Chester, IL

 
  • Farm Bureau President
    Farm Bureau President

    Richard Guebert, Randolph County resident and President of the Illinois Farm Bureau, speaks to a Chester Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

  • Chester Welcome Center
    Chester Welcome Center

    Visitors can see Popeye and take a break near the Chester Bridge. 

  • Fort de Chartres
    Fort de Chartres

    Reenactors perform each year during the Rendezvous at Fort de Chartres.

  • Boating on the Kaskaskia River
    Boating on the Kaskaskia River

    Thousands of pleasure boaters and fishermen pass through the Kaskaskia River Project's Jerry F. Costello Lock & Dam each year to visit the ports of Randolph County.

  • Winter Sunset
    Winter Sunset

    A beautiful winter sunset in rural Randolph County.

Assessor FAQs

Real Estate Transfer Declaration (RETD) ~ On-line Form 

PTAX-203 and PTAX-203A

The Randolph County Recorder of Deeds Office is a participant in the Illinois Department of Revenue's MyDec program which allows for the FREE online preparation and submission of real estate property transfer tax declarations. The MyDec program also allows users to track the status of and make corrections to electronically prepared PTAX-203 forms throughout the entire recording process.

Please register to become a MyDec user at https://mytax.illinois.gov/MyDec so you can submit electronically prepared PTAX-203 forms to any Illinois county that participates in the MyDec program.

A detailed set of instructions for the MyDec program can be found at https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/localgovernments/property/Pages/MyDec-Updates.aspx and the Illinois Department of Revenue has a toll-free hotline dedicated to supporting the MyDec program. Support personnel can be reached Monday thru Friday from 8:00AM - 4:30PM by calling 844-445-1114 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Are You Receiving the Following Deductions that May Apply To You?

Click Here for more detail

What is the Fraternal Organization Freeze?

This exemption is for property owned and used by a fraternal organization whose members provide financial support for charitable works. Call our office for clarification.

What is the Veteran's Organization Freeze?

This exemption is for property owned and used by a veteran's organization on which is located the principal building for the post, camp or charter. Call our office for clarification.

What is the Returning Veteran's Exemption?

This exemption provides a $5,000 reduction in the equalized assessed value of the veteran's principal residence. Call our office for clarification.

Is There a 2nd Disabled Veteran's Exemption?

Yes, this exemption is for a disabled veteran, or the spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of the veteran. The exemption applies to housing where federal funds have been used to purchase or construct special adaptations to suit the veteran's disability.

What is a Disabled Veteran's Exemption?

This exemption is for taxpayers who are disabled at least 30% or more through the Veteran's Administration. Call our office for clarification.

What is a Disabled Person's Exemption?

This exemption is for taxpayers who are disabled. There are several different ways of qualifying for the exemption. Call our office for clarification.

What is a Home Improvement Exemption?

This exemption is on the property you own and occupy. It is only on residential improvements (not on farm improvements i.e. barn, silo, etc.). It reduces the assessed value by the amount of increase (up to $75,000 Fair Market Value).

What is the Senior Citizen's Assessment Freeze Exemption?

This exemption freezes the assessed value (not taxes) back to the base year for each year that the form is completed and returned to the Assessor's Office. To qualify, a taxpayer must own and occupy the property as their principal dwelling on January 1 and have a household income of $55,000 or less.

What is a Senior Homestead Exemption?

This exemption reduces the final equalized assessed value by up to $5,000. To qualify for this exemption, a taxpayer must be age 65 or older during the assessment year, and own and occupy the principal dwelling on January 1st of the assessment year.

What is an Owner Occupied Exemption?

This exemption reduces the final equalized assessed value up to $6,000, to fall below the 1977 equalized assessed value. To qualify, a taxpayer must own and occupy a property as the principal dwelling on January 1st of the assessment year.

You Need To Know

  • 2024 Eclipse Info

    Click Here

  • Board of Commissioners

     Meeting Schedules

  • Community Foundation

    You can access the website of the Community Foundation of Randolph County by clicking HERE

  • Courthouse Hours

    Randolph County Courthouse hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Holidays are listed on the Transparency page.    

  • COVID-19

    Circuit Court Administrative Orders

  • ETSB

    Meeting Schedule

  • Paying Tickets

    You can pay citations by clicking HERE or you can dial the Circuit Court Clerk directly at 618.826.5000 extension 194 to ask about paying.

  • Press Releases

    Press Releases for COVID-19

  • Southern Illinois Connector

    The Southern Illinois Connector website www.siconnector.com and Facebook siconnector 

Latest Blogs

Randolph County Animal Control

The phone number for Randolph County Animal Control is now 618.826.5484 option 0.

Gov. Rauner Launches 24/7 Helpline to Help Illinoisans in Crisis

ILOpioidOverdoseHelplineEarlier this month, Governor Rauner and members of the Opioid Overdose Intervention and Prevention Task Force launched a statewide Helpline to provide immediate assistance for those affected by addiction to opioids and other substances.

Read more ...

2017 Airport of the Year

The Sparta Community Airport (KSAR) has been in existence for about 60 years, providing numerous benefits to the surrounding area- both in the aviation community as well as the non-flying public.

Airport of the Year Award


The businesses on the field help to support and grow the airport, and the airport helps to grow the businesses. Arch Air Ambulance has a helicopter base at the south end of the field, and provides life-saving services to the immediate area. Their geographic position in Sparta is critical to their response time to a patient, as well as their ability to access smaller hospitals in the region - and the larger facilities in St. Louis.

Read more ...

Foreclosure Sales

Administrative Order No. 17-CA-6

ORDER

Effective August 1, 2017, pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/15-1507(b) all judicial mortgage foreclosure sales shall be conducted by the Sheriff of Randolph County, Illinois, except by leave of Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 17, 2017

Enter: Richard A Brown, Circuit Judge