Lookup and pay your Real Residential or commercial property tax bill and find responses to your questions about genuine residential or commercial property taxes.
As real residential or commercial property tax payments continue to stream in, the County's Department of Finance and its third-party supplier are working diligently to process all payments in a timely style. For residential or commercial property owners who sent by mail in their payment to get the early riser discount rate, but who's payment has not yet been withdrawn from their checking account, Finance guarantees it will honor this discount on all payments gotten by Friday, August 15th.
If you have any additional concerns and/or issues concerning your real residential or commercial property tax payment, please contact Finance's Tax Customer care Office at 410-313-2062 or email customerservice@howardcountymd.gov for more support. We thank you for your persistence.
About
Real Residential or commercial property Taxes are billed by Howard County on a yearly basis on July 1 although many taxpayers have the option of semi-annual payments. Many kinds of Residential or commercial property Tax Credits are offered to assist taxpayers. Failure to pay taxes can result in Tax Sale.
Enroll Now to Receive Email and Text Notifications for Your County Tax Bill
Escrow Check
MuniciPay Convenience Fees
MuniciPay charges a benefit cost of $1.00 for e-check transactions and 2.4% ($ 2.00 minimum) for all other debit and credit card deals for payments of Real Residential or commercial property Taxes. These are instantly included during your transaction.
Due to bank and credit card processing times, please enable 3-5 organization days for your deal to process.
Real Residential Or Commercial Property Fee Disclaimer
Payment by credit card does not give Howard County Government access to your credit card number. That details is kept strictly by MuniciPay. MuniciPay makes the most of web security in the handling of your charge card information.
Real Residential Or Commercial Property Tax Information Guide & Questions
Tax Rate Schedule
The genuine residential or commercial property tax rate, which is set each year by the County Council, is applied to the examined value of the residential or commercial property. Real residential or commercial property tax is imposed every year on all taxable land and improvements.
Tax Rate Schedule Effective July 1, 2025
Types of Taxes Billed
General County Real Residential Or Commercial Property Tax:
This tax is levied on all residential or commercial property in the County and funds, in part, such basic services as education, public security, public works, and social work.
State Real Residential Or Commercial Property Tax:
This tax is levied by the State of Maryland, but gathered by Howard County and is used for the payment of principal and interest on State bonds.
Fire Tax:
This tax is collected countywide and supports all fire and emergency situation action operations.
Trash Fees:
The yearly fee for the collection and disposal of domestic trash is $391 for those households getting garbage, recycling and lawn services, $376 for those homes getting trash and recycling services only and $55 for those households receiving recycling service only.
Ad Valorem Charges:
An advertisement valorem charge is levied on genuine residential or commercial property situated within the Metropolitan District. Ad valorem charges are mostly utilized to money the cost of new building and/or replacement of the water and drain system's facilities and might be utilized for operation expenses also.
Front Foot Charge:
All owners of residential or commercial properties found on a street, road, lane, street or right of way in which a water or sewer primary exists, pay a yearly front foot advantage evaluation charge.
State Bay Restoration Fee:
The Maryland State Government enacted the State Bay Restoration Fund in 2004. Howard County is required to bill users of private septic systems a cost of $15.00 per quarter for a single residential residence. For additional details please go to the Maryland Department of the Environment website at www.mde.state.md.us.
Watershed Protection Fee:
This cost provides financing for County storm water tasks mandated by the federal government to treat impervious surface areas. For more info go to CleanWaterHoward.com.
When Taxes Are Due
All taxpayers living in their primary house may pay their real residential or commercial property tax costs on a semi-annual basis, unless they pull out of the semi-annual schedule by making a yearly payment, on or before September 30th. Taxpayers who are principal locals will receive tax expenses which will reflect both payment alternatives. Taxpayers who escrow their tax payments may choose to pay every year, but need to alert their loan providers by May 1st of their intent to pay annually.
Starting July 1, 2012, real residential or commercial property tax on small company industrial residential or commercial property can be paid on a semi-annual basis. To receive semi-annual payments, the total of county taxes, state taxes and unique taxing district taxes need to not surpass $100,000.
- Annual bills and the very first installations of semiannual bills are due on or before September 30th and become delinquent on October 1st.
- Howard County enables a 1/2 percent discount on the General County Real Residential or commercial property Tax paid in the month of July.
- The second semiannual installment is due on or before December 31st and becomes overdue January 1st.
- Delinquent taxes undergo interest and charge at the rate of 1.5% each month on all County taxes and charges and 1.0% on State taxes.
- Interest and penalties are used to the amount levied web of any credits.
Taxpayers who stay delinquent as of March 1st of each year will get a last legal notification. Additional charges are imposed since April1st of each year and payments made as of this date moving forward need to remain in the kind of money, certified check, or credit card. Delinquent taxes may likewise result in the sale of a residential or commercial property tax lien through public Tax Sale.
How to Pay Taxes
Taxpayers have numerous choices for paying their residential or commercial property taxes.
- Taxpayers can set up to have their taxes paid by their mortgage company from an escrow account.
- Taxpayers need to mail their check or cash order made payable to Director of Finance along with their payment voucher, if readily available, to Howard County Maryland, PO Box 37237, Baltimore, MD 21297-3237.
- If taxpayers do not have a payment voucher, they can pay by check or money order made payable to Director of Finance mailed to Howard County Maryland, PO Box 3370, Ellicott City MD 21041-3370.
- For a cost taxpayers can pay by charge card (VISA, Master Card, American Express, or Discover) or e-check on line.
- Taxpayers can pay in individual at the Department of Finance, Cashier's Office on the first Floor, 3430 Courthouse Dr, Ellicott City, MD. The office is open Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM except for Howard County Government holidays. Payments in individual can be made by money, check, or money order. Map & Directions
- Taxpayers can likewise use the drop box situated to the left of the doors at 3430 Courthouse Drive to deposit their payments. Payment left in the drop box must be in the type of check or money order. Drop box payments will be processed reliable the next County service day.
Convenience Fee
Payments made by credit card or e-check are examined a convenience fee. This charge is imposed by the Charge card processor and can not be waived by Howard County.
Payments made through the website are charged with a benefit fee that varies with the amount of the charges. See payment website for exact benefit fee for your payment amount.
Mortgage Information
All taxpayers in Howard County get an original tax expense and are accountable for ensuring that their taxes are paid on time. Howard County also provides a full listing of taxes due on all residential or commercial properties in the County to mortgage companies who request it. These mortgage companies will match the residential or commercial properties for which they hold escrow accounts and make payment to the County. These payments are made reliable July 31st (1st installment semi-annual and annual) and December 31st (second installment semi-annual), but might not be posted until the beginning of the following months, based upon their high volume. Taxpayers will not be charged interest in these cases.
Residential or commercial property owners may want to contact their lending institution to guarantee that the lender obtained the tax costs and has actually consisted of that bill in the payment process. If the lending institution does not have the right billing information, you need to forward a copy of your bill to your loan provider.
Refinancing
If you are re-financing your mortgage around the due dates for residential or commercial property taxes, you should make specific that the taxes are not paid by both lenders or by the lending institution and the title company at settlement. Make certain to alert the old mortgage business well in advance of settlement that you are closing the escrow account and encourage them not to pay if payment will be made at settlement.
State Assessments
The State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) determines the taxable evaluation of your genuine residential or commercial property. The taxable assessment equals the full money worth, as determined by the Assessor's Office. It is very important to verify any evaluation notifications received from SDAT for precision. Assessments may be appealed.
Online assessment information is available at SDAT.
Residential or commercial property owners requiring more accurate information about an assessment, or the appeal procedure, need to call SDAT's local workplace at 410-480-7940 or email sdat.how@maryland.gov, SDAT's primary line at 410-767-1184 or email sdat.411@maryland.gov, or check out SDAT's website at https://dat.maryland.gov.
Change of Address
In Maryland, SDAT is the official central file of all addresses relative to State and County taxes. If you want to alter your address, you must alert SDAT. We have actually offered a Modification of Address Form for your convenience.
