If you’ve sold into Illinois over the past few years and haven’t gotten your sales tax situation cleaned up, you’re in luck. Illinois is giving you a chance to fix it with no penalties, no interest, and no scary letters in your mailbox.
Let me tell you what’s going on, who qualifies, and why this is a big deal for ecommerce sellers.
Let’s say you’ve been selling on Shopify or Amazon, and didn’t realize Illinois expected you to collect tax. Now you’re sweating a little, wondering if they’re going to come after you.
Well, here’s the good news.
Illinois is running a tax amnesty program from October 1st to November 15th, 2025. It could be your get-out-of-jail-free card but only if you act during that window.
What Does the Illinois Tax Amnesty Program Cover?
So, what does this amnesty program actually cover? It applies to taxes you should have paid between June 30th, 2018 and July 1st, 2024. If you pay what you owe in full during the amnesty window, Illinois will waive all penalties and all interest. And they’ll agree not to pursue any civil or criminal penalties for those periods.
Yes, that’s a real thing if you ignore this stuff long enough.
Who Qualifies for the Tax Amnesty?
Now let’s talk about who qualifies. This program is open to any Illinois taxpayer, including remote ecommerce sellers.
But you do not qualify if:
- You’re under criminal investigation
- You’re currently in a lawsuit over unpaid taxes
- You’re committing fraud
If that’s you, this probably isn’t the help you need, anyway. But if you’re just behind or confused, and you want to fix it, this is your chance.
Sales tax has gotten way more aggressive since the Wayfair decision. And Illinois is one of the states that will absolutely come after remote sellers who don’t comply. So, if you had economic nexus and never registered, this is your chance to clean things up without paying thousands in extra penalties and interest.
Skipping out might feel easier right now, but if Illinois catches up with you later, you’re on the hook for everything – back taxes, penalties, interest… maybe even legal fees.
And trust me, no one wants to explain that to a future investor or lender.
How to Get Started
So, here’s what to do next:
- Step one: Talk to a sales tax expert.
- Step two: Figure out what you owe during the eligible period.
- Step three: Make sure you pay during the October 1st to November 15th window.
- Step four: Get your systems in place so you stay compliant going forward.
And that’s where LedgerGurus can help. If you’re overwhelmed trying to figure this out on your own, especially during the busiest season of the year, we’ve got your back.
We can help you:
- Determine if you qualify
- Calculate what you owe
- File your missing returns
- Submit your amnesty request
- Get your Illinois registration up to date so you’re set for the future
Getting expert help means fewer mistakes, less stress, and more time to focus on growing your business instead of worrying about back taxes. So, if this applies to you, reach out to our team today. This is a limited-time opportunity, and we’d love to help you take full advantage of it.
Don’t wait until Illinois knocks on your door. Take advantage of the amnesty, pay what you owe, and move forward without the stress.
Illinois sellers: Sales tax amnesty is a rare chance to wipe out penalties + interest. We’ll handle the paperwork so you don’t have to. Click here to get started.
