When should property taxes be paid?
Taxes are due upon receipt of the tax notice but may be paid without penalty and interest until January 31st. The last day to pay taxes without penalty and interest is January 31st. Payments are commonly made by mail and MUST BE POSTMARKED by the United States Postal Service on or before January 31st. On February 1st, penalty and interest begin to accrue at 7% and increase monthly until taxes are paid in full.

Also, when paying your taxes by check, please write your Property Account number on the check. Your property account number is given on the tax statement and will begin with the letter R, P, or M.

When are taxes due?
Taxes are due upon receipt of statement each year. In order to be timely, payment of taxes must be postmarked before the delinquency date. Taxes are delinquent on February 1st of each year and subject to penalty and interest, and subject to possible lawsuit. If you mail late in the day on January 31st, the post office may postmark your envelope February 1 and you will be charged penalty and interest for a February payment.

Can I avoid paying a penalty or interest on unpaid taxes?
Pay by January 31st to avoid incurring penalty and interest charges. The tax collector does not have legal authority to forgive or waive any penalty or interest charge on an unpaid tax.

When will a penalty be incurred if I do not pay my taxes on time?
Taxes become delinquent on February 1. Penalty is imposed at the statutory rate of 6% on the 1st day of the delinquency month, and will increase 1% on the 1st day each month thereafter, reaching 12% maximum July 1. Interest is imposed at the statutory rate of 1% on the 1st day of delinquency, and will increase 1% each month thereafter.

What is the penalty for delinquent tax payments?

As of February 1st the following penalty and interest will be added:

Accounts not paid in full by June 30th of the year in which they become delinquent will be referred to the delinquent tax attorney for enforced collection, and will incur an additional penalty up to 20% of the total taxes, penalties, and interest due.

What are exemptions?
Exemptions reduce the taxable value of your property. Exemptions lower the tax amount paid.

How do I apply for an exemption?
To file for an exemption contact the Collin County Central Appraisal District at 469-742-9200. Exemption applications need to be filed by April 30th.

What are some types of exemptions?
Exemptions reduce the taxable value of the property. This lowers your tax amount.
Some of these exemptions are:

• Residence Homestead: Available for all home owners on their residence as long as they lived there on January 1st of the tax year.
• Disabled Homestead: Can be taken in addition to the homestead exemption; available to those who qualify according to specific guidelines.
• Disabled veteran or survivor: Can be taken in addition to the homestead exemption, according to a disability rating. This exemption can be taken on any property in Texas; it is not limited to homestead property.
• Age 65 or Older: Can be taken in addition to homestead exemption on residence. Homeowners over the age of 65 may also arrange for a Tax Affidavit Deferral. You may choose to defer the collection of taxes if you own and occupy your residence; however, a tax lien remains on the property and interest of 8% a year continues to accrue. A tax deferral allows an elderly or disabled person to abate the collection of delinquent taxes on their homestead. The abatement shall continue until 181 days after the person no longer owns and occupies the homestead. If the elderly or disabled person dies, the deferral shall continue on behalf of a surviving spouse.

The chief appraiser is responsible for administering exemption applications. A property owner or the owner's authorized agent must file any necessary exemption form before May 1 of the tax year.

To apply for an exemption, call the Central Appraisal District of Collin County at 469-742-9200. You can download exemptions forms from their website.

What are Property Tax Deferrals?
Homeowners over 65 and individuals with disabilities have an option to defer payment of taxes on their homestead at a lower rate. Property tax deferrals allow qualified homeowners to pay taxes without penalty at any time, using 8% interest per annum rather than the standard 24% penalty and interest. Deferrals cannot be applied retroactively to delinquent taxes from past tax years, only to those currently due. In other words, any tax that is delinquent before the deferral period begins, is not eligible for the 8% interest per annum.

Homeowners and those who assist or care for them are advised that the deferred status changes immediately upon the sale or change or property ownership. On the 91st day after the deferred status changes, all standard penalty and interest charges for all years are due.

When can Over-65 or Disabled Persons pay their taxes?

ONLY taxpayers with an Over-65 or Disabled Person Exemption may pay current taxes on their homestead residence in four installments without penalty or interest:

If an installment is missed, the full penalty will accrue.

What is a tax certificate, and how can I obtain one?
A tax certificate is a document showing the current status of taxes; if delinquent, the certificate shows penalties and interest that are due according to tax records.
The fee to obtain a certificate is $10.00 per certificate.

When are Tax Foreclosure Sales held?
Auctions are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the east entrance of the courthouse at 210 South McDonald Street, McKinney, Texas.
Information on these properties is only available by going to the courthouse and looking at the postings located in the east foyer.

The redemption period starts the date the deed is filed. Properties without homestead or agricultural exemptions are subject to a six month redemption period. Homesteads and agricultural properties may be redeemed within two years.

I never received a tax statement, what should I do?
You can find out how much your current taxes are and make your payment by going to the Property Tax Lookup Application or you may request a statement by calling us at 469-742-9200 during business hours. You may also fax us at 469-742-9202 with your name, phone number, and question.

Why did my tax statement come to me instead of my mortgage company?
Either your mortgage company did not request the statement, or the request was not received in time. You can write the loan number on the statement and forward it to your mortgage company.

What if I received a tax statement, but my mortgage company is supposed to pay my taxes?
If your property taxes are paid by a mortgage company and you receive a tax statement, write your loan number on the statement, forward it immediately to your mortgage company for payment and notify the Tax Office in writing.

My address is not correct on my bill, how do I get it corrected?
Contact the Central Appraisal District of Collin County. Also, complete and mail the Address Correction Form to the Tax Assessor's office.

Why did I receive a tax bill on property I no longer own?
The records still show you as the owner when the bills were printed. Contact the Central Appraisal District of Collin County to correct this.

How is my property value determined?
The Central Appraisal District of Collin County identifies property to be taxed, determines its appraised value, whether to grant exemptions, the taxable owner and address, and which taxing jurisdictions may tax the property. For information on VALUES, to file an EXEMPTION, or to report changes in OWNERSHIP or ADDRESS, please call the Central Appraisal District of Collin County at 469-742-9200.

What if I don't receive a tax statement?
Failure to receive a tax statement does not affect the validity of the tax, penalty, interest, due date, the existence of a tax lien, or any procedure instituted to collect a tax (sec.31.01 (g), Texas Property Tax Code).

Will a lien be placed on my property if the taxes are paid?
State law AUTOMATICALLY places a tax lien on property on January 1st of each year to ensure that taxes are paid. The person who owned the property on January 1 of the tax year is personally liable for the tax payment.

What if I sold my property last year?
The person who owned the property on January 1st of the tax year is personally liable for the tax, even is he/she sold the property during the year. Let the buyer beware; however, that the lien follows the property.

Do I have to pay all my taxes at the same time?
No. You can choose to make partial payments, or you may pay Collin County, incorporated city, or school district taxes separately. Any remaining amount not paid by January 31st will begin to accrue penalty and interest. Should you wish to make a partial payment beginning in October when you receive your statement, please write your property account number on your check with the words "Partial Payment" in remarks.

What kind of payment options are available?
We accept cash in person and check in person or by mail. Credit card payments can be made by contacting Official Payments via the internet or by phone, not in person or by mail.

Do you accept credit card payments?
Credit card payments can be made by contacting Official Payments via the internet or by phone, not in person or by mail.