Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When are taxes due?
A. Real estate and personal property taxes (not including licensed motor vehicles) become due on September 1st of each year. The taxes may be paid until January 5th of the following year without interest or penalty. Real and Personal taxes are billed and paid annually. (For example: 2008 taxes become due on September 1, 2008 but can be paid without interest on or before January 5, 2009.) Motor vehicles taxes become due the 4th month after the vehicle has received a new registration or renewed its registration with DMV. Vehicle taxes must be paid in 30 days to avoid interest or penalties. The Tax Department will block the vehicle’s registration with DMV if the taxes are not paid promptly. DMV will not send registration renewal cards to the owner of any vehicle that has a registration block. Registrations blocked for non-payment of taxes cannot be renewed until the taxes are paid.

Q. I paid taxes when I bought my vehicle. Why am I getting a property tax bill a few months later?
A. When someone buys a vehicle, state sales and use tax is collected by either a dealer and remitted to the State DMV or it is paid directly to DMV. This is a state tax and has nothing to do with county property taxes. County vehicles taxes become due the 4th month after a vehicle received a new registration. Vehicle taxes are paid annually.

Q. I sold my car. Why am I getting a tax bill? or...I sold my car. Can I get a refund on part of my taxes?
A. Taxes are levied on the vehicle on which the license is renewed or purchases for.

• If you transferred the license plate from the old vehicle to another vehicle, then you must pay the tax bill in full as it is billed. In this case, you will not be billed for the new vehicle until next year.
  
  
• If you sold the vehicle and turned the license plate in to DMV, then you can submit proof that the vehicle was sold and a copy of the receipt from DMV (Form FS20) to the Tax Department and part of your taxes will be adjusted or refunded. The adjustment or refund will be based on the number of whole months left remaining on the registration before it expires. If the taxes have not been paid, the amount due will be adjusted accordingly.