Tax Assessor: Frequently Asked Questions

Texas law requires a person claiming an exemption from sales tax on the purchase of certain items used to produce agricultural and timber products for sale to hold an Agricultural and Timber Exemption Registration Number. Ag/Timber Numbers must be renewed every four years on a uniform date. Ag/Timber Number holders need to renew their Ag/Timber Number before Jan.1, 2016 in order to get a current expiration date. For more information regarding Agricultural and Timber Numbers, please visit the website of theTexas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

For answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding motor vehicle registration, please visit the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles: Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

The Tax Assessor does not register or issue permits for manufactured housing. For information regarding manufactured housing ownership and location documents, please visit the Texas Department of Housing: Statements of Ownership & Location webpage.

The Collin County Tax Office does not register or title boats, only the boat trailers. For information regarding boat registration and titles, please visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife: Boat Registration and Titles FAQ webpage.

by January 31 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.

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 31 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.

Credit card payments can be made at the property tax counter or by contacting Certified Payments via the internet or by phone at 1-877-264-7533.

Note: There is a service charge of 2.10% of the transaction amount (minimum $1.00) if paying by credit card. We accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.

To file for an exemption contact the Central Appraisal District of Collin County at 469-742-9200. Exemption applications need to be filed by April 30. There is no fee to apply for an exemption through the Central Appraisal District.

To request a refund, contact our Refunds Department at (972) 547-5067, fax to (972) 547-5073 or email Refunds Department.

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 Exemptions, or to report changes in Ownership or Address, please call the Central Appraisal District of Collin County at (469) 742-9200.

You can find out how much your current taxes are and make your payment by visiting the Property Tax Account Lookup application, or you may request a statement by calling us at (972) 547-5020 during business hours. You may also fax us at (972) 547-5053 with your name, phone number, and question.

If you have not received a tax statement by November 1, please contact us at (972) 547-5020 or email Property Tax.

Contact the Central Appraisal District of Collin County. Also, complete and mail the Address Correction Form to the Tax Assessor's office.

Exemptions reduce the taxable value of your property. Exemptions lower the tax amount paid.

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 5% 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 5% 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 of property ownership. On the 181st day after the deferred status changes, all standard penalty and interest charges for all years are due.

Exemptions reduce the taxable value of the property. This lowers your tax amount.

Some of these exemptions are:

• Residence Homestead: Available for all homeowners on their residence as long as they lived there on January 1 of the tax year.
• 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 5% 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 or download the exemption forms from their website.

If you have not received a tax statement by November 1, please contact our office at 972-547-5020. 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).

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.

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

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 per certificate.

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

Accounts not paid in full by June 30 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.

For property tax payments, we accept cash or credit cards in person and check in person or by mail. Credit card or electronic check payments can also be made by contacting Certified Payments via the internet or by phone at 1-877-264-7533.

Auctions are scheduled for 10 a.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the entrance of the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building.

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.

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 1 of each year and subject to penalty and interest, and subject to possible lawsuit. If you mail late in the day on January 31, the post office may postmark your envelope February 1 and you will be charged penalty and interest for a February payment.

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:

• ¼ of the payment by January 31
• ¼ by March 31
• ¼ by May 31
• ¼ by July 31

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

Taxes are due upon receipt of the tax notice but may be paid without penalty and interest until January 31. The last day to pay taxes without penalty and interest is January 31. Payments are commonly made by mail and MUST BE POSTMARKED by the United States Postal Service on or before January 31. On February 1, 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.

Taxes become delinquent on February 1. Penalty is imposed at the statutory rate of 6% on the first day of the delinquency month, and will increase 1% on the first 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.

The records still show you as the owner when the bills were printed. Contact the Central Appraisal District of Collin County to correct this.

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.

State law automatically places a tax lien on property on January 1 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.