confirm the cited authority and transaction facts before use.
What does the Illinois research say about durable medical equipment?
The corpus contains one durable medical equipment observation under these researched conditions: intended user: human; qualifying use: direct substitute for malfunctioning body part. The research observation says the observed treatment is included in base; with special rate required; a 1% state rate; local interaction: product specific local; sourcing: standard situs; effective from 2026-01-01. Medical appliances directly substituting for a malfunctioning human body part use the 1 percent low state rate. Status: Research observation — independent review required. Confirm the cited authority and transaction facts before use.
How Illinois's tax system is organized
Illinois sourcing is role-sensitive. In-state retailers often source occupation tax from the selling location, while remote retailers can face destination-based state and local use-tax rules. Home-rule, business-district, RTA, and Metro-East layers add submunicipal complexity.
Rates and sourcing
The state general merchandise component is 6.25%, but local overlays and sourcing regime determine the combined result. ZIP codes cannot safely identify many business and transportation districts.
Tax situs is a legal determination. Mailing city, ZIP code, county proximity, and geocoding should not silently substitute for the jurisdiction rule that controls the transaction.
Product and transaction wrinkles
Product identity should be established before a rate is selected. Examples include:
- qualifying food, drugs, and medical appliances use reduced-rate treatment
- software taxability depends on license terms and local rules
- Chicago and other home-rule jurisdictions can impose additional taxes outside the state return
These examples are not an exhaustive taxability matrix. Bundles, customer use, delivery method, exemptions, and effective dates can change the result.
Product-treatment research coverage
The underlying research inventory contains 23 Illinois treatment records across 19 product families. The inventory includes effective-date, evidence, rate-class, local-interaction, and sourcing fields. Its breadth is not a claim that every observed treatment is active in production: unresolved or independently unreviewed records remain non-operative.
23 treatment records across 19 product families.
Examples of researched product families
- cannabis
- manufacturing input
- menstrual product
- rental
- candy
- custom software
Explore all 23 Illinois research records
general tangible personal property
Research observation — independent review required
Illinois' high state rate for general merchandise is 6.25 percent for the matrix effective 2026-01-01.
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: general rate lookup
- Rate class: ordinary
- State rate: 6.25%
- Taxable base: retail sales price
- Local interaction: ordinary local stack
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: product identity transaction role situs and rate window
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: occupation versus use tax role and local windows required
- Before operational use: ingest Tax Rate Finder local windows; encode occupation versus use tax role; independent review
grocery
Research observation — independent review required
Illinois eliminated the 1 percent state grocery tax on 2026-01-01, while municipalities and counties may impose an exactly 1 percent local grocery tax by approved ordinance.
- Identity or conditions: sale context: off premises qualifying food
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: special
- State rate: 0%
- Taxable base: state exempt qualifying grocery local ordinance depends on situs
- Local interaction: product specific local
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: food identity consumption context and local grocery ordinance
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: state elimination start verified local ordinances require windows
- Runtime boundary: food boundary and local grocery ordinance resolver required
- Before operational use: ingest approved local grocery ordinance windows; encode complete food boundary; independent review
prepared food
Research observation — independent review required
Food for on-premises or immediate consumption is taxable at the high rate.
- Identity or conditions: sale context: on premises or immediate consumption
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: general rate lookup
- Rate class: ordinary
- State rate: 6.25%
- Taxable base: prepared food sales price
- Local interaction: ordinary local stack
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: food identity preparation and consumption context
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: prepared food boundary and local windows required
- Before operational use: encode complete immediate-consumption boundary; ingest local windows; independent review
cannabis
Research observation — independent review required
Adult-use cannabis and cannabis-infused food use the high sales-tax rate rather than grocery treatment.
- Identity or conditions: subtype: adult use
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: special
- State rate: 6.25%
- Taxable base: adult use cannabis sales price
- Local interaction: product specific local
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: cannabis subtype form thc and situs
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: sales tax component verified other components require detail
- Runtime boundary: cannabis component and product specific local resolver required
- Before operational use: pin cannabis excise and local component authorities; encode form and THC distinctions; independent review
candy
Research observation — independent review required
Qualifying candy is taxable at the high rate, with flour and refrigeration exclusions in the definition.
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: general rate lookup
- Rate class: ordinary
- State rate: 6.25%
- Taxable base: candy sales price
- Local interaction: ordinary local stack
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: candy definition flour and refrigeration facts
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: candy definition and local windows required
- Before operational use: encode candy definition; ingest local windows; independent review
soft drink
Research observation — independent review required
Qualifying sweetened soft drinks are taxable at the high rate, subject to milk-substitute and greater-than-50-percent juice exclusions.
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: general rate lookup
- Rate class: ordinary
- State rate: 6.25%
- Taxable base: soft drink sales price
- Local interaction: ordinary local stack
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: beverage sweetener milk substitute and juice percentage facts
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: soft drink definition and local windows required
- Before operational use: encode beverage definition; ingest local windows; independent review
prescription drug human
Research observation — independent review required
Qualifying prescription medicine is taxable at the 1 percent low state rate; local low-rate taxes are limited to transportation districts.
- Identity or conditions: intended user: human; prescription status: prescription
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: reduced
- State rate: 1%
- Taxable base: qualifying medicine sales price
- Local interaction: product specific local
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: drug identity human use prescription and payer
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: drug payer and transportation district local resolver required
- Before operational use: encode Medicare Part D payer rule; ingest transportation-district windows; independent review
nonprescription drug human
Research observation — independent review required
Qualifying nonprescription medicine uses the 1 percent low state rate, but grooming and hygiene products do not qualify.
- Identity or conditions: intended user: human; prescription status: nonprescription; sale context: qualifying medicine not grooming or hygiene
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: reduced
- State rate: 1%
- Taxable base: qualifying medicine sales price
- Local interaction: product specific local
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: drug identity human use and grooming hygiene exclusion
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: medicine and grooming boundary plus local resolver required
- Before operational use: encode medicine versus grooming boundary; ingest transportation-district windows; independent review
cannabis
Research observation — independent review required
Medical cannabis sold to a registered patient uses the low state sales-tax rate.
- Identity or conditions: purchaser status: medical cardholder
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: reduced
- State rate: 1%
- Taxable base: qualifying medical cannabis sales price
- Local interaction: product specific local
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: medical cannabis identity and registered patient status
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: medical status and cannabis component resolver required
- Before operational use: pin other medical-cannabis tax components; encode registered-patient evidence; ingest local windows; independent review
durable medical equipment
Research observation — independent review required
Medical appliances directly substituting for a malfunctioning human body part use the 1 percent low state rate.
- Identity or conditions: intended user: human; qualifying use: direct substitute for malfunctioning body part
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: reduced
- State rate: 1%
- Taxable base: qualifying medical appliance sales or lease price
- Local interaction: product specific local
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: device identity human use and direct substitution function
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: medical function and transportation district local resolver required
- Before operational use: encode direct-substitution medical function; ingest transportation-district windows; independent review
insulin
Research observation — independent review required
Insulin and specified human diabetic testing and administration items use the 1 percent low state rate.
- Identity or conditions: intended user: human; qualifying use: human diabetes treatment
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: reduced
- State rate: 1%
- Taxable base: qualifying diabetic treatment item sales price
- Local interaction: product specific local
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: diabetic treatment item identity and human use
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: diabetic item scope and transportation district local resolver required
- Before operational use: encode complete qualifying item list; ingest transportation-district windows; independent review
menstrual product
Research observation — independent review required
Tampons menstrual pads and menstrual cups are exempt through 2026-12-31.
- Treatment: excluded from base
- Rate application: no rate
- Rate class: no rate
- State rate: 0%
- Local rate: 0%
- Taxable base: qualifying feminine hygiene product excluded
- Local interaction: no local rate
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: tampon pad or menstrual cup identity
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective end: 2026-12-31
- Effective-window status: matrix edition and expiration verified
- Runtime boundary: product list and expiration transition required
- Before operational use: pin pre-2026 start if historical calculation is required; independent review
menstrual product
Research observation — independent review required
The 2026 matrix states the exemption ends on 2026-12-31 but does not independently establish the post-expiration treatment.
- Treatment: unresolved
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: unresolved
- Taxable base: post expiration treatment unresolved
- Local interaction: unresolved
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: product identity and post 2026 authority
- Effective start: 2027-01-01
- Effective-window status: future window requires new authority
- Runtime boundary: future edition required
- Before operational use: obtain and pin post-2026 authority; independent review
dietary supplement
Research observation — independent review required
Vitamins and supplements are exempt from state tax, while an adopted local grocery tax may remain 1 percent.
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: special rate required
- Rate class: special
- State rate: 0%
- Taxable base: state exempt dietary supplement local grocery ordinance depends on situs
- Local interaction: product specific local
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: supplement identity and local grocery ordinance
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified local ordinances require windows
- Runtime boundary: supplement identity and local grocery resolver required
- Before operational use: encode qualifying supplement definition; ingest local grocery ordinance windows; independent review
hygiene product
Research observation — independent review required
Grooming and hygiene products use the high rate rather than the low medicine rate.
- Identity or conditions: subtype: grooming or hygiene
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: general rate lookup
- Rate class: ordinary
- State rate: 6.25%
- Taxable base: grooming or hygiene product sales price
- Local interaction: ordinary local stack
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: product identity and grooming hygiene classification
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: hygiene product definition and local windows required
- Before operational use: encode complete grooming and hygiene list; ingest local windows; independent review
manufacturing input
Research observation — independent review required
Qualifying manufacturing machinery equipment software and production-related tangible property are exempt with ST-587 documentation.
- Identity or conditions: qualifying use: manufacturing over 50%; required certificate: ST-587
- Treatment: excluded from base
- Rate application: no rate
- Rate class: no rate
- State rate: 0%
- Local rate: 0%
- Taxable base: qualifying manufacturing machinery and inputs excluded
- Local interaction: no local rate
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: manufacturing use percentage product category and valid ST 587
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: manufacturing use and certificate lineage validation required
- Before operational use: encode manufacturing-use and product-scope details; validate certificate lineage; independent review
resale
Research observation — independent review required
Qualifying resale purchases are nontaxable when active registration or resale status and CRT-61 documentation requirements are met.
- Identity or conditions: qualifying use: resale; required certificate: CRT-61
- Treatment: excluded from base
- Rate application: no rate
- Rate class: no rate
- State rate: 0%
- Local rate: 0%
- Taxable base: qualifying resale purchase excluded
- Local interaction: no local rate
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: resale purpose active registration and valid CRT 61
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: resale use registration and certificate lineage validation required
- Before operational use: validate registration and certificate lineage; encode first-use boundary; independent review
rental
Research observation — independent review required
Beginning 2025-01-01, ordinary-course tangible-property lease and rental receipts are generally subject to Illinois sales and use tax.
- Identity or conditions: rented product: ordinary tangible personal property
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: general rate lookup
- Rate class: ordinary
- State rate: 6.25%
- Taxable base: taxable lease or rental receipts
- Local interaction: ordinary local stack
- Sourcing: special
- Evidence required: rented product registration status term charge components and situs
- Effective start: 2025-01-01
- Effective-window status: lease transition start verified
- Runtime boundary: registered property exceptions sourcing and local windows required
- Before operational use: encode registered vehicle watercraft aircraft and semitrailer exceptions; ingest local windows; independent review
rental
Research observation — independent review required
Automobile rentals for one year or less do not incur Illinois sales tax, though separate automobile-rental taxes may apply.
- Identity or conditions: maximum rental days: 365; rented product: automobile
- Treatment: excluded from base
- Rate application: no rate
- Rate class: no rate
- State rate: 0%
- Local rate: 0%
- Taxable base: automobile rental excluded from sales tax
- Local interaction: no local rate
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: vehicle identity and rental term
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified other vehicle taxes apply
- Runtime boundary: sales tax exclusion and separate vehicle tax routing required
- Before operational use: route separate automobile-rental taxes outside sales tax; pin historical window if required; independent review
prewritten software
Research observation — independent review required
Downloaded canned software including mobile applications and games is taxable at the high rate unless a separate license exemption applies.
- Identity or conditions: software origin: prewritten; transfer method: electronic; sale context: downloaded or mobile application
- Treatment: included in base
- Rate application: general rate lookup
- Rate class: ordinary
- State rate: 6.25%
- Taxable base: downloaded canned software sales price
- Local interaction: ordinary local stack
- Sourcing: special
- Evidence required: software origin transfer method license and use location
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: software delivery license sourcing and local windows required
- Before operational use: encode complete license exemption conditions; ingest local windows; independent review
saas
Research observation — independent review required
Software provided only through cloud access and never downloaded to the client is not subject to sales tax.
- Identity or conditions: transfer method: electronic; sale context: cloud only never downloaded
- Treatment: excluded from base
- Rate application: no rate
- Rate class: no rate
- State rate: 0%
- Local rate: 0%
- Taxable base: cloud only software access excluded
- Local interaction: no local rate
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: software never downloaded and cloud only access
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: cloud only and downloaded software boundary required
- Before operational use: encode cloud-only evidence and mixed-delivery boundary; independent review
custom software
Research observation — independent review required
Qualifying custom software requiring purchaser-needs analysis and real substantial coding changes is nontaxable.
- Identity or conditions: software origin: custom; sale context: real and substantial custom coding
- Treatment: excluded from base
- Rate application: no rate
- Rate class: no rate
- State rate: 0%
- Local rate: 0%
- Taxable base: qualifying custom software excluded
- Local interaction: no local rate
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: requirements analysis and real substantial custom coding
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: custom origin and preconfigured module boundary required
- Before operational use: encode real-and-substantial customization evidence; independent review
manufacturing input
Research observation — independent review required
Farm machinery and equipment used more than 50 percent in production agriculture are exempt with ST-587 documentation.
- Identity or conditions: qualifying use: production agriculture over 50%; required certificate: ST-587
- Treatment: excluded from base
- Rate application: no rate
- Rate class: no rate
- State rate: 0%
- Local rate: 0%
- Taxable base: qualifying farm machinery and equipment excluded
- Local interaction: no local rate
- Sourcing: standard situs
- Evidence required: farm equipment identity agricultural use percentage and valid ST 587
- Effective start: 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status: matrix edition start verified
- Runtime boundary: agricultural use percentage and certificate lineage required
- Before operational use: encode agricultural use percentage and equipment boundary; validate certificate lineage; independent review
Returns and filing workflows
The principal repository-tracked return is ST-1. Paper eligibility is taxpayer-specific; electronic filing or a waiver may control.
- Tracked form version: R-01/26 (form/instructions for reporting periods beginning January 2026 and after)
- Paper filing posture: taxpayer specific
- Account data required: state tax account number, filing frequency
Repository-verified workflow outputs
- Worksheet for portal entry
Marketplace-facilitated sales
Facilitator-collected sales are generally excluded from the seller's return when the state's evidence and certification requirements are satisfied.
Registration, nexus thresholds, zero-return obligations, facilitator certifications, and direct sales must be evaluated separately.
Exemption documentation
The repository tracks Illinois Certificate of Resale and supports generation from reviewed fields. Certificate validity still depends on the purchaser, seller, claimed use, dates, signatures, and any state-specific acceptance conditions.
A certificate should be tied to the correct customer, seller, state, reason, product use, effective period, and transaction population.
How Prophit supports the work
Prophit currently structures Illinois transaction data for worksheet for portal entry. Availability is kept separate from customer credentials, state acceptance, and direct transmission authority.
- Research coverage — Inventory tracked: 23 treatment records across 19 product families
- Jurisdiction logic — Evidence-gated: State, local, sourcing, and special-regime facts require current situs evidence
- Workflow output — Available: Worksheet for portal entry
- Direct transmission — Authority-gated: Not represented by this public guide as authorized or available
Product availability varies by jurisdiction and customer configuration. Workflow support does not establish registration, filing authority, credentials, agency acceptance, or tax advice.
Official and reviewed sources
Rules change. Confirm the current source and effective period before acting.