Office of the Assessor

The assessor is to value all taxable parcels of property within the township in a uniform manner so that all properties are valued at the same approximate assessment level. This creates a fair share spread of the real estate tax burden throughout the township. The assessor has no say or control of the tax monies requested by any given taxing district.

2025 REAL ESTATE TAXES

• First installment due:  June 4, 2026
• Second installment due:  September 4, 2026

REVIEW YOUR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT

The publication date for Vernon Township 2026 Assessment Notice is September 24, 2026. The final appeal due date is October 26, 2026. It is important for all taxpayers to read and understand this notice. The Vernon Township Assessor's Office is open to the public to answer questions during normal business hours. We are also available via phone at 847-634-4602 and by email to bruce@vernonassessor.com.

EVALUATING YOUR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT 

Before you begin the appeal process, we recommend reviewing your property characteristics at IMSLake.org. Contact the Vernon Township Assessor’s office if you find any errors on your property record.

If you have reviewed your assessment and determined that an appeal is necessary, you can research properties and populate a grid of comparable sales at IMSLake.org. Once you have that grid saved, you are ready to submit an assessment appeal electronically to the Lake County Board of Review through the SmartFile E-Filing Portal. Remember to attach your evidence and submit it before the deadline. The 2026 appeal deadline is October 26th.

HOW TO APPEAL YOUR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT

Assessment appeals need to be filed with the Lake County Board of Review through the SmartFile E-Filing Portal. The deadline to appeal is October 26, 2026. 

How to file an assessment appeal: 

• PowerPoint Instructions
• Special Instructions for Vernon Township
• Video Tutorial for SmartFile E-Filing Portal

The rules of the Lake County Board of Review can be found here. You can also call the Chief County Assessment Office at 847-377-2050 for further assistance.

You will need to start the appeal process by creating a grid of comparable properties at IMSLake.org.

• After entering your PIN or address, a page displaying your residence and its characteristics will appear.
• At the bottom of the page, under Comparable Property Information, select how you would like to search for comparable properties.
• Generate your grid by selecting your comparable properties using the drop-down and selecting 1, 2, 3, etc (you may select up to five per grid) and clicking on View Comparable Report.
• Once your grid is created, download it and save it as a PDF on your computer.

Once you have a comparable property grid saved, you are ready to submit an assessment appeal electronically to the Lake County Board of Review through the SmartFile E-Filing Portal. When you are at the comparable section of the portal, go to the Attachments tab at the top of the page and upload your previously generated comparable property grid as evidence. Do not use the comparable grid in SmartFile as it does not contain the most current and accurate data for Vernon Township.

RENEWAL OF EXEMPTIONS

Annual exemption renewals for the Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze, the Homestead Exemption for Persons with Disabilities and the Veterans with Disabilities Exemption can be applied for online through the Chief County Assessment Office's SmartFile E-Filing Portal. Please note that the General Homestead Exemption and Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption do not have to be renewed annually. The Vernon Township Assessor’s Office will help you file renewals online. 

Please contact my office if you have any questions: Vernon Township Assessor - 847-634-4602 or by email at info@vernonassessor.com.

Low-Income Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Information

What does this exemption do?
 This exemption effectively freezes your assessment at a base year causing your net assessment not to increase. This does not freeze your taxes, only your assessment.
 
Who can qualify for this exemption?
 A property must be the principal residence of the owner for the beginning of two consecutive years, and the owner must be 65 or older by December 31 of the tax assessment year and meet certain household income requirements.

What are the income requirements?
For the 2026 (payable 2027) the maximum household income for this exemption is $75,000. On December 12, 2025, the Governor signed Senate Bill 642 into law, creating Public Act 104-0452, which increases the maximum household income beginning with the 2026 (payable 2027) year:

After the 2028 year, the maximum income limitation will remain at $79,000 unless it is changed by the General Assembly.

Whose income is included in Maximum Household Income?
By state law, Household Income means the combined income of the members of a household for the calendar year preceding the taxable year.

State law further defines a Household to include:

• The applicant; and
• The spouse of the applicant (even if the spouse resides elsewhere); and
• All other persons using the residence of the applicant as their principal place of residence as of January 1 of the year for which the LISCAFHE is sought.

Learn More About How to Apply.

Homestead Exemption for Persons with Disabilities 

This exemption lowers the equalized assessed value of your home by $2,000. It can be claimed in addition to the General Homestead Exemption and the Senior Homestead Exemption, but cannot be combined with the Veterans with Disabilities Exemption. Annual renewal is required.

To apply for the disabled persons exemption, the applicant must: 

• Be disabled per the Federal Social Security Act.
• Have owned and occupied the home on Jan. 1, 2026.

This exemption requires proof of your disability every year. 

Learn More About How to Apply.

Veterans with Disabilities Exemption Renewal

The Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities must be filed every year in order to retain this exemption. However, beginning in 2023, there is a change to the law stating that those veterans with a 100% service-connected disability that is permanent and total will not have to file every year. All others must continue to file every year.

The renewal can be filed online or in person at the Vernon Township Assessor’s Office. The deadline for filing the renewal application for 2026 is July 31, 2026.

Proof of Disability:

This exemption requires proof of your service-connected disability rating every year, unless you are a surviving spouse of a veteran. The letter must include an issuing date in 2025 and the percentage of overall service-connected disability.

Learn More About How to Apply.

Responsibilities  

It is the responsibility of the assessor to pick up any new property annually which is not on the assessment roll. This includes new homes, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, finished basements, decks, patios, pools, garages, sheds, barns, etc.

We receive copies of building permits from 11 municipalities and also from the county for unincorporated areas.

Villages wholly or partially located within Vernon Township:

• Bannockburn
• Buffalo Grove 
• Indian Creek
• Lake Forest
• Lincolnshire
• Long Grove
• Mettawa
• Mundelein
• Riverwoods
• Vernon Hills
• Wheeling

Other Services Provided by the Office of the Assessor

• Assists in filing Senior Homestead Exemptions. Bring your driver's license showing current address and, if the property is owned in a trust, bring a copy of the trust to our office. 
• Assists in filing Senior Freeze online or you can use the Senior Freeze online portal on the Lake County Assessor's site. For assistance using the online tool, refer to the Senior Freeze Application Guide for E-Filing.
• Distributes literature concerning assessments and tax bill processes.
• Provides information requested for Assessment Appeals.
• Monitors and grants Homeowners Exemptions for owner-occupied residential properties.
• Assists in filing Tax Bill address changes (use Form AA01: Mailing Address Change).
• Assists in filing Agricultural Valuation.
• Monitors qualifying properties for Home-Improvement Exemptions (up to $75,000 off the full market value or a $25,000 assessment reduction).
• Assists in determining tax bill amounts.
• Provides information on how to obtain names and addresses for properties applying for variances.
• Requests Commercial Building Vacancy Affidavits.
• Offers free Notary Public for Vernon Township residents.