Deadlines
When Are Property Taxes Due in Texas? Dates, Penalties, Options
Texas property taxes are due by January 31. They become delinquent on February 1, and from that day the bill grows every month. The due date does not vary by county; it comes from Texas Tax Code Section 31.02 and applies everywhere from Harris County to Collin County.
This guide lays out the full calendar, the penalty schedule month by month, the payment options that exist for people who cannot pay all at once, and the mistakes that turn an on-time payment into a late one.
The calendar
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| January 1 | Valuation date; your home is appraised as of this day (for the coming year's bill) |
| April to July | Appraisal notices, protests, and Appraisal Review Board hearings |
| August to September | Taxing units adopt their tax rates |
| October 1 (or soon after) | Tax bills mailed (Section 31.01). Taxes are due on receipt. |
| November 30 | First half due under a split-payment option, where offered |
| January 31 | Final day to pay without penalty |
| February 1 | Delinquent. 6% penalty + 1% interest added |
| July 1 | Penalty reaches 12%; attorney collection fee of up to 20% added |
| June 30 | Second half due under a split-payment option |
If January 31 falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
The penalty schedule, month by month
Section 33.01 sets the penalty and interest on delinquent taxes. The penalty starts at 6% and climbs 1% per month to a maximum of 12% in July; interest accrues at 1% per month with no cap. On July 1, Section 33.07 lets taxing units add a collection fee of up to 20% of the total when the account is referred to their attorneys, which most large counties do.
| If paid in | Penalty | Interest | Attorney fee | Total added |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | 6% | 1% | 0 | 7% |
| March | 7% | 2% | 0 | 9% |
| April | 8% | 3% | 0 | 11% |
| May | 9% | 4% | 0 | 13% |
| June | 10% | 5% | 0 | 15% |
| July | 12% | 6% | up to 20% of tax + penalty + interest | about 41% |
| Each later month | 12% | +1% | up to 20% | keeps growing |
On a $6,000 bill, paying in March costs $540 extra. Paying in July costs about $2,500 extra. Beyond July, the taxing unit can file suit, and a judgment adds court costs and eventually the risk of a tax sale. This escalation is what makes property tax loans a booming business in Texas; it is also why the county's own payment options below deserve a look first.
Payment options if you cannot pay all at once
Split payment (Section 31.03)
Taxing units may adopt a split-payment option: pay half by November 30 and the other half by June 30 with no penalty. Not every unit offers it, and the two halves must be paid on time. Check your tax bill or your county tax office's website.
Quarterly installments for seniors, disabled owners, and disabled veterans (Section 31.031)
If you have a homestead exemption and are 65 or older, disabled, or a disabled veteran (or the surviving spouse of one), you may pay the taxes on your homestead in four equal installments: by January 31, March 31, May 31, and July 31. You must pay the first installment and give notice that you are using the plan by January 31. Miss a later installment and that installment carries a 6% penalty plus interest, but the plan itself continues.
Disaster installments (Section 31.032)
After a governor-declared disaster, owners of damaged property in the declared area may pay in four installments on the same schedule.
Escrow with the tax office (Section 31.072)
Many county tax offices let you open an escrow account and make monthly deposits toward next year's bill, which the office applies when the bill comes due. It costs nothing and removes the January lump sum.
Installment agreement after delinquency (Section 33.02)
If you are already delinquent on your homestead, the taxing unit must offer an installment agreement of at least 12 months. Penalties and interest continue to accrue but the unit cannot pursue a suit while you are current on the agreement. Call the county tax office and ask for it by name.
Deferral for owners 65+ or disabled (Section 33.06)
Qualifying homeowners can defer collection of taxes on their homestead entirely. The taxes accrue at 5% annual interest and come due when the owner no longer lives there. It stops any collection lawsuit. See our over-65 and disabled exemptions guide.
Who to pay, and how
Property taxes are collected by the county tax assessor-collector (in Harris County, the Harris County Tax Office), which distributes the money to the school district, county, city, and special districts. A few cities and school districts collect their own; your bill says who to pay.
Accepted methods almost everywhere:
- Online e-check (typically a flat fee of a dollar or two) or card (usually a 2% to 3% convenience fee)
- Mail (see the postmark warning below)
- In person at the tax office or a branch location
- Through your mortgage escrow, if your lender collects taxes with your payment; confirm the lender actually disbursed by January 31
Paying while a protest or appeal is pending
If you appealed your appraisal to district court or arbitration, Section 42.08 requires you to pay the taxes not in dispute (generally the amount based on the value you argued for) before the delinquency date, or the appeal is forfeited. Pay the undisputed amount on time, note the pending appeal on the payment, and the difference is refunded with interest if you win.
Escrow does not mean it is handled
Homeowners with mortgage escrow accounts sometimes assume the January bill is not their problem. Usually it is not. But servicers do miss payments, especially after a loan is sold or a homestead exemption changes the bill mid-year. Look up your account on the county tax office site in early February and confirm it shows paid. If it does not, the penalty is on you, not the servicer, and you will spend months getting it reversed.
The bill is local, so the fixes are local
There is no federal property tax; every dollar on that bill comes from the school district, county, city, and special districts around your home. That means the levers that lower it are local too: the homestead exemption, the senior freeze, and a protest each spring. Our Texas property tax guide lays out how they fit together.
This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. Payment options vary by taxing unit; confirm with your county tax assessor-collector.