Due Dates
- - - - -
When are taxes due?
First half taxes are due April 30. Second half taxes are
due October 31. If the due date falls on a weekend, then payments
will be accepted the next business day. For additional information
about your tax statement, please see Tax
Statement Information. Is
a postmark acceptable, or do I have to pay in person on the
due date?
You may make your payment in person or mail your payment. An
official Post Office postmark/cancellation (not a postage machine
date) determines the payment date for all mailed payments. Be advised
that if you mail your payment on the due date, you might not receive
that day's postmark. You may want to have it hand canceled at your
local Post Office to assure that you receive that day's postmark.
If you are sending a tax payment by air express or similar service,
the Treasurer's Office will verify a 'sent date' with the carrier
in the event that it is necessary.
Method
of Payment - - - - -
Can I pay my taxes with a credit card?
Yes. Property taxes may be paid online, or by phone,
with several different credit cards. For additional information
on this payment option, please see our Payment Center.
How do I sign up for
Auto-Pay of taxes from my bank account?
Enrollment forms are sent out with the tax statements
in February. Complete the form and return it with your parcel
number(s) and a voided check by March 15 for the first-half
tax (and and all subsequent payments) and September 15 for
the second-half tax. If you enrolled previously, you do not
need to enroll again. The automatic payment of your taxes
will continue until canceled. To cancel your Auto-Pay, please
contact the Treasurer's
Office in writing not later than 30 days prior to the due
date. Enrollment and Cancel forms are available on our Auto-Pay web page.
Delinquent
Taxes and Foreclosure - - - - -
Can my delinquent taxes
have the interest and penalty waived?
There are only two exceptions allowed under state law. For more
information, please see Tax Information.
My
taxes are delinquent. Can I pay the delinquent taxes and
not pay the current year?
Yes, you may pay any delinquent year in full, with interest
and penalty, without paying the current year.
Does having delinquent
taxes affect my credit?
The Treasurer's Office does not provide information directly
to credit reporting agencies; however, credit reporting agencies
may acquire information from secondary sources with whom you
have relationships (banks, mortgage companies, etc.).
My taxes are delinquent.
How long before the County will foreclose on my property?
Real property foreclosure will occur when the tax becomes three
years delinquent. The proceeding will begin the first of the year
following the third year. In Washington state, personal property
has different foreclosure laws. Any time after 30 days of delinquency,
personal property becomes subject to distraint and sale (foreclosure).
When is the Tax Foreclosure
Auction?
The Treasurer holds a tax foreclosure
auction each year in November. In addition, the Treasurer may
hold tax-title or County
surplus property auctions, which are initiated by filing an
"Application to Purchase County Property" with a $150 deposit.
If the application is approved, a public auction will be held.
For a fee of $5.00 per year, the Treasurer's Office will notify
you by mail of any upcoming auctions. For additional information,
please contact the Foreclosure
Deputy in the Treasurer's Office.
Other Payment
Questions - - - - -
Is
there an exemption available for senior citizens or disabled
persons?
Yes. This program is administered by the Whatcom County
Assessor's Office. Please see the Assessor's
Property Tax Exemptions web page. All questions or requests
for information should be directed to their office at (360)
676-6790.
Where
do my tax dollars go?
Please see the Assessor's
Tax Book web page. Click on the Annual Tax book for the
year in question. This book provides a multitude of graphs
and charts showing where the tax dollars go.
How
are my taxes calculated?
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Taxes are calculated every January when the levy rates are set and
the tax roll is certified by the Whatcom County Assessor's Office
and then turned over to the Treasurer's Office. The levy rate varies
for each taxing district depending upon the budget for each district,
and any voter-approved special levies and bonds. This levy rate
is multiplied per thousand dollars of assessed value.
Example:($100,000 assessed value $1000.00) X 15.4223 levy
rate = $1,542.23
Why did my taxes
go up so much this year?
Your assessed value may be higher this year due to a revaluation
by the Assessor. The tax rate in your taxing district could
be higher this year due to school levies, etc.
If I don't pay my
first half taxes by April 30, do I have to pay my taxes in
full?
No, you may pay your first half taxes, with interest and
penalty calculated on the full year´s taxes, through
October 31. However, at least half of any personal property
taxes must be paid by April 30, or the entire amount becomes
delinquent and payable.
I don't have enough
to even pay half of my taxes. Can I make a partial tax payment?
No. Washington state law (RCW 84.56.020) does not allow
the Treasurer to accept partial payments.
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