Why This Is Confusing on Purpose (Well, Almost)
Property taxes are local taxes, so there's no IRS-style single deadline. States set the framework, counties administer it, and the result is a patchwork: some places bill once a year, others twice, a few quarterly. Fiscal years don't line up either. The practical consequence is that you can't assume anything based on how it worked in your last state.
Below is a reference for the major patterns. One caution before the table: counties can and do adjust dates, deadlines shift when they fall on weekends, and some states let individual counties choose their own schedule. Treat this as orientation, then confirm the exact date with your county tax collector.
Due Dates in the Largest States
| State | Schedule | Typical Due Dates |
|---|---|---|
| California | Two installments | Dec 10 and Apr 10 (delinquency dates) |
| Texas | Annual | Jan 31 (bills mailed in October) |
| Florida | Annual with discounts | Mar 31 deadline; 4% discount in Nov, 3% Dec, 2% Jan, 1% Feb |
| New York | Varies by locality | NYC: quarterly (Jul, Oct, Jan, Apr); many upstate towns bill in Jan and school taxes in Sep |
| Illinois | Two installments | Cook County: roughly Mar 1 and Aug 1; other counties commonly Jun and Sep |
| Pennsylvania | Varies by county/district | County, municipal, and school bills arrive separately with their own discount/face/penalty windows |
| Ohio | Two installments | Commonly Jan/Feb and Jun/Jul, set per county |
| Georgia | Annual (most counties) | Often due in fall; many counties Dec 20, some earlier |
| New Jersey | Quarterly | Feb 1, May 1, Aug 1, Nov 1 |
| Washington | Two installments | Apr 30 and Oct 31 |
| Arizona | Two installments | Oct 1 (delinquent Nov 1) and Mar 1 (delinquent May 1) |
| Michigan | Summer + winter bills | Summer bill due ~Sep 14, winter bill due ~Feb 14 |
Early Payment Discounts Are Free Money
Florida runs the best-known discount ladder: pay your annual bill in November instead of March and you keep 4%. On a $6,000 bill that's $240 for doing nothing except paying four months early. A few other places offer similar early-bird discounts (parts of Pennsylvania use a discount/face/penalty structure on each bill). If you escrow, your servicer may or may not capture the discount, which is worth a question to them.
What Happens the Day After the Deadline
Penalties are immediate and automatic in most states. Texas adds 6% penalty plus 1% interest on Feb 1, climbing monthly until July when collection attorney fees of up to 20% attach. California adds a flat 10% the day an installment goes delinquent. There's no grace period based on when you "got the bill" either; most states hold that failure to receive a bill doesn't excuse the deadline. For the full escalation timeline (liens, tax sales, redemption), see what happens if you don't pay your property taxes.
A Simple System So You Never Miss One
- If you escrow: your servicer pays, but verify it happened. Check the county's payment portal once a year; servicer errors on new loans and refis are more common than you'd hope.
- If you pay directly: put the delinquency dates (not the mailing dates) in your calendar with a two-week head start, and sign up for the county's email reminders if offered. Most counties now take online payments; note that card payments usually carry a ~2-2.5% processing fee while e-checks are free or nearly free.
- If you just bought: confirm who pays the first bill after closing. Prorated credits at closing sometimes leave the actual payment obligation with you sooner than you expect.
- New to a state: look up your county's exact dates when you arrive. Michigan's September summer bill has surprised plenty of people who moved from annual-billing states.
Bottom Line
Know your county's specific dates, not just your state's pattern, and treat the delinquency date as the real deadline. If your county offers an early payment discount, take it. You can find your county's tax profile, rates, and due date information on property-tax.info.