How long does a paper Illinois refund take?
Illinois says refunds from paper returns may take more than eight weeks after filing.
The Illinois Department of Revenue does not say how soon a paper return first shows in Where's My Refund?
For example, if you mail it on March 1, 2027, the refund should not come before April 26, 2027.
How do I check my Illinois refund status?
Use Where's My Refund? on mytax.illinois.gov.
It asks for these, in this order:
- ID Type. Social Security Number, or Individual Tax ID Number if you have an ITIN
- ID. Yours. You type it on the agency's own site
- Confirm ID. The same number again
- Requested Refund Amount. Whole dollars, from Form IL-1040 line 38 (2025 forms)
What else should I know about Illinois's Where's My Refund?
It shows refunds from an original Form IL-1040 for the current tax year only.
- It updates each business day.
- A first-year Illinois filer's direct deposit can be sent as a paper check instead, IDOR says.
- For a refund from an earlier year, call IDOR at 800 732-8866.
Can F1TaxReturn track my Illinois refund?
If you file your Illinois return with F1TaxReturn, your dashboard has a refund tracker: every box Where's My Refund? asks for, filled in from your return except your SSN, with a copy button beside each, a timeline from the day you mail it, and an email when it is time to check.
F1TaxReturn prepares paper returns: you print, sign and mail them, and it never sees your refund status. Your federal return is free; the Illinois return is a paid add-on.