Contact

The utility account number is located on your billing statement, as shown in the sample statement below.

Please contact Utility Billing & Customer Service at (312)744-4426 if you need additional assistance.

All applications must be accompanied by a legal description or plat of survey and one of the following to confirm the transaction:

• A copy of the signed and notarized Deed for the intended transaction (must be submitted with Statement of Grantor/Grantee if requesting an exempt FPC transaction)
• Title Commitment Schedule A reflecting the seller and proposed insured
• Signed Sales Contract listing buyer and seller

Please note additional ownership documentation may be requested. For vacant lot applications, we strongly recommend that the applicant supply a plat of survey in addition to the property's legal description. Failure to do so may result in us having to request one later, which will extend the time it takes to process your application. All file names should describe what type of document is being submitted.

The maximum file size is 9.5 MB and must be one of the following file types:

• doc
• docx
• pdf
• jpeg
• jpg
• png
• txt

Please note that certain file upload areas on the website may not allow for all of the above listed file types. In these cases, the allowed file type list will be displayed on the website.

If you have additional questions regarding supporting documents, please upload the document(s) and complete the form below.

The OFPC website may display certain standard error messages under specific circumstances. These generally occur when input fields are not completed in the required format or when a payment transaction is initiated while another payment transaction is still being processed.

Other, unexpected, errors may occur on the website. Please try the following steps to solve the error being shown:

• Try to use an incognito window
• Clear the browser cache and cookies
• Disable browser extensions

If the error still occurs after attempting the above steps, please submit a request using the contact form.

The Utility Billing & Customer Service team strives to process all FPC Applications within 10 business days. However, some applications are more complex than others and may require more time to process. We ask all applicants to only submit inquiries related to the status of pending FPC Applications if they have surpassed the 10 business day window.

Understanding Your Application Status:

• Pending - This is the default status assigned when a new application is created. This status indicates that the application is currently being processed and is undergoing additional review before moving to the next stage.
• Ready - The application has been processed, all outstanding tasks have been completed, and it is available to be certified. The applicant must complete payment prior to the expiration date for the application to become Certified.
• Certified - Any required payment has been made and the applicant has certified the FPC. The certified FPC can be downloaded to be used for a real estate closing. This is necessary to obtain City of Chicago Real Property Transfer Tax stamps, which are required in order to record a deed with the Cook County Clerk.
• Cancelled - The application has been cancelled and will not be processed.
• Pending Judgment Only - An account associated with the FPC has unpaid costs from a judgment and/or post-judgment collection activity. At the time the application for this FPC was submitted, an email was sent to the FPC applicant with instructions on how to pay the unpaid costs so that this status can be cleared.

If your FPC's status is either cancelled or expired and you still require an FPC, you must submit a new application for review. If the cancelled or expired application qualifies for resubmission, the resubmission button will be available. If the button is not available, you will need to begin a new application. Please note that the 10 business day processing window will restart with the new or resubmitted application.

An account associated with the FPC has unpaid costs from a judgment and/or post-judgment collection activity. At the time the application for this FPC was submitted, an email was sent to the FPC applicant with instructions on how to pay the unpaid costs so that this status can be cleared. This is also reflected in a note on the FPC. Please contact the law firm to pay the outstanding costs and clear this status.

During the FPC process, charges may be billed outside of your typical billing cycle. If there are questions about the charges, please feel free to contact Utility Billing & Customer Service at (312)744-4426.

If you would like to receive a payment link to pay directly through the FPC system, please provide the FPC number and the email address where you would like the link to be sent. Please note that the certification process will require the submitter to complete the process to obtain the certified FPC, which is needed to obtain City of Chicago Real Property Transfer Tax stamps. Real Property Transfer Tax stamps are required in order to record a deed with the Cook County Clerk.

When attempting to submit a payment, the following error message may be submitted:

If this error is presented, please follow the instructions on the error and try again later. If the issue persists after waiting, please select "Other Error" and submit the error on the contact form.

The OFPC website may display certain standard error messages under specific circumstances. These generally occur when input fields are not completed in the required format or when a payment transaction is initiated while another payment transaction is still being processed.

Other, unexpected, errors may occur on the website. Please try the following steps to solve the error being shown:

• Try to use an incognito window
• Clear the browser cache and cookies
• Disable browser extensions

If the error still occurs after attempting the above steps, please submit a request using the contact form.

The City of Chicago accepts the following forms of payment:

• Visa
• Mastercard
• Discover
• American Express
• ACH Debit

We recommend paying directly through the FPC system to ensure all applicable charges are paid in full for certification. More details for payment options can be found on the Department of Finance's Website.

When attempting to submit a payment, the following error message may be submitted:

If this error is presented, please follow the instructions on the error and try again later. If the issue persists after waiting, please select "Other Error" and submit the error on the contact form.

The OFPC website may display certain standard error messages under specific circumstances. These generally occur when input fields are not completed in the required format or when a payment transaction is initiated while another payment transaction is still being processed.

Other, unexpected, errors may occur on the website. Please try the following steps to solve the error being shown:

• Try to use an incognito window
• Clear the browser cache and cookies
• Disable browser extensions

If the error still occurs after attempting the above steps, please submit a request using the contact form.