Property & exemptions
Illinois bankruptcy exemptions
Selected key Illinois exemptions — the homestead, vehicle, wildcard categories below are quoted from the statute that states them. This is not a complete list of everything Illinois protects.
Which exemption list applies in Illinois
Illinois law only. Illinois has opted out of the federal exemption set, so a filer who uses Illinois exemptions cannot instead choose the list in 11 U.S.C. § 522(d).
This page is still being completed
No completeness decision has been recorded for Illinois. We show what has been verified rather than filling the gap with something we have not checked — but treat what follows as partial.
Homestead — your home
- Illinois homestead$50,000
Effective January 1, 2026. Each individual is limited to $50,000; if two or more individuals own the homestead, each proportionate share is subject to a $100,000 aggregate ceiling.
Motor vehicle
- Illinois one-motor-vehicle exemption$3,600
Applies to the debtor's interest in one motor vehicle.
Wildcard and general personal property
- Illinois other-property exemption$4,000
The $4,000 equity amount includes the separate $1,000 automatic deposit-account exemption under § 12-1001.1.
What these amounts do and do not mean
- An exemption protects your EQUITY — what the property is worth beyond what you still owe on it — not the item’s sticker price.
- More than one amount can apply in the same category. Where that is true the entries below are listed separately with the condition that selects each one; we do not pick for you.
- Federal limits can still apply on top of state law. 11 U.S.C. § 522(p) and (q) can cap a homestead claim for someone who moved recently or in specific circumstances.
- Which set of exemptions you may use depends on where you were domiciled during the period 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A) measures, which is not always the state you live in today.
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