There's no single national property tax date. Each county sets its own schedule — annual, semi-annual, or quarterly. Most US homeowners pay in one or two installments. Here's how to find yours, and the critical gap between the due date and the delinquent date.
Most US counties bill property tax once a year or in two installments. The most common installment pattern is one in fall (November or December) and one in spring (April or May). Some states, like Texas, bill annually with a single late-January deadline. A handful of counties bill quarterly. The exact day comes from your county tax collector and is printed on your most recent tax bill.
Once you know your county's date, the simplest way to never miss it is to set a recurring annual email reminder a few weeks in advance.
Set a reminder now — enter your county's due date below.
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Almost every property tax bill has two dates printed on it: the due date and the delinquent date. They are not the same. Confusing them is the most common reason people get hit with a penalty on a payment they thought was on time.
The due date is when the bill is officially payable. The delinquent date is the deadline. Pay any time before the delinquent date and no penalty applies. Pay after, and the late charge kicks in — usually a flat percentage, often 10% in many states, applied the moment the clock ticks past the deadline.
Other states use different terminology — "discount period," "face value period," "penalty period" — but the structure is the same: a payable window followed by a penalty window. Your reminder should fire well inside the payable window, not at its edge.
Most counties use one of these three schedules. Yours will be one of them.
A single bill paid once a year. Common in Texas (Jan 31) and several Midwestern and Southern states. One deadline to remember, but the bill is larger.
Two payments roughly six months apart. The most common pattern. Typical schedule: first installment in fall (Nov–Dec), second in spring (Apr–May).
Four smaller payments through the year. Less common nationally — used in New York City, some New Jersey municipalities, and a few others.
For specific state-by-state due dates, see the property tax due dates by state guide.
General state-level dates only get you close. The actual deadline is set by the county tax collector and can vary even within a state. Three reliable ways to find yours:
Property tax dates within a county almost never change year over year. The schedule is fixed by statute, so once you know your county's deadlines, you can set a recurring annual reminder and the dates will stay accurate for as long as you own the home.
Set the reminder 2–3 weeks before the delinquent date — not the due date. That gives you time to confirm the bill amount, schedule an online payment, and absorb any banking delays. For more on systems that actually work for remembering this, see how to remember property tax due dates.
If you've already missed the date, the consequences of a missed property tax payment guide breaks down what to expect next. Otherwise, the simplest fix starts with the form below.
Set your recurring annual property tax reminder.
Done in seconds. No sign-up required.
There is no single national date. Most US counties bill annually or in two installments (typically fall and spring). The exact date is set by your county tax collector and printed on your most recent bill. Check that bill or your county's website for the precise day.
The due date is when the bill is officially payable. The delinquent date is the deadline after which a late penalty applies. The two are often weeks apart. California, for example, makes the first installment due November 1 but does not call it delinquent until December 10 at 5 p.m.
Property tax itself is billed annually or semi-annually by your county. If you have a mortgage with escrow, your lender collects 1/12 each month and pays the county for you. Without escrow, you pay the county directly on whatever schedule it uses.
You typically become responsible for property tax from your closing date. At closing, the seller usually credits you for the portion of the year they owned the home. Your first full bill from the county arrives on the next regular billing cycle, which may be months later.
Most states automatically push the deadline to the next business day. In Texas, for example, the January 31 deadline shifts to February 2 in 2026 because January 31 falls on a Saturday. Your county tax collector's website will state the exact extended date.
Within a county, yes — almost always. Counties set a fixed schedule (e.g., "first installment due November 1") that repeats each year. The delinquent date moves only when it falls on a weekend or holiday. That makes property tax a good candidate for a recurring annual reminder.
Set a recurring email reminder for your county's property tax date. Free, no account. You'll get notified well inside the payable window — not after it closes.
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