Chicago has a 28.5% headline corporate tax rate; occupiers must also model property taxes and any local occupancy levies on top of rent.

• Headline corporate tax: 28.5%.
• Property taxes / business rates / equivalents are a separate line item — model them explicitly.
• Cross-border occupiers should screen for local incentives (free zones, IP regimes, R&D credits).

TL;DR

• Headline corporate tax: 28.5%.
• Property taxes / business rates / equivalents are a separate line item — model them explicitly.
• Cross-border occupiers should screen for local incentives (free zones, IP regimes, R&D credits).

Corporate tax

Chicago levies an effective corporate tax of around 28.5% on most C-corps. Cross-border holding structures and IP regimes can materially change the effective rate; engage local tax counsel early.

Occupancy and property taxes

Combined federal + Illinois corporate tax effectively 28.5%. Cook County personal property lease transaction tax applies.

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

What is Chicago's corporate tax rate?

Around 28.5% on most C-corps. Local incentives, IP regimes, and structuring change the effective rate materially.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

• CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
• JLL Office Insight — JLL
• Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
• Savills World Research — Savills
• Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

Full sources index · Submit a correction

Related topics

• Cross-border Expansion — How to run a coordinated Class A office search across multiple geographies.