Most property tax bills for 2026 arrive between October and December. Most are due between November and early 2027. California’s first installment is due November 1 and goes delinquent after December 10. Texas bills are due by January 31, 2027. Florida bills arrive around November 1 with a 4% discount for paying in November, and are due by March 31. Indiana’s fall installment is due November 10, New Jersey’s fourth quarter is due November 1, and Washington’s second half is due October 31. Several states also changed their exemptions, credits, or caps this year, so your bill may not match last year’s even if your home did not change. This guide lists verified dates and changes for the big fall-billing states. It also explains why a bill goes up and what to do if it looks wrong or your escrow account did not pay it.
The short answer
- Check the date on your own bill. State law sets the outer limits, but counties, towns, and school districts set many due dates. Georgia due dates, for example, vary by county.
- Several deadlines fall on weekends this year. November 1, 2026 is a Sunday, October 31 is a Saturday, and January 31, 2027 is a Sunday. Some states move the deadline to the next business day and some do not, so paying a few days early is the safe choice.
- New relief shows up on several 2026 bills. Indiana adds a homestead credit of 10% of the bill, up to $300. Florida’s second homestead exemption rises to as much as $26,411. Ohio’s school “20-mill floor” credit is already on 2026 bills, and larger Ohio changes start with bills paid in 2027.
- A bill can rise even under a cap. Value, tax rates, exemptions, and new voter-approved levies each move the total. Your bill shows which of these changed.
- Paying in December can matter for your federal return. Property tax is deductible in the year you pay it, within the SALT cap, but only for tax that has already been assessed.
Fall 2026 property tax due dates by state
This table covers the states and large counties where bills are mailed or come due this fall and winter. Dates are for bills on the 2026 tax roll unless noted. Where a county sets its own date, we give a large county as an example. Use our county finder to reach your own collector.
| State | Bill arrives | Due date(s) | Discount or late charge | What’s new for 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | By November 1 | 1st half due Nov. 1, late after Dec. 10, 2026; 2nd half due Feb. 1, late after Apr. 10, 2027 | 10% penalty on a late installment | LA County offers wildfire penalty cancellation requests |
| Texas | From October | Due on receipt; late if not paid before Feb. 1, 2027 | 6% penalty plus 1% interest once late, rising each month | $140,000 school homestead exemption, plus $60,000 if 65+ or disabled |
| Florida | About November 1 | Due by March 31, 2027; late April 1 | 4% off in November, 3% December, 2% January, 1% February | Second homestead exemption up to $26,411; Save Our Homes cap 2.7% |
| Georgia | Late summer to fall; set by county | Gwinnett: Nov. 15. DeKalb 2nd installment: Nov. 16 | Set by the county | First year the HB 581 floating homestead base rises with inflation |
| Illinois (Cook) | Tax year 2025 second installment already billed | Was due Oct. 1, 2026 | Interest on late payments | Next bill is the tax year 2026 first installment in 2027 |
| Indiana | Before the spring installment | Fall half due Nov. 10, 2026 | 5% penalty if paid within 30 days, 10% after | Homestead credit of 10% of the bill, up to $300 |
| Ohio | Winter (paid a year in arrears) | Tax year 2026 first half due early 2027; county sets date | Set by law and county | Larger owner-occupancy credit and inflation cap on inside millage start with tax year 2026 |
| Michigan | Winter bill December 1 | Due Feb. 14, 2027 | 3% penalty after the due date | Taxable value cap of 2.7% for 2026 |
| New Jersey | Quarterly bill set | 4th quarter due Nov. 1 | Many towns allow 10 days; then 8% interest on the first $1,500, 18% above | Stay NJ senior benefits paid in August and November 2026 |
| Washington | Earlier in the year | 2nd half due Oct. 31, 2026 | Extra late penalties apply only to nonresidential property and buildings with more than four units | State school levy becomes a flat rate for 2027 |
| Arizona | Before Oct. 1 | 1st half late after 5 p.m. Nov. 2, 2026; 2nd half late after 5 p.m. May 3, 2027 | Interest once delinquent | No statewide change |
| Oregon | Fall | Multnomah: Nov. 16, 2026, Feb. 16 and May 17, 2027 | 3% off if paid in full, 2% for two-thirds | New local levies and bonds in some districts |
| Alabama | Fall | Due Oct. 1; late after Dec. 31, 2026 | Interest once delinquent | Second year of the 7% cap on taxable assessed value |
| Kansas | By December 1 | 1st half Dec. 20, 2026; 2nd half May 10, 2027 | Interest once delinquent | No statewide change |
| North Carolina | Summer | Due Sept. 1; no interest through Jan. 5, 2027 (Wake County) | 2% in January, then 0.75% a month | Levy limit amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot |
Sources for each row are linked in the state sections below. “Late” means the date after which a penalty or interest applies, which is not always the printed due date.
What changed this year, state by state
California: first installment due November 1, late after December 10
California’s tax year runs July 1 to June 30. The Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector (opens in a new tab) says it mails annual secured bills to every owner by November 1. They are payable in two installments: the first is due November 1 and delinquent after December 10, and the second is due February 1 and delinquent after April 10. December 10, 2026 is a Thursday. A late installment draws a 10% penalty. LA County’s site also has a penalty cancellation request process for owners affected by the wildfires. If you bought or built during the year, you may also get a separate supplemental bill with its own dates. Our supplemental bill guide explains it.
Texas: bills from October, due by January 31
The Texas Comptroller (opens in a new tab) says taxing units start mailing bills in October and that payment “is due upon receipt.” Under Tax Code §31.02 (opens in a new tab), taxes are delinquent if not paid before February 1 of the following year. January 31, 2027 is a Sunday. Section 1.06 (opens in a new tab) treats a payment as on time if the last day falls on a weekend or holiday and you pay on the next business day, which is Monday, February 1. Once taxes go delinquent, the Comptroller says collectors add a 6% penalty and 1% interest. The penalty rises each month to 12% on July 1.
School districts must now give a $140,000 residence homestead exemption (opens in a new tab), plus another $60,000 for owners who are 65 or older or disabled. If your school tax line looks too high, first check that the exemption is on your account. Some taxing units also let you pay half before December 1 and half before July 1 (§31.03 (opens in a new tab)). Our Texas homestead and over-65 guide covers the exemptions and the school tax ceiling.
Florida: November discount, due March 31
Florida taxes are due November 1 or as soon after as the tax collector receives the certified roll. They become delinquent on April 1 (§197.333 (opens in a new tab)). Paying early earns a discount under §197.162 (opens in a new tab): 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February. On a $6,000 bill, paying in November saves $240.
Two numbers changed for 2026. The Department of Revenue’s inflation table (opens in a new tab) raises the most the second homestead exemption can be worth to $26,411. That exemption applies to non-school taxes on assessed value above $50,000. The same 2.7% inflation figure sets this year’s Save Our Homes cap on homestead assessed value. Amendment 3 on the November 3 ballot would not change these bills. If it passes, it would start in 2027. See our Florida homestead guide.
Georgia: county due dates and the first inflation-indexed homestead year
Georgia has no single due date. The Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner (opens in a new tab) says its 2026 bills have been mailed and are due November 15. DeKalb County (opens in a new tab) says its second installment is due November 16, 2026. Check the date printed on your bill.
House Bill 581 created a statewide floating homestead exemption. It taxes a homestead on a base-year value instead of the full current value. The Department of Revenue’s bulletin (opens in a new tab) explains that the 2024 assessed value was the base for 2025. In 2026 the base is adjusted for the first time by an inflation rate tied to the Consumer Price Index. Counties, cities, and school districts could opt out, and many school districts did. The exemption can therefore lower your county line but not your school line, or the reverse. Our Georgia homestead and appeal guide explains how to check.
Illinois: Cook County’s second installment has already come due
The Cook County Treasurer (opens in a new tab) lists the tax year 2025 second installment as due Thursday, October 1, 2026. If you have not paid it, it is already late and interest is accruing. The next bill will be the tax year 2026 first installment in 2027. Cook sets that one at 55% of the prior year’s total. See our Cook County guide for exemptions and appeals.
Indiana: November 10, with a new homestead credit
The Department of Local Government Finance (opens in a new tab) lists the 2026 installments as May 11 and November 10. A payment within 30 days of the due date draws a 5% penalty if you have no earlier delinquency. After 30 days the penalty is 10%. Senate Enrolled Act 1 of 2025 added a supplemental homestead credit. The Association of Indiana Counties notice (opens in a new tab) says it is 10% of the bill, up to $300, applied to 2026 bills. It also turned the over-65 deduction into a $150 credit and the blind or disabled deduction into a $125 credit. Homeowners who already had the homestead deduction did not need to reapply.
Ohio: reforms arriving in stages
Ohio bills are paid a year in arrears. Tax year 2026 bills are paid in two halves in 2027, and the first half is usually due early in the year on a date your county sets. The Stark County Auditor’s reform summary (opens in a new tab) explains when each 2025 law hits:
- House Bill 186, school 20-mill floor: limits revenue growth from the floor to inflation starting with tax year 2025. Some homeowners saw it as a credit on their 2026 second-half bill.
- House Bill 186, owner-occupancy credit: grows over four years, from about 2.5% to more than 15%, starting with tax year 2026. The 10% credit for rental and investment property is being phased out.
- House Bill 335: caps increases tied to inside millage at the rate of inflation starting with tax year 2026, so the first effect is on bills paid in 2027.
None of these reduce voter-approved levies. Our Ohio Board of Revision guide covers value challenges.
Michigan: winter bills December 1
Michigan sends two bills a year. The City of Muskegon (opens in a new tab) describes the standard schedule: winter taxes are billed December 1 and due February 14, a 3% penalty is added after that, and unpaid taxes go to the county on March 1. For 2026 the inflation rate multiplier is 1.027, according to the Grand Rapids Assessor (opens in a new tab). A home that did not sell or add improvements can see its taxable value rise by no more than 2.7% this year. Homes that changed hands in 2025 were uncapped to assessed value for 2026.
New Jersey: fourth quarter due November 1
New Jersey bills are due quarterly on February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. Many towns give a 10-day grace period. Lakewood Township (opens in a new tab), for example, charges no interest if it receives payment by the 10th. After that, state law allows interest of 8% on the first $1,500 overdue and 18% above that. For seniors, the state’s Stay NJ program (opens in a new tab) says remaining 2024 benefits are paid in August and November 2026, and 2025 benefits in February and May 2027. The 2025 ANCHOR benefit (opens in a new tab) is $1,500 for homeowners with income of $150,000 or less and $1,000 up to $250,000.
Washington: second half due October 31
Under RCW 84.56.020 (opens in a new tab), the second half is due on or before October 31. This year that is a Saturday. Mailed payments with no readable postmark are still on time if they arrive within three business days, but paying by Friday, October 30 is safest. The statute’s extra late penalties apply only to nonresidential property and residential buildings with more than four units. Looking ahead, the Department of Revenue (opens in a new tab) says the state school levy becomes a flat $2.075355 per $1,000 of market value for the 2027 tax year, then returns to the 1% growth limit in 2028.
Arizona: first half delinquent after November 2 this year
Under A.R.S. §42-18052 (opens in a new tab), the first half is due October 1 and delinquent after 5 p.m. on November 1. The second half is due March 1 and delinquent after 5 p.m. on May 1. When a delinquency date falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to 5 p.m. on the next business day. That makes the dates Monday, November 2, 2026 and Monday, May 3, 2027.
Other fall deadlines
- Oregon: Multnomah County (opens in a new tab) lists November 16, February 16, and May 17. Paying in full by the first date earns a 3% discount, and paying two-thirds earns 2%.
- Alabama: taxes are due October 1 and delinquent after December 31, according to the Alabama Department of Revenue (opens in a new tab).
- Kansas: the Department of Revenue calendar (opens in a new tab) has treasurers mailing statements by December 1, with the first half due December 20 and the second half May 10.
- North Carolina: Wake County (opens in a new tab) says bills not paid in full by January 5 are charged 2% interest for January and 0.75% a month after that.
Why your bill changed
Every property tax bill is taxable value times the tax rate, minus credits, plus any flat charges. If your bill went up, one or more of these moved:
- Value. A higher assessment raises the bill unless a cap holds it down. Caps only slow the increase. In Michigan, Florida, and Texas, the capped value keeps rising each year until it catches up to market value.
- Rates. Each taxing unit sets its own rate. If values rose and a city kept its rate the same, it collects more.
- Exemptions and credits. A lost homestead exemption is the most common reason for a sudden jump, especially after a refinance, a deed change, or a death in the family. New credits, like Indiana’s, lower the bill.
- Voter-approved levies and bonds. A school bond or levy approved last year often shows up as a new line this year.
- Special assessments and fees. Charges for sewer, trash, or improvement districts are not based on value. Our special assessments guide explains them.
Worked example: splitting a $480 increase into its causes
Hypothetical example (invented numbers). Last year a homestead had a taxable value of $300,000 and a combined rate of 20 mills (2.0%), for a bill of $6,000. This year:
- Taxable value rose 2.7% under a homestead cap to $308,100. At last year’s rate, that adds $162.
- The county raised its rate by 0.5 mill. On $308,100 that adds $154.
- Voters approved a new 0.3-mill school levy, which adds $92.
- A new $72 stormwater fee appears as a flat charge.
The new bill is $6,480. Value explains only about a third of the increase. The rest came from decisions you can track at local budget hearings and on the ballot. Our bill calculation guide shows the same math for your own numbers.
How to check your bill in 15 minutes
Use our guide to reading a property tax bill alongside these checks:
- Owner name and parcel number. They should match your deed. A bill still in the seller’s name is common after a purchase. See what to do if the bill is in the previous owner’s name.
- Exemptions. Look for the homestead line and any senior, veteran, or disability exemption. If one is missing, call the assessor now. Some states allow late filing or a corrected bill.
- Value. Compare the value on the bill to the value notice you got earlier in the year. In most states the appeal deadline for that value has passed, but an exemption error or a clerical error can usually still be fixed. Our record correction guide explains how.
- Rate lines. Compare each taxing unit’s rate to last year’s bill to see which one changed.
- Who is paying. If the bill says “paid by mortgage company” or shows an escrow notice, confirm that your servicer has it.
Paying in December for the SALT deduction
Property tax is deductible on Schedule A in the year you pay it, together with state income or sales tax, up to the SALT cap. Our SALT cap guide explains the 2026 limit of $40,400 and the phase-down for incomes over $505,000. Timing can matter because many fall bills cover taxes you can pay in either December or the new year:
- You can only deduct tax that has been assessed. Paying a Texas, Florida, or California bill in December 2026 counts for 2026. Prepaying taxes that have not yet been billed or assessed does not.
- If you itemize and are under the cap this year, paying a January-due installment in December moves the deduction into 2026. If you take the standard deduction anyway, timing makes no difference.
- Escrow pays on the servicer’s schedule. If your lender pays your taxes, the payment year depends on when the servicer pays. Your year-end escrow statement, and often your Form 1098, shows what it paid during 2026.
This is general information, not tax advice. Check your own return with a tax professional before prepaying.
If your mortgage escrow didn’t pay
If you have an escrow account, your servicer should pay the bill before the late date. If your county’s site shows the bill unpaid as the deadline nears, call the servicer and ask for the payment date and check number. Keep a record of the call. Federal rules generally require servicers to pay escrowed taxes on time. Our guide to what to do when a servicer did not pay your property taxes walks through the steps, including when to pay the bill yourself and get reimbursed. If your escrow payment is about to rise because of a higher bill, see escrow shortages explained.
What to do this week
- Find your bill online. Search your county treasurer or tax collector through our county finder. Many counties post bills online before the paper copy arrives.
- Write down the real late date. Use the date after which penalties start, and move it earlier if it falls on a weekend.
- Check exemptions and owner name using the list above.
- Decide on timing. In Florida, paying in November is worth 4%. Elsewhere, decide whether paying in December helps your federal return.
- Confirm escrow. If a lender pays, confirm the payment before the deadline. Don’t assume it was made.
- If you can’t pay in full, ask about installment options before the late date. Our delinquent tax guide explains what happens after a missed deadline.
Frequently asked questions
When are property taxes due in fall 2026?
It depends on the state and county. Washington’s second half is due October 31, California’s first installment and New Jersey’s fourth quarter are due November 1, and Indiana’s fall half is due November 10. Texas bills are due by January 31, 2027, and Florida bills by March 31, 2027. The date on your bill controls.
Is it better to pay property taxes in December or January?
If you itemize deductions and stay under the SALT cap, paying an assessed bill in December moves the deduction into the current year. If you take the standard deduction, there is no tax benefit. In Florida, paying in November instead of December saves another 1% of the bill.
Why did my property tax bill go up if my home value is capped?
A cap limits how fast taxable value grows, not the tax rate. A bill can still rise from a rate increase, a new voter-approved levy, a lost exemption, new fees, or a capped value that is still catching up to market value. Compare each line to last year’s bill.
What happens if Texas property taxes are paid on February 1, 2027?
January 31, 2027 is a Sunday. Texas Tax Code §1.06 treats a payment as timely when the last day falls on a weekend and you pay on the next business day, so a February 1 payment should count as on time. To avoid any doubt, pay by Friday, January 29.
Does my mortgage company pay my property tax bill automatically?
Only if you have an escrow account and the servicer has your bill. Servicers usually get bills electronically from the county. Check your county’s payment status before the deadline. If it is unpaid, call the servicer right away.
Will the November 3, 2026 ballot measures change this year’s bill?
No. Every statewide property tax measure on the 2026 ballot would start in 2027 or later. Our ballot measures guide explains each one.