Effingham County Property Records

Effingham County property records track assessed values, tax data, and ownership details for every parcel in the county. The Supervisor of Assessments office in Effingham keeps these records and makes them available to the public through both an online search tool and in-person visits. If you need to look up a parcel in Effingham County, the county runs a free web portal where you can search by address or owner name. Township assessors set values for land and buildings across the county each year, and the Supervisor of Assessments reviews those figures to keep things in line. This page covers how to find and use Effingham County property records.

Effingham County Assessment Office

Pamela Braun serves as the Supervisor of Assessments for Effingham County. Her office is the main point of contact for property records in the county. Staff here track assessed values, process exemption forms, and provide help to the township assessors who handle the field work of setting values on homes, farms, and commercial buildings. The office sits at 101 N. Fourth Street, Suite 400, in Effingham. You can call at 217-342-6711 or send a fax to 217-342-6124. For general questions, email the office at assessor@co.effingham.il.us. Walk-ins are welcome during regular business hours.

The Effingham County assessment office website has forms, contact details, and info about how the assessment process works locally. Under 35 ILCS 200/, the Supervisor of Assessments must review all township values to make sure Effingham County property records stay accurate and that assessments remain uniform across the board. This office also runs the Board of Review process when residents want to challenge their assessed values. If you believe your home is assessed too high, Pamela Braun's office is where you start that conversation.

You can find the Effingham County assessment office page at the county website, which covers office hours and local forms.

This page lists the staff contact info and links to forms that Effingham County residents need when working with their property records.

Search Effingham County Property Records Online

Effingham County offers a free online property search through the DevNet Wedge platform. This tool lets you look up any parcel in the county by address, owner name, or Property Index Number. The PIN is a code tied to each parcel that stays with it no matter who owns it. Most people start with an address search since that is the easiest piece of info to have on hand. Results show assessed values, lot size, property class, and other data tied to that parcel in Effingham County.

The Effingham County property search portal is open to anyone at no cost. You do not need to make an account. Just type in a few details and hit search. The system shows the fair market value and the assessed value at 33 1/3 percent, which is the standard rate for most of Illinois under 35 ILCS 200/. You can also see which township the parcel falls in and what exemptions have been applied. This is the quickest way to check Effingham County property records without driving to the courthouse. The portal runs at all hours, so you can pull records whenever you need them.

Below is the Effingham County property search tool on the DevNet Wedge portal, where you can look up parcels across the county.

Use this tool to search by name, address, or PIN for any property in Effingham County.

Note: If a sale just closed on a property in Effingham County, the online system may take a few weeks to show the new owner.

Effingham County Property Tax Records

Property tax bills in Effingham County are based on the assessed value from the prior year. Illinois property taxes are paid in arrears. That means the bill you get this year covers the assessment from last year. The lien date is January 1 under 35 ILCS 200/, and that is the date the county locks in ownership and value for the parcel. Tax bills break down what each taxing district charges, including schools, the county, fire districts, and local towns within Effingham County.

Tax rates vary across the county depending on where the parcel sits. A home inside the city of Effingham may carry a different total rate than a farm out in a rural township. The county multiplier and the state equalization factor both play a role in the final number. The Illinois Department of Revenue property tax page explains how these factors work statewide, including for Effingham County property records.

How Effingham County Assessments Work

Township assessors do the hands-on work in Effingham County. They check properties, review building permits, and set values based on what the land and structures are worth. The assessment date is January 1 each year. All real property in the county gets assessed at 33 1/3 percent of fair market value under 35 ILCS 200/. Effingham County follows a four-year cycle for full reassessments, with yearly adjustments in between to keep values current.

After township assessors finish, the Supervisor of Assessments reviews the numbers. If one township seems out of line with the rest, the office can apply an equalization factor to bring values in step. The Illinois Department of Revenue also sets a state equalization factor each year to keep assessed values across all of Illinois close to the 33 1/3 percent target. Effingham County property records reflect both the local and state adjustments once they are final.

Assessment notices go out in late summer or early fall. You have about 30 days from the notice date to file a complaint if you think the value is off. The Board of Review in Effingham County hears those cases and makes a decision. Bring comparable sales data or an appraisal to back up your claim.

Effingham County Property Exemptions

Several exemptions can cut the tax bill on your home in Effingham County. You apply for these through the Supervisor of Assessments office. The General Homestead Exemption takes $6,000 off your assessed value if you own and live in the home. No age rule applies. This is the most common exemption you will see in Effingham County property records.

Homeowners age 65 and up can get the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption for an extra $5,000 off. The Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze locks the assessed value so it does not climb each year, but income limits apply. The Disabled Persons Homestead Exemption gives a $2,000 cut. Veterans with a service-connected disability may qualify for the Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption, where the amount depends on the disability rating. Under 35 ILCS 200/, these exemptions are set by state law and applied by the county. Once approved, they show up in your Effingham County property records.

• General Homestead Exemption: $6,000 reduction
• Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption: $5,000 reduction (age 65+)
• Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze: locks value in place
• Disabled Persons Homestead Exemption: $2,000 reduction
• Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption: varies by rating

Note: Most exemptions in Effingham County need to be filed each year unless you get an automatic renewal notice from the office.

Get Effingham County Records in Person

You can visit the Supervisor of Assessments office at 101 N. Fourth Street, Suite 400, in Effingham. Bring the address or PIN of the property you want to check. Staff can search the system, pull up the full record, and print what you need. This is a good choice if you have questions that are hard to sort out online or if you want to talk through an assessment in detail. Phone help is also on hand at 217-342-6711 during business hours.

For basic lookups, the online search at the Effingham County DevNet portal is faster. But for exemption forms, appeal help, or anything that needs a signature, going to the office in person is the better option. Effingham County property records are public, so anyone can ask to see them. You do not need to own the parcel or live in the county to request a record.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Effingham County. Property records are held by the county where the parcel sits, so make sure you search in the right one. If a property is close to the county line, check the address against the border to be sure.