ILCS » Chapter 35 · Act 120
Illinois Compiled Statutes

35 ILCS 120/2 (2026)

Tax imposed

✓ current as of May 2026
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(35 ILCS 120/2)
    Sec. 2. Tax imposed.
    (a) A tax is imposed upon persons engaged in the business of selling at retail, which, on and after January 1, 2025, includes leasing, tangible personal property, including computer software, and including photographs, negatives, and positives that are the product of photoprocessing, but not including products of photoprocessing produced for use in motion pictures for public commercial exhibition. Beginning January 1, 2001, prepaid telephone calling arrangements shall be considered tangible personal property subject to the tax imposed under this Act regardless of the form in which those arrangements may be embodied, transmitted, or fixed by any method now known or hereafter developed.
    The imposition of the tax under this Act on persons engaged in the business of leasing tangible personal property applies to leases in effect, entered into, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. In the case of leases, except as otherwise provided in this Act, the lessor must remit, for each tax return period, only the tax applicable to that part of the selling price actually received during such tax return period.
    The inclusion of leases in the tax imposed under this Act by Public Act 103-592 does not, however, extend to motor vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, and semitrailers, as defined in Section 1-187 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, that are required to be registered with an agency of this State. The taxation of these items shall continue in effect as prior to the effective date of the changes made to this Section by Public Act 103-592 (i.e., dealers owe retailers' occupation tax, lessors owe use tax, and lessees are not subject to retailers' occupation or use tax).
    Sales of (1) electricity delivered to customers by wire; (2) natural or artificial gas that is delivered to customers through pipes, pipelines, or mains; and (3) water that is delivered to customers through pipes, pipelines, or mains are not subject to tax under this Act. The provisions of Public Act 98-583 are declaratory of existing law as to the meaning and scope of this Act.
    (b) Beginning on January 1, 2021 and through December 31, 2025, a remote retailer is engaged in the occupation of selling at retail in Illinois for purposes of this Act, if:
        (1) the cumulative gross receipts from sales of
    
tangible personal property to purchasers in Illinois are $100,000 or more; or
        (2) the retailer enters into 200 or more separate
    
transactions for the sale of tangible personal property to purchasers in Illinois.
    Remote retailers that meet or exceed the threshold in either paragraph (1) or (2) above shall be liable for all applicable State retailers' and locally imposed retailers' occupation taxes administered by the Department on all retail sales to Illinois purchasers.
    The remote retailer shall determine on a quarterly basis, ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December, whether it meets the threshold of either paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection for the preceding 12-month period. If the retailer meets the threshold of either paragraph (1) or (2) for a 12-month period, he or she is considered a retailer maintaining a place of business in this State and is required to collect and remit the tax imposed under this Act and all retailers' occupation tax imposed by local taxing jurisdictions in Illinois, provided such local taxes are administered by the Department, and to file all applicable returns for one year. At the end of that one-year period, the retailer shall determine whether the retailer met the threshold of either paragraph (1) or (2) for the preceding 12-month period. If the retailer met the threshold in either paragraph (1) or (2) for the preceding 12-month period, it is considered a retailer maintaining a place of business in this State and is required to collect and remit all applicable State and local retailers' occupation taxes and file returns for the subsequent year. If, at the end of a one-year period, a retailer that was required to collect and remit the tax imposed under this Act determines that it did not meet the threshold in either paragraph (1) or (2) during the preceding 12-month period, then the retailer shall subsequently determine on a quarterly basis, ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December, whether the retailer met the threshold of either paragraph (1) or (2) for the preceding 12-month period.
    (b-1) Beginning on January 1, 2026, a remote retailer is engaged in the occupation of selling at retail in Illinois for purposes of this Act if the remote retailer's cumulative gross receipts from sales of tangible personal property to purchasers in Illinois are $100,000 or more.
    Remote retailers that meet or exceed the threshold in this subsection (b-1) shall be liable for all applicable State and locally imposed retailers' occupation taxes administered by the Department on all retail sales to Illinois purchasers.
    The remote retailer shall determine on a quarterly basis, ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December, whether the remote retailer meets the threshold of this subsection (b-1) for the preceding 12-month period. If the remote retailer meets the threshold for a 12-month period, the remote retailer is considered to be engaged in the occupation of selling at retail in Illinois and is required to remit the tax imposed under this Act and all retailers' occupation tax imposed by local taxing jurisdictions in Illinois, provided such local taxes are administered by the Department, and to file all applicable returns for one year. At the end of the one-year period, the remote retailer shall determine whether the remote retailer met the threshold for the preceding 12-month period. If the retailer met the threshold for the preceding 12-month period, the remote retailer is considered to be engaged in the occupation of selling at retail in Illinois and is required to remit all applicable State and local retailers' occupation taxes and file returns for the subsequent year. If, at the end of a one-year period, a remote retailer that was required to remit the tax imposed under this Act determines that the remote retailer did not meet the threshold during the preceding 12-month period, then the remote retailer shall subsequently determine on a quarterly basis, ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December, whether the remote retailer met the threshold for the preceding 12-month period.
    (b-2) Beginning on January 1, 2025, a retailer maintaining a place of business in this State that makes retail sales of tangible personal property to Illinois customers from a location or locations outside of Illinois is engaged in the occupation of selling at retail in Illinois for the purposes of this Act. Those retailers are liable for all applicable State and locally imposed retailers' occupation taxes administered by the Department on retail sales made by those retailers to Illinois customers from locations outside of Illinois.
    (b-5) For the purposes of this Section, neither the gross receipts from nor, until January 1, 2026, the number of separate transactions for sales of tangible personal property to purchasers in Illinois that a remote retailer makes through a marketplace facilitator shall be included for the purposes of determining whether he or she has met the thresholds of subsection (b) or (b-1) of this Section so long as the remote retailer has received certification from the marketplace facilitator that the marketplace facilitator is legally responsible for payment of tax on such sales.
    (b-10) A remote retailer that is required to collect taxes imposed under the Use Tax Act on retail sales made to Illinois purchasers or a retailer maintaining a place of business in this State that is required to collect taxes imposed under the Use Tax Act on retail sales made to Illinois purchasers shall be liable to the Department for such taxes, except when the remote retailer or retailer maintaining a place of business in this State is relieved of the duty to remit such taxes by virtue of having paid to the Department taxes imposed by this Act in accordance with this Section upon his or her gross receipts from such sales.
    (c) Marketplace facilitators engaged in the business of selling at retail tangible personal property in Illinois. Beginning January 1, 2021 and through December 31, 2025, a marketplace facilitator is engaged in the occupation of selling at retail tangible personal property in Illinois for purposes of this Act if, during the previous 12-month period:
        (1) the cumulative gross receipts from sales of
    
tangible personal property on its own behalf or on behalf of marketplace sellers to purchasers in Illinois equals $100,000 or more; or
        (2) the marketplace facilitator enters into 200 or
    
more separate transactions on its own behalf or on behalf of marketplace sellers for the sale of tangible personal property to purchasers in Illinois, regardless of whether the marketplace facilitator or marketplace sellers for whom such sales are facilitated are registered as retailers in this State.
    A marketplace facilitator who meets either paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection is required to remit the applicable State retailers' occupation taxes under this Act and local retailers' occupation taxes administered by the Department on all taxable sales of tangible personal property made by the marketplace facilitator or facilitated for marketplace sellers to customers in this State. A marketplace facilitator selling or facilitating the sale of tangible personal property to customers in this State is subject to all applicable procedures and requirements of this Act.
    The marketplace facilitator shall determine on a quarterly basis, ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December, whether it meets the threshold of either paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection for the preceding 12-month period. If the marketplace facilitator meets the threshold of either paragraph (1) or (2) for a 12-month period, the marketplace facilitator is considered a retailer maintaining a place of business in this State and is required to remit the tax imposed under this Act and all retailers' occupation tax imposed by local taxing jurisdictions in Illinois, provided such local taxes are administered by the Department, and to file all applicable returns for one year. At the end of that one-year period, the marketplace facilitator shall determine whether it met the threshold of either paragraph (1) or (2) for the preceding 12-month period. If the marketplace facilitator met the threshold in either paragraph (1) or (2) for the preceding 12-month period, it is considered a retailer maintaining a place of business in this State and is required to collect and remit all applicable State and local retailers' occupation taxes and file returns for the subsequent year. If at the end of a one-year period a marketplace facilitator that was required to collect and remit the tax imposed under this Act determines that it did not meet the threshold in either paragraph (1) or (2) during the preceding 12-month period, the marketplace facilitator shall subsequently determine on a quarterly basis, ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December, whether it met the threshold of either paragraph (1) or (2) for the preceding 12-month period.
    (c-5) Beginning January 1, 2026, a marketplace facilitator is engaged in the occupation of selling at retail tangible personal property in Illinois for purposes of this Act if, during the previous 12-month period the cumulative gross receipts from sales of tangible personal property on its own behalf or on behalf of marketplace sellers to purchasers in Illinois equals $100,000 or more.
    A marketplace facilitator who meets the threshold of this subsection is required to remit the applicable State retailers' occupation taxes under this Act and local retailers' occupation taxes administered by the Department on all taxable sales of tangible personal property made by the marketplace facilitator or facilitated for marketplace sellers to customers in this State. A marketplace facilitator selling or facilitating the sale of tangible personal property to customers in this State is subject to all applicable procedures and requirements of this Act.
    The marketplace facilitator shall determine on a quarterly basis, ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December, whether the marketplace facilitator meets the threshold of this subsection (c-5) for the preceding 12-month period. If the marketplace facilitator meets the threshold for a 12-month period, the marketplace facilitator is considered to be engaged in the occupation of selling at retail in Illinois and is required to remit the tax imposed under this Act and all retailers' occupation tax imposed by local taxing jurisdictions in Illinois, provided such local taxes are administered by the Department, and to file all applicable returns for one year. At the end of the one-year period, the marketplace facilitator shall determine whether the marketplace facilitator met the threshold for the preceding 12-month period. If the marketplace facilitator met the threshold for the preceding 12-month period, the marketplace facilitator is considered to be engaged in the occupation of selling at retail in Illinois and is required to collect and remit all applicable State and local retailers' occupation taxes and file returns for the subsequent year. If at the end of a one-year period a marketplace facilitator that was required to collect and remit the tax imposed under this Act determines that the marketplace facilitator did not meet the threshold during the preceding 12-month period, the marketplace facilitator shall subsequently determine on a quarterly basis, ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December, whether it met the threshold for the preceding 12-month period.
    (c-10) A marketplace facilitator shall be entitled to any credits, deductions, or adjustments to the sales price otherwise provided to the marketplace seller, in addition to any such adjustments provided directly to the marketplace facilitator. This Section pertains to, but is not limited to, adjustments such as discounts, coupons, and rebates. In addition, a marketplace facilitator shall be entitled to the retailers' discount provided in Section 3 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act on all marketplace sales, and the marketplace seller shall not include sales made through a marketplace facilitator when computing any retailers' discount on remaining sales. Marketplace facilitators shall report and remit the applicable State and local retailers' occupation taxes on sales facilitated for marketplace sellers separately from any sales or use tax collected on taxable retail sales made directly by the marketplace facilitator or its affiliates.
    The marketplace facilitator is liable for the remittance of all applicable State retailers' occupation taxes under this Act and local retailers' occupation taxes administered by the Department on sales through the marketplace and is subject to audit on all such sales. The Department shall not audit marketplace sellers for their marketplace sales where a marketplace facilitator remitted the applicable State and local retailers' occupation taxes unless the marketplace facilitator seeks relief as a result of incorrect information provided to the marketplace facilitator by a marketplace seller as set forth in this Section. The marketplace facilitator shall not be held liable for tax on any sales made by a marketplace seller that take place outside of the marketplace and which are not a part of any agreement between a marketplace facilitator and a marketplace seller. In addition, marketplace facilitators shall not be held liable to State and local governments of Illinois for having charged and remitted an incorrect amount of State and local retailers' occupation tax if, at the time of the sale, the tax is computed based on erroneous data provided by the State in database files on tax rates, boundaries, or taxing jurisdictions or incorrect information provided to the marketplace facilitator by the marketplace seller.
    (d) A marketplace facilitator shall:
        (1) certify to each marketplace seller that the
    
marketplace facilitator assumes the rights and duties of a retailer under this Act with respect to sales made by the marketplace seller through the marketplace; and
        (2) remit taxes imposed by this Act as required by
    
this Act for sales made through the marketplace.
    (e) A marketplace seller shall retain books and records for all sales made through a marketplace in accordance with the requirements of this Act.
    (f) A marketplace facilitator is subject to audit on all marketplace sales for which it is considered to be the retailer, but shall not be liable for tax or subject to audit on sales made by marketplace sellers outside of the marketplace.
    (g) A marketplace facilitator required to collect taxes imposed under the Use Tax Act on marketplace sales made to Illinois purchasers shall be liable to the Department for such taxes, except when the marketplace facilitator is relieved of the duty to remit such taxes by virtue of having paid to the Department taxes imposed by this Act in accordance with this Section upon his or her gross receipts from such sales.
    (h) Nothing in this Section shall allow the Department to collect retailers' occupation taxes from both the marketplace facilitator and marketplace seller on the same transaction.
    (i) If, for any reason, the Department is prohibited from enforcing the marketplace facilitator's duty under this Act to remit taxes pursuant to this Section, the duty to remit such taxes remains with the marketplace seller.
    (j) (Blank).
    (k) (Blank).
    (l) A marketplace seller shall furnish to the marketplace facilitator information that is necessary for the marketplace facilitator to correctly remit taxes for a retail sale. The information may include a certification that an item being sold is taxable, not taxable, exempt from taxation, or taxable at a specified rate. A marketplace seller shall be held harmless for liability for the tax imposed under this Act when a marketplace facilitator fails to correctly remit tax after having been provided with information by a marketplace seller to correctly remit taxes imposed under this Act.
    (m) If the marketplace facilitator demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department that its failure to correctly remit tax on a retail sale resulted from the marketplace facilitator's good faith reliance on incorrect or insufficient information provided by a marketplace seller, it shall be relieved of liability for the tax on that retail sale and the marketplace seller shall be liable for any resulting tax due.
(Source: P.A. 103-592, eff. 1-1-25; 103-983, eff. 1-1-25; 104-6, eff. 6-16-25.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 50 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1993–2024 · leading case: Kean v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 919 N.E.2d 926 (Ill. 2009).
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Kean v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 919 N.E.2d 926 (Ill. 2009). · cites it 5× “As such, the shipping charges were part of the “selling price” of the trampoline and properly included in Wal-Mart’s taxable “gross receipts” under ROTA (35 ILCS 120/2 — 10 (West 2006)). Finally, Wal-Mart argued that Kean had failed to follow the statutory guidelines for…”
McLean v. Dep't of Revenue, 704 N.E.2d 352 (Ill. 1998). · cites it 7× “1915 violates numerous provisions of the state and federal constitutions; and all tax imposed under section 2 of the Act (35 ILCS 120/2 (West 1996)) is unconstitutional.”
Subway Restaurants of Bloomington-Normal, Inc. v. Topinka, 751 N.E.2d 203 (Ill. App. Ct. 2001). · cites it 3× “See 35 ILCS 120/2 (West 1996) (ROT is “imposed upon persons engaged in the business of selling at retail tangible personal property”); 35 ILCS 120/1 (West 1996) (“ ‘Sale at retail’ means any transfer of the ownership of or title to tangible personal property to a purchaser, for…”
Quad Cities Open, Inc. v. City of Silvis, 804 N.E.2d 499 (Ill. 2004). “If this court were to conclude that the legislature meant to include events organized for charity within the term “for gain,” it would require that we ignore a clear pattern of preferential treatment for such organizations.”
Rogy's New Generation, Inc. v. Dep't of Revenue, 742 N.E.2d 443 (Ill. App. Ct. 2000). · cites it 3× “” 35 ILCS 120/2 — 5(11) (West 1998); 35 ILCS 105/3 — 5(4) (West 1998).”
Ogden Chrysler Plymouth, Inc. v. Bower, 809 N.E.2d 792 (Ill. App. Ct. 2004). · cites it 3× “35 ILCS 120/2 (West 2002); Soho Club, Inc.”
Wyndemere Ret. Cmty. v. Dep't of Revenue, 654 N.E.2d 608 (Ill. App. Ct. 1995). · cites it 2× “JUSTICE THOMAS delivered the opinion of the court: The plaintiff, Wyndemere Retirement Community (Wyndemere), sought a charitable exemption from the Illinois Retailer’s Occupation Tax Act (35 ILCS 120/2 — 5 (West 1992)) and the Illinois Use Tax Act (35 ILCS 105/3 — 5 (West…”
Irwin Indus. Tool Co. v. Dep't of Revenue, 938 N.E.2d 459 (Ill. 2010). “35 ILCS 105/3 — 10 (West 2008); 35 ILCS 120/2 — 10 (West 2008). Where, as here, the retailer is located outside Illinois and has no obligations under the Use Tax Act, the user in Illinois must pay the use tax directly to the state.”
Lombard Pub. Facilities Corp. v. Dep't of Revenue, 881 N.E.2d 598 (Ill. App. Ct. 2008). “) 35 ILCS 120/2 — 5(11) (West 2004). The Retailers’ Tax Act does not define “governmental body” but defines “purchaser” as follows: “ ‘Purchaser’ means anyone who, through a sale at retail, acquires the ownership of or title to tangible personal property for valuable…”
Brown v. Zehnder, 693 N.E.2d 1255 (Ill. App. Ct. 1998). · cites it 2× “35 ILCS 105/3 — 65 (West 1994). Both statutes impose a tax of 6.”
Shakman v. Dep't of Revenue, 2019 IL App (1st) 182197 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “), the selling of which must be done by “persons engaged in the business of selling at retail tangible personal property” (35 ILCS 120/2 (West 2018)). Additionally, Illinois has enacted the Use Tax Act (35 ILCS 105/1 et seq.”
Nat'l Sch. Bus Serv., Inc. v. Dep't of Revenue, 706 N.E.2d 936 (Ill. App. Ct. 1998). · cites it 2× “Illinois courts have similarly interpreted the charitable use exemption in the Retailers’ Occupation Tax Act (35 ILCS 120/2—5(11) (West 1994)), which exempts from tax personal property sold to an “institution organized and operated exclusively for charitable *** purposes.”
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— 35 ILCS 120/2(a) — 1 case
Midwest Med. Equip. Solutions, Inc. v. Illinois Dep't of Revenue, 2023 IL App (1st) 221518-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2023).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.