Real estate taxes are the responsibility of each property owner in Santa Clara County to pay on or before the due dates. Santa Clara County is large and encompasses all of the San Jose real estate markets and extends all the way south to Gilroy.

When is Santa Clara County Property Tax Due?

real estate taxes are due twice a year in CaliforniaReal estate tax bills for secured real estate such as houses, condos, and land are mailed in October of each year.

Property taxes are due in two installments about three months apart, although there is nothing wrong with paying the entire bill at the first installment.

The fiscal year for Santa Clara County Taxes starts July 1st. Payments are due as follows:

  • Taxes due for July through December are due November 1st. If they are not paid by December 10th they become delinquent.
  • Taxes due for January through June are due February 1st. If they are not paid by April 10th, they become delinquent.

Today is November 5th, 2018, so it’s time to make sure you get your first installment sent. Delinquent taxes are assessed a levy charge of $20 and 10% interest. That’s a lot of money to miss the deadline by a day or two.

Sign up for email reminders, or add the dates to your calendars. 

Where to Pay Your Taxes

Santa Clara County Property Tax Due Date The easiest way is to mail a check with your coupon in plenty of time. This should result in your payment posting in 2-3 days upon receipt. If you don’t send the coupon it may take much longer to post to your invoice. Your payment must reach the county by 5 p.m. on the final day. We suggest you monitor your bank account to make sure your check has been cashed in time. 

Do not rely on USPS postmarks to prove you sent it in time. Not all mail is marked. We highly recommend sending your letter recorded delivery and asking for a signature. 

Use any of the following methods:

  • Priority Mail
  • Express Mail
  • Postage Validated Imprint
  • Certificates of Mailing
  • Certified Mail
  • USPS Tracking
  • Signature Mail
  • Delivery Confirmation
  • Return Receipt
  • Restricted Delivery

Here is the Santa Clara County Property Tax Mailing Address: (For Secured property only)

DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND COLLECTIONS
PO BOX 60534
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA 91716-0534

The county does provide a web portal to pay your tax bills. Visit their website and pay your real estate tax bill online. The site does not allow links to the site. Therefore you will need to copy and paste the link into your web browser. https://payments.sccgov.org/propertytax

You will be levied a fee for credit card or debit card payments. Choose to pay by electronic check for a no-fee transaction.

San Jose Property Tax Rate 2018

The place to find the tax rates for San Jose and all of Santa Clara County is at the source. We recommend you visit and download the county document for San Jose and the California property tax rate by city.

Looking for San Jose property tax rates for 2015, 2016, or 2017? The document has prior years published as well.

Taxes Escrowed

If you have a mortgage it’s most likely your taxes are paid monthly with your mortgage payment. These are held in an escrow account until the bi-annual payments are due. Remember this! It is still your property and your real estate tax bill, therefore it is still your responsibility to make sure they are paid. So keep an eye out for payments going out from escrow and arriving at the county.

California Real Estate Taxes

California taxes are not all due in arrears like many other states. Many states will pay their real estate taxes the following year. California pays the first installment in arrear but the second installment is for the current year.

Contact REALTOR® Kathleen Daniels For Home Selling Help

If you have a home to sell in San Jose, Kathleen Daniels can explain what will be paid out of your closing proceeds to settle your real estate taxes. Contact her for assistance selling your San Jose property.

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