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Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax

Legal References

Electronic Services

Definition

Hotel Operators’ Occupation Tax is imposed on the occupation of renting, leasing, or letting rooms to persons for living quarters for periods of less than 30 consecutive days.

Effective July 1, 2024, persons engaged in the business of re-renting hotel rooms (i.e., re-renters) are subject to Hotel Operators’ Occupation Tax on the receipts from those rentals. See Public Act 103-592.

Tax Rate

The tax rates are available in the Tax Rate Database, under the Excise Tax Rates and Fees web page.

Allowable Deductions

You may take the following deductions on Form RHM-1, Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Return: 

  • receipts from foreign diplomats (via federal treaty);
  • receipts from rentals of meeting rooms, display rooms, sample rooms, offices, and private dining rooms;
  • local taxes not collected by the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR);
  • receipts from permanent guests (i.e., guests who occupy, or have the right to occupy, a room or rooms for at least 30 consecutive days); and
  • for re-renters of hotel rooms, the cost of a room and any taxes paid to a hotel operator for the initial rental of the hotel room.

For more information, please review Publication 106, Allowable Deductions for IDOR-Collected Hotel Taxes. (Coming soon).

The following local taxes are locally-imposed hotel taxes that the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) collects. For hotel operators in Chicago, the rate on any preprinted Form RHM-1 return issued by the Illinois Department of Revenue includes these taxes. If you file electronically using MyTax Illinois, the rates will be populated for you according to each hotel’s registered location. 

Note: Units of local government may impose taxes or fees, which IDOR does not collect. Contact your local government (i.e., county, municipal, or mass transit district) to determine if you must pay any additional taxes or fees not listed above.

Form/Filing & Payment Requirements

Form RHM-1, Hotel Operators’ Occupation Tax Return, is filed monthly, quarterly, or annually, based on the taxpayer’s average monthly liability. IDOR determines how often a return must be filed.

A monthly return is due on or before the last day of the month following the month for which the return is filed.

A quarterly return is due on or before the last day of the month following the quarter for which the return is filed.

An annual return is due on or before January 31 of the year following the year for which the return is filed.

A taxpayer that had an annual liability of $20,000 or more in the preceding calendar year must remit any tax payment by using an electronic payment method.

Additional Forms & Resources