When Is Property Tax Due? The Two Dates Printed on Your Bill

When property tax is due depends on where you live: each county or city sets its own schedule, and many split the bill into two payments. The answer for your home is printed on your bill, and there are usually two dates on it. The due date is when the payment is expected. The delinquent date is later, and it is the one that matters: after it, a penalty is added. In California, for example, the first installment is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after December 10.

Why there is no single answer

Property tax is local. Your county, city or school district sets the rate and the schedule, and a tax collector sends the bill. That is why the pages that try to answer this question build tables for all 50 states, and why those tables still tell you to check with your county.

There is a faster way. Take your bill, or the bill from last year, and find two dates on it.

The due date. The date the payment is expected. Paying on or before it is the safe choice.

The delinquent date. The date after which the payment is late and a penalty is added. It is often weeks after the due date. This is the real deadline, and the one to put in your calendar.

Some places also print a discount date, if you pay early. Here is how those dates look in three big states, all from official pages.

California: two installments, due Nov 1 and Feb 1

California counties send one annual bill with two payment stubs. Los Angeles County explains it on its annual secured property tax bill page:

First installment: due November 1, delinquent if not received or postmarked by December 10, with a 10 percent penalty.
Second installment: due February 1, delinquent if not received or postmarked by April 10, with a 10 percent penalty and a $10 cost.

Siskiyou County's secured tax FAQ lists the same four dates, with two differences worth knowing: payments are late after 5 p.m. on the delinquent date, and the extra cost on a late second installment is $20 there. Small details like these are set county by county. So in 2026, the first half is due Sunday, November 1, and the real deadline is Thursday, December 10.

Florida: bills in November, and a discount for paying early

Florida works the other way around: paying early saves money. The Florida Department of Revenue's property tax page for taxpayers says tax collectors generally send bills in November, and the discount for paying early is:

Paid in	Discount
November	4 percent
December	3 percent
January	2 percent
February	1 percent

Taxes not paid become delinquent on April 1. The discount amounts are calculated for you on the bill.

Texas: pay by January 31

The Texas Comptroller's page on paying property taxes says that in most cases you must pay by January 31. Taxes still unpaid on February 1 are delinquent, and the tax collector adds a 6 percent penalty and 1 percent interest, which keep growing each month after that.

If your mortgage company pays it

Many homeowners pay property tax through an escrow account: a part of each mortgage payment is set aside, and the lender pays the bill. The Texas Comptroller notes that if your mortgage company pays your taxes, it receives the bill, and that a receipt is useful for making sure your mortgage company has paid. Florida's page says the same thing about bills going to the lender, with a copy to you.

Escrow does not mean you can forget the dates. It is still your property and your tax. After the delinquent date, look up your parcel on the county tax collector's site to see that the payment was made. If you just bought the house or refinanced, check twice: bills can go to the old owner or the old lender.

How to find your dates in five minutes

Find the bill, paper or PDF. If you have none, search for your county's tax collector or treasurer and look up your parcel or address.
Write down the due date and the delinquent date for each installment.
Note any discount date, if your state has one.
Check who pays: you, or your lender through escrow.
Set a reminder a week before the delinquent date, not on it. Online payments and mail can take time to post.

Let Tracy keep the bill and the dates

Property tax bills come once or twice a year, months before the late date, and then sit in a pile. Tracy, the assistant in dEssence, can hold on to them.

Take a photo of the bill, or send the PDF from your county's site, to Tracy in Telegram, Chrome or on the web. She reads the due and delinquent dates, the installments and the amounts, and keeps them with the bill. Ask her to remind you a week before the late date, and she does, with the amount in the message. Ask her "when is the second half due?" in January, and she answers from the bill you sent.

She does not pay the bill, log into your county account or see your escrow. You pay; she keeps the dates in front of you. For other bills on a schedule, see how to keep track of bill due dates.

Frequently asked questions

When are property taxes due?

It depends on your county. Many places split the bill into two payments. In California the first half is due November 1 and the second February 1; in Texas you generally pay by January 31; Florida bills go out in November. Your bill shows the exact dates.

What is the difference between due and delinquent?

The due date is when the payment is expected. The delinquent date is when it becomes late and a penalty is added. In California, a first installment due November 1 becomes delinquent after December 10.

What happens if I pay property tax late?

A penalty is added, and often interest. In California it is 10 percent per installment. In Texas, a 6 percent penalty and 1 percent interest are added on February 1 and grow each month.

Do I pay property tax if I have escrow?

Usually your lender pays it from your escrow account and receives the bill. It is still worth checking the county site after the late date to see the payment posted.

Is there a discount for paying property tax early?

In some states. Florida gives 4 percent off in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January and 1 percent in February.