When Are Property Taxes Due in Texas?

If you’re new to the Lone Star State or are a new homeowner, you may have already heard  about the high property taxes in Texas, and we’re glad you’re already doing your research to stay ahead of the game! Property tax bills in the state of Texas can be high, which is stressful enough on its own. Then, you start getting letters written in legalese and confusing property tax documents throughout the year, and you may find yourself wondering what all of the mail means and when your bill is actually due. In this blog, we’ll walk through when property taxes are due as well as other important dates in the property tax calendar. 

So, When Are Property Taxes Due? 

Technically, they’re due as soon as you get your bill, but the final date you can submit payment for your property taxes without receiving late fees and penalties is January 31st.

late fee

What Happens if I Don’t Pay My Bill On Time? 

You can learn more about that in our blog from earlier this month, but below are the basic dates and penalties to remember. We’ll be using a 2019 property tax bill an example:

2019

  • January – a tax lien is assessed on your property
  • January through March – your appraisal district will conduct research and provide appraised values for your property
  • March through the end of the year – property owners should file any exemptions they are qualified for to their appraisal districts
  • October through November – tax bills are sent and property taxes are due by January 31 of the following year. Failure to remit payment before the end of January leads to delinquency and fees discussed below.

2020

  • February 1 – your 2019 tax bill is considered late, and you will owe an additional 6% penalty and 1% interest
  • March 1 – June 30 – your tax bill penalties and interest rates increase by 2% each month
  • May 15 – the deadline to protest your property tax appraisal values
  • July 1 – your tax penalty increases may increase by up to 20%, legal action may be taken to collect delinquent property taxes, and, technically, your tax office can begin foreclosure proceedings any time after your bill is due. In most cases, this will not happen until after an attorney attempts to gain repayment for overdue property tax bills. Most counties will not begin foreclosures until the end of July. 

The Home Tax Solutions Team Can Help

hts texas property tax loans

The Home Tax Solutions team completely understands how overwhelming the property tax process can be when you don’t work with these dates and numbers every day like we do. Don’t get bogged down in the numbers. If your bill is due, or overdue, and you’re struggling to find a way to cover the cost, take a deep breath and give us a call. You can also start the process any time by filling out our simple online property tax application.