When Are Property Taxes Due? (2026)

There is no single national due date. Each state sets a schedule, and your county or city collector applies it to your bill. Below are three big states, sourced to the statute or a county tax collector, then how to find the exact date for your own bill.

We are a research tool, not attorneys or a tax firm. Confirm the date on your bill or your collector's website before you rely on it. Weekends and holidays can shift a deadline.

Texas: delinquent if not paid before February 1

Under Tax Code section 31.02(a), taxes are due "on receipt of the tax bill" and become delinquent if "not paid before February 1 of the year following the year in which imposed." Bills usually arrive in the fall, so for most Texas homeowners the practical deadline is January 31.

Late costs come from Tax Code section 33.01: a delinquent tax "incurs a penalty of six percent of the amount of the tax for the first calendar month it is delinquent," one more percent for each additional month before July 1, and a flat 12 percent if it is still unpaid on July 1. Interest of 1 percent per month or partial month is added on top.

Example (made-up numbers). A $4,000 bill paid in February carries a 6 percent penalty ($240) and 1 percent interest ($40), so you owe about $4,280 instead of $4,000.

Texas protest deadlines are a different clock. See the Texas property tax protest guide.

California: two installments

San Diego County's tax collector describes the standard secured schedule: "The first is due on November 1 and is penalized if not paid by December 10." and "The second installment is due February 1 and is penalized if not paid by April 10." Missing a delinquency date brings a 10 percent penalty, and a $10 fee is added to the second installment (San Diego's figures; check your county).

Some counties adjust the dates. Sacramento County, for example, publishes its own last day for the first installment, so read your county's calendar. If your assessment is wrong, see how to lower property taxes in California and California vs. Florida appeal deadlines.

Florida: pay early for a discount, delinquent April 1

Florida Statute 197.162 sets the early-payment discount: 4 percent in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January and 1 percent in February. The 4 percent rate also applies for 30 days after the tax notice is sent. Paying in March means the full amount. Taxes become delinquent on April 1, and county collectors add interest and costs at that point (Hillsborough County lists 3 percent interest plus advertising costs; other counties differ).

Example (made-up numbers). On a $3,500 bill, paying in November saves $140 against paying the full amount in March.

Other states

Many states split the bill into two to four installments, and some counties in the same state use different dates. We have not verified a statewide schedule for every state, so we are not listing guesses. Use the steps below.

How to find the due date on your bill

Read the bill. The due date and the delinquency date are printed on it.
Open your county tax collector or treasurer site. Search your county name plus "property tax due dates."
Check how a postmark is treated. Some collectors count receipt date, not postmark date.
Ask about weekends. If the date lands on a weekend, rules differ by county.

Appealing does not automatically change your due date

An appeal challenges your assessed value. Whether the bill is paused while you wait depends on your county, so ask your collector before you skip a payment. The appeal deadline and the payment deadline are separate dates, and both matter.

Is your assessment too high?

If the bill itself looks too big, the fix is the assessed value. Run the free check. It takes a couple of minutes, needs no account, and tells you straight when the numbers do not support an appeal. If they do, you can file the appeal yourself with documents we help prepare.

When Are Property Taxes Due? Texas, California, Florida and How to Find Yours (2026)