For your Illinois state tax refund in 2025, the timeline depends on how you filed your return and the method you selected for the refund:
- If you e-file and choose direct deposit , you can expect your refund in about 4 weeks after filing.
- If you filed a paper return , it can take around 4 to 8 weeks, potentially up to 15 weeks for paper returns.
- Filing electronically and choosing direct deposit is the fastest way to receive your refund and helps avoid errors that can delay processing.
The Illinois Department of Revenue updates refund statuses every business day on their website where you can check the progress by entering your Social Security Number and name. Factors that can delay your refund include filing errors, identity theft/fraud checks, the timing of your filing (refunds can take longer if filed near the April 15 deadline), and whether certain tax credits are claimed. If you want to check your refund status, you can visit the Illinois Department of Revenue's refund status portal or call their support line at 1-800-732-8866. In summary, if you filed electronically with direct deposit and your return has no issues, you should expect your Illinois refund roughly within 4 weeks after filing. Paper returns take significantly longer to process, potentially up to 15 weeks.
