Second Installment of the 2020-2021 Annual Secured Property Taxes is Due February 1 and Becomes Delinquent after April 12
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF.— The County of Santa Clara Department of Tax and Collections (DTAC) representatives are reminding property owners that the second installment of the 2020-2021 property taxes is due February 1 and becomes delinquent at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 12, 2021. This date is not expected to change due to COVID-19, however, assistance is available to individual taxpayers, including seniors, persons with disabilities and those affected by COVID-19 and SCU Fires.
The Director of the Department of Tax and Collections recommends viewing and paying taxes online at www.sccdtac.org. Unpaid property taxes will become delinquent if not paid by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 12, 2021. At that time, a 10 percent penalty and a $20 cost will be added to the unpaid balance. California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 2610.5 does not relieve a property owner of the responsibility of making timely payments due to failure to receive a tax bill. If taxpayers do not plan to mail the payment until April 9 or April 10, we recommend bringing it to a drop box inside the County government building at 70 West Hedding St., San Jose, or sending it by certified mail to ensure it is received by April 12 and avoid penalties.
Checking Account Payments (eChecks) are free. Also, the payment process is easy to complete on mobile devices using the SCC DTAC mobile app, or the website. If paying by credit or debit card, a convenience fee is charged by the payment processing company and must be paid by the taxpayer.
Property Tax Distribution
Property tax distribution details may be viewed at www.wheredotaxesgo.org. The collection of property taxes, especially during this pandemic, is critical for the ongoing support of various essential services, such as public health, fire protection, education, parks, and law enforcement.
Tax Assistance for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities
The County mailed a list of available special assessment tax exemptions for seniors and persons with disabilities. The list of cities, schools, and special districts providing these exemptions is available at www.sccgov.org/sa.
Application for the Property Tax Postponement Program offered by the State Controller’s Office is now open for qualified seniors and persons with disabilities. The program’s application period runs to February 10, 2021. Call (800) 952-5661 or email postponement@sco.ca.gov to receive an application. Visit the Property Tax Postponement Program webpage for detailed information.
Taxpayers Affected by COVID-19
The Governor’s Executive Order issued on May 6, 2020, provides penalty cancellation relief to property owners and small businesses impacted by COVID-19, who may be unable to pay their property taxes by the due dates. Upon payment of their taxes, these taxpayers can request cancellation of penalties, costs and interest, under certain conditions. Information related to this Executive Order is available at the Request a Penalty Cancellation webpage.
Taxpayers Affected by SCU Fires
Property owners who have been impacted by the SCU Fires may apply for disaster relief through the Santa Clara County Assessor’s office.. With the tax bill, the County mailed a list of available special assessment tax exemptions for seniors and persons with disabilities. The list of cities, schools, and special districts providing these exemptions is available at www.sccgov.org/sa.
Partial Payments
Property owners may take advantage of the partial payment program and make multiple partial payments on this installment. Penalties will only be applied to the unpaid portion, after the payment deadline of April 12, 2021.
Paperless Billing
Property owners are reminded to help the environment and go Paperless! This is a convenient and safe way to access property tax-related information, such as the assessed value of the homes, tax bills and payment options, to mention a few. Property owners can subscribe for this service at https://www.sccassessor.org/optin.
Mailed Payments
The purple envelope and second installment stub already provided will direct payment to:
Department of Tax and Collections
PO Box 60534
City of Industry, CA 91716-0534
Should the purple envelope not be available, please mail payments to:
Department of Tax and Collections
70 West Hedding St.
East Wing, 6th Floor
San Jose, CA 95110-1767
The United States Postal Service (USPS) postmark MUST be April 12, 2021 or earlier, to avoid penalties. Taxpayers must be able to provide proof of postmark should payment arrive after this due date. Note that USPS postmarks mail depending on the type of postage used and may not postmark mail on the same day it was deposited in a mailbox.
Property owners who would like additional information about paying their taxes can visit the Department of Tax and Collections’ website www.sccdtac.org or call (408) 808-7900.
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ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multi-cultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, California, making it more populous than 14 states in the U.S. combined. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.
