SearchSystems Editorial

Reviewed and updated October 7, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site on September 23, 2026.

About this guide

Cook County, Illinois, has about 5.2 million residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in Cook County is in the deed records of the County Recorder and its taxable value is set by the Supervisor of Assessments; what is built on it is a matter for the city or the county. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.

This guide covers deeds, assessed values, directory links, city permits, evictions and court cases, records requests and common questions.

Related guides: Cook County public records, Cook County warrants, Cook County inmate search, Cook County criminal records, Cook County court records, Illinois arrest records and Illinois inmate search.

Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in Cook County

Who owns a parcel in Cook County and what it sold for are in the deed records of the County Recorder, with every lien or mortgage against the land.

SearchSystems opened and checked the County Recorder's page at cookcountyclerkil.gov/recordings (page title: Recordings | Cook County Clerk), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.

Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in Cook County

The Supervisor of Assessments sets the value each parcel in Cook County is taxed on and keeps the parcel maps. Illinois assesses property at a third of market value; Cook County reassesses one third of the county each year and the rest of the state runs on four-year cycles.

SearchSystems opened and checked the Supervisor of Assessments's page at cookcountyil.gov/agency/assessor (page title: Assessor), phone (312) 443-7550, 118 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60602, Monday: 8:30 am-5:00 pm, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.

More Official Property Records Pages for Cook County

The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists official pages for Cook County. These property pages and recorded document pages from it were opened again on October 1, 2026 and each one still answers:

Permits and City Records in the Cities of Cook County

Building permits, zoning and code cases inside a city are the city's own records. The cities in Cook County with a SearchSystems guide to their offices, the largest twelve first, with the city page SearchSystems verified:

The rest: Streamwood, Wheeling, Hanover Park, Calumet City, Northbrook, Niles, Burbank, Lansing, Wilmette, Oak Forest, Chicago Heights, Morton Grove, Elmwood Park, Blue Island, Park Forest, Dolton, Evergreen Park, Brookfield, Matteson, Alsip, Lemont, Bellwood, Franklin Park, Palos Hills, Bridgeview, Westchester, Country Club Hills, Prospect Heights, Hickory Hills, Chicago Ridge, Lincolnwood, Richton Park, Winnetka, Northlake, Palos Heights, Schiller Park, Markham, Summit, Barrington, Crestwood, Lyons, River Grove, Flossmoor, Riverside, Harwood Heights, Glenwood, Broadview, North Riverside, Stickney, Orland Hills, Northfield, Berkeley and South Barrington.

Evictions and Court Cases About Land in Cook County

Court cases about land from Cook County, evictions among them, are filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at cookcountyil.gov/service/court-records-and-archives.

Asking a County Office for a Record

Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act a county office must answer a request within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension, and it may charge copying only after the first 50 pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who records deeds in Cook County?

The County Recorder, at cookcountyclerkil.gov/recordings. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Cook County are filed there, and the Supervisor of Assessments (cookcountyil.gov/agency/assessor) has the assessment records.

Who sets the assessed value of a property in Cook County?

The Supervisor of Assessments, whose page SearchSystems verified is at cookcountyil.gov/agency/assessor.

Where are evictions from Cook County filed?

In the Circuit Court of Cook County. The file is public unless the court seals it.

How is property assessed in Illinois?

Illinois assesses property at a third of market value; Cook County reassesses one third of the county each year and the rest of the state runs on four-year cycles.

Is this the official Cook County website?

No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.