AVOID PENALTIES BY UNDERSTANDING POSTMARKS
Property tax payments must be received at the Tax Collector's Office or must have a United States Postal Service (USPS) postmark by the Pay By date on your tax bill to avoid penalties. If a payment is received after the delinquency date with no USPS postmark, the payment is considered late and penalties will be imposed in accordance with State Revenue and Taxation Code. The late installment(s) will be imposed a ten percent (10%) penalty plus $20.00 cost. For example, if the installment amount due is $1,000.00, a ten percent (10%) penalty of $100.00 and $20.00 cost will be imposed.
POSTMARKS are imprints on letters, flats, and parcels that show the name of the USPS office that accepted custody of the mail, along with the state, the zip code, and the date of mailing. The postmark is generally applied, either by machine or by hand, with cancellation bars to indicate that the postage cannot be reused.
Taxpayers who send their payments by mail are cautioned that the USPS only postmarks certain mail depending on the type of postage used, and may not postmark mail on the same day deposited by a taxpayer. To ensure timely payment of your tax bill, please mail your payment early enough to account of unforeseen delays in mail handling.
Postage that is postmarked:
Postage that is not postmarked:
- METERED POSTAGE: Mail on which postage is printed directly on an envelope or label by a postage machine licensed by the USPS. Many private companies use these types of postage machines.
- PRE-CANCELED POSTAGE: Stamps sold through a private vendor, such as stamps.com®.
- AUTOMATED POSTAL CENTER (APC) POSTAGE: Stamps, with or without a date, purchased from machines located within a USPS lobby.
- PERMIT IMPRINT POSTAGE: Pre-sorted mail used by bill pay services, such as online home banking.
If you use these types of postage, the USPS will NOT postmark your mail. You will be charged a ten percent (10%) penalty and $20.00 cost if your payment is not received in our office by the Pay By date on your tax bill.
Other Postage Options:
The USPS has other postage options that can help track and verify that payments are received in our office on time. These services include:
- Express Mail
- Postage Validated Imprint
- Certificates of Mailing
- Certified Mail
- USPS Tracking
- Signature Mail
- Delivery Confirmation
- Return Receipt
- Restricted Delivery
Pay your taxes online using electronic check or major credit card. Payments may be made directly from your checking account (electronic check) or by using any major credit card. Additional fees will be applied to each payment. The same fee applies whether you use your home computer or the computer at the office. A returned check charge will be charged for any e-check declined by the bank.
Convenience fee amounts are detailed on the On-line Payment Site.