Real Estate Transfer Tax Stamps

A Real Estate Transfer Tax Stamp is required for property purchases or title transfers within the City of Wheaton’s corporate limits. The cost of the Real Estate Transfer Stamp is $2.50 per $1,000 based on the full consideration as stated on line 11 of the MyDec PTAX-203 Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declaration. The full actual consideration sale price must be rounded to the nearest thousand.

The buyer (or grantee) is responsible for purchasing the real estate transfer stamp. 

How to Obtain a Real Estate Trasfer Stamp:

Requirements Before Stamp Issuance:

  • The property seller must contact the City of Wheaton 5-7 days prior to closing to schedule a final water reading by calling 630-260-2000 or sending an email: waterbilling@wheaton.il.us
  • The final utility bill (or estimated final bill) must be paid in full, along with all outstanding charges related to:
    • Water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater utility fees,
    • Inspection fees,
    • Building permits fees,
    • Property maintenance fines.

Is my Property Transaction Exempt or Non-Exempt?

Most City of Wheaton property transactions are Non-Exempt, typically involving sales or transfers with monetary consideration. Exceptions usually depend on the nature of the transaction. Common examples of Exempt properties include: 

  • Transfers to or from a trust,
  • Transfers with actual consideration of less than $100.00,
  • Properties acquired by or from governmental bodies,
  • Buyers who previously owned and occupied a Wheaton residence as their primary home and are purchasing a new principal residence within Wheaton,
  • A buyer is the natural or adopted child of one of the sellers (or grantors) of the property.

The full list of eligible exemption reasons can be found in the City of Wheaton Code Chapter 66, Article VII, Sec.66-190: (ARTICLE VII. - REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX | Code of Ordinances | Wheaton, IL | Municode Library).

Document Requirements

Non-Exempt Property Transactions – Buyer/Grantee must provide:

Exempt Property Transactions – Buyer/Grantee must provide:

Property deeds or trust documents exempt from the real estate transfer tax requirements must still obtain a $0 value stamp. To obtain an Exempt real estate transfer stamp, a $25 administrative fee must be paid, and the exemption eligibility must be notated. 

Payments Options

  • Online: Credit Card, Debit Card, and E-check.
  • In Person: Cash, Check, Credit Card, and Debit Card.

Transfer Tax Refunds Eliminated – Effective Oct. 1, 2025

Beginning Oct. 1, 2025, the City will no longer issue Real Estate Transfer Tax refunds for qualifying transactions.

Transactions that previously qualified for a refund now fall under Exemption #13 or Exemption #14 of Section 66-190 of the Wheaton City Code and must be processed as exempt transfer stamp applications at the time of purchase.

Refund-eligible situations that are now treated as exemptions include:

  • Exemption 13: Applies to buyers who previously owned and lived in a Wheaton residence before purchasing a new primary residence within Wheaton.
  • Exemption 14: Applies to buyers who are the natural or adopted child of the seller.

Applicants must provide documentation to support eligibility at the time of application.