Veteran Resources
Remaining Dates for 2025:
October – CANCELED
November 26
December 17
There will be NO VA services on October 22. We apologize for the inconvenience.
No Fee Chicago City Sticker for Veterans
The Office of the City Clerk has expanded the terms of our No-Fee Veterans City Sticker. Residents who have an unexpired Illinois Driver’s License or State ID with a VETERAN designation will be eligible to receive one City Sticker for a passenger (P), large passenger (LP), small truck (ST) or motorbike (MB) at no fee.
Ex-Prisoners of War, Purple-Heart Veterans, or disabled veterans with Illinois PW, PR, IS or DV plates will remain eligible for City Stickers on those vehicles for no fee.
All residents applying for the No-Fee Veteran Sticker must provide a copy of their unexpired Illinois State Driver’s License or State ID and their valid Illinois Vehicle Registration Card. The veteran’s Driver’s License/State ID must match the name on the vehicle registration card. These documents must be presented annually to obtain the No-Fee Veteran Sticker.
Please note that residents can only take advantage of this offer in person at the Office of the City Clerk locations. There will be no refunds for already issued stickers, people will qualify when their sticker is up for renewal.
Annual Residential Zone Parking may be added for $25.00 if purchaser resides in a Residential Parking Zone. Click here to learn more.
To learn more about the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs, get a copy of our resource guide, or visit www.chicago.gov/veterans.
Learn about property tax savings for Veterans
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi reminds Veterans that they may be eligible for property tax-saving exemptions that reduce their tax bills.
“Today, we honor the sacrifice and service of millions of American veterans throughout our nation’s history,” said Assessor Kaegi. “Here at the Cook County Assessor’s Office, we are committed to assisting our veterans in any way that we can.”
The Assessor’s Office processes 10,000 exemptions for veterans annually. Veterans who believe they may have been eligible for a past exemption can file for a Certificate of Error dating back to Tax Year 2021.
Veterans with Disabilities
The Veterans with Disabilities Exemption is for veterans with a service-connected disability as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The exemption reduces the equalized assessed value (EAV) on the primary residence of a veteran with a disability, very likely lowering the tax bill. Veterans who are 70% or more disabled receive an EAV reduction of $250,000.
Veterans must renew annually, except for those who are rated 100% disabled and classified as “totally and permanently disabled” by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. They are automatically renewed once the 100% rating and the “total and permanent” status is registered with the Assessor’s office.
WWII Veterans Exemption
The World War II Veterans Exemption, recently created by the Illinois General Assembly, exempts veterans of World War II from property taxes. The term “World War II” means the period beginning on December 7, 1941, and ending on December 31, 1946. If any of the veteran’s service was performed during this time frame, then the veteran is considered a World War II veteran for purposes of this property tax savings.
Returning Veterans Exemption
The Returning Veterans Exemption is for veterans returning from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States. They are eligible to receive a $5,000 reduction in the equalized assessed value of their property only for each taxable year in which they return and the year after.
How to check your exemptions
If homeowners are unsure of their existing exemptions, they can check by reviewing their “Property Details” and review the Exemption History & Status section.
