The sales tax rate in Joliet, Illinois is 8.75% on general merchandise as of 2026. That covers things like electronics, furniture, clothing, and household goods. Groceries, medicine, and vehicles are taxed at different rates, and a sliver of Joliet on the Kendall County side comes in slightly lower.
How the 8.75% Breaks Down
Three separate taxing bodies share what you pay at the register:
- State of Illinois: 6.25%, under the Retailers’ Occupation Tax Act.1Justia Law. Illinois Code 35 ILCS 120 – Retailers Occupation Tax Act
- Joliet home rule tax: 1.75%, in place since January 1, 2012.2City of Joliet, IL. Joliet Sales Tax Rates
- Regional Transportation Authority: 0.75%, which rose by 0.25 percentage points for 2026 under the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act passed in late 2025.3Illinois Department of Revenue. Mass Transit District Sales Tax
Will County does not add a county-level sales tax, so those three pieces are the whole 8.75%. Retailers collect the full amount and remit it to the Illinois Department of Revenue, which routes each portion to the appropriate body.4Illinois Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Taxes
What You Pay on Groceries
Illinois ended its 1% state sales tax on groceries on January 1, 2026. Qualifying groceries (food for consumption off the premises, excluding alcohol, soft drinks, candy, cannabis-infused food, and prepared meals) are now exempt from the state portion.1Justia Law. Illinois Code 35 ILCS 120 – Retailers Occupation Tax Act
Groceries in Joliet are not tax-free, though. The state law authorized cities and counties to adopt a replacement local 1% grocery tax by ordinance, and Joliet moved to adopt it, estimating a roughly $3.7 million annual revenue loss without it.5City of Joliet, IL. City of Joliet Moves to Maintain Grocery Tax Revenue6Illinois Department of Revenue. Illinois Grocery Tax Changes Effective January 1, 2026 The 0.75% RTA transit tax also applies to qualifying food.3Illinois Department of Revenue. Mass Transit District Sales Tax The Joliet home rule 1.75% does not apply to qualifying food, drugs, or medical appliances; home rule taxes are limited to the general merchandise base.7Illinois Department of Revenue. Home Rule and Non-home Rule Sales Taxes
Medicine and Medical Devices
Prescription and nonprescription medicines, medical appliances, insulin, diabetic supplies, and certain cancer treatment devices stay at the reduced 1% state rate.1Justia Law. Illinois Code 35 ILCS 120 – Retailers Occupation Tax Act The Joliet home rule tax does not apply.7Illinois Department of Revenue. Home Rule and Non-home Rule Sales Taxes The 0.75% RTA tax does, bringing the total on medicine in Joliet to 1.75%.3Illinois Department of Revenue. Mass Transit District Sales Tax
Vehicles Are Taxed Separately
Cars, trucks, trailers, and other titled or registered vehicles follow a different structure and are excluded from both the Joliet home rule tax and the RTA transit tax.7Illinois Department of Revenue. Home Rule and Non-home Rule Sales Taxes
A dealer purchase is generally subject to the 6.25% state rate on the price. A private party purchase uses a flat-fee schedule instead. For vehicles worth less than $15,000, the tax runs from $100 for vehicles 11 years or older up to $465 for vehicles one year old or newer. Vehicles worth $15,000 or more use a tiered schedule from $850 to $10,100.8Illinois Department of Revenue. RUT-5, Private Party Vehicle Use Tax Chart for 2026 Payment happens when you apply for the title with the Secretary of State’s office, not at the point of sale.9Illinois Department of Revenue. Private Party Vehicle Use Tax
The Kendall County Edge of Joliet
Joliet sits mostly in Will County, but its far western edges reach into Kendall County, which is outside the RTA region. A store on the Kendall County side of the city line does not charge the 0.75% RTA tax, so the combined rate there comes in below 8.75%. Two locations of the same chain can produce slightly different totals depending on which side of the county line they sit on. You can confirm the rate for a specific address through the Illinois Department of Revenue’s Tax Rate Finder.10Illinois Department of Revenue. Tax Rate Database
Online Purchases
When an online seller does not collect Illinois sales tax, you owe use tax on the purchase at the same rates: 6.25% for general merchandise, 1% for qualifying drugs and medical appliances. Most large platforms already collect it because Illinois requires marketplace facilitators to handle collection and remittance for third-party sellers. Where it slips through, usually on buys from smaller out-of-state sellers, you report it on Form IL-1040 if the annual liability is $600 or less, or on Form ST-44 for more.11Illinois Department of Revenue. What is Use Tax