How to Pay Your Pima County Property Tax Bill
Where to send your Pima County property tax payment
Pima County Treasurer's Office collects property taxes for unincorporated Pima County and several smaller towns within the county. If your property is in Tucson city limits, Oro Valley, Sahuarita, or another incorporated municipality, that city collects its own taxes separately — check your bill to see which office issued it.
The Treasurer's Office accepts payments by mail, in person, online through their website, or by phone. Payments by mail should be sent to Pima County Treasurer, P.O. Box 27210, Tucson, AZ 85726-7210. Include your property account number (found on your bill) so the payment reaches the correct parcel. In-person payments can be made at the Treasurer's Office downtown at 130 W. Congress Street, Tucson, during business hours.
Online payment through the Treasurer's website (pima.gov/treasurer) lets you pay immediately with a debit or credit card, though a processing fee applies. Phone payments are also available — call the Treasurer's Office to speak with someone who can process your payment over the phone using a card.
Key Takeaways
- Pima County Treasurer collects taxes only for unincorporated county areas; incorporated cities like Tucson collect their own, so check your bill to find the correct office.
- You can pay by mail, in person, online, or by phone, and your payment must include your property account number to be credited to the right parcel.
- Online and phone payments process immediately but charge a fee; mailed payments are free but take several days to arrive and post.
- Property taxes in Pima County are due by the first Monday in March for the full year, though you can pay in two installments if you split the payment by a deadline set each year.
- If you miss the deadline, penalties and interest begin to accrue, and the county can place a lien on your property or eventually foreclose.
Payment deadlines and installment options
Pima County property taxes are due by the first Monday in March each year. This is a single deadline for the full year's tax bill. However, the county allows you to split your payment into two installments if you pay the first half by the March deadline and the second half by a later deadline — typically in late October or early November, though the exact date changes yearly. Check your bill or the Treasurer's website for the current year's second installment deadline.
If you pay in two installments, both payments must arrive by their respective deadlines. A payment that arrives even one day late triggers penalties and interest on the unpaid balance. The penalty starts at 10 percent of the unpaid amount, plus interest that accrues daily. This means splitting your payment saves you nothing if you miss the second deadline — you pay the full penalty on the entire second installment.
If you cannot pay by the deadline, contact the Treasurer's Office before the date passes. The office has limited authority to grant short extensions in hardship cases, though this is not may provide. Waiting until after the deadline to ask makes an extension much less likely.
How penalties and interest work if you pay late
Late payment penalties in Pima County begin immediately after the deadline passes. The initial penalty is 10 percent of the unpaid tax amount. On top of that, interest accrues at a rate set by state law — currently 10 percent per year, calculated daily. This means a $1,000 unpaid tax bill costs an extra $100 in penalty plus roughly $0.27 per day in interest once the deadline passes.
The longer you wait, the more interest compounds. After three years of non-payment, the county can file a lien against your property, which appears on your title and can prevent you from selling or refinancing. After five years, the county may begin foreclosure proceedings to recover the unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest through a forced sale of the property.
If you receive a notice that your property is in foreclosure for unpaid taxes, contact the Treasurer's Office immediately. You may still have time to pay the full amount owed plus costs, which stops the foreclosure. Once a tax deed sale occurs, you lose ownership of the property.
Mailing your payment safely
If you pay by mail, send your check or money order at least one week before the deadline to account for postal delays. The Treasurer's Office processes mail in batches, so even if your envelope arrives by the deadline date, it may not be posted to your account until several days later. Payments are considered received on the date they arrive at the office, not the date you mail them.
Write your property account number on the check or money order. Do not send cash through the mail. Keep a copy of your bill and a record of the check number or money order receipt for your records. If you are concerned about whether your payment arrived, call the Treasurer's Office a week after mailing to confirm it was received and posted.
For added security, consider using certified mail with a return receipt, which costs a few dollars but gives you proof of delivery. This is especially useful if you are paying close to the deadline or if you have had payment issues in the past.
Online and phone payment options
The Pima County Treasurer's website (pima.gov/treasurer) has a "Pay My Taxes" section where you can enter your property account number and pay with a debit or credit card. The payment processes immediately, and you receive a confirmation number. A convenience fee is charged by the payment processor — typically 2 to 3 percent of the payment amount — and is added to your total cost. This fee is separate from your tax bill and is not optional if you choose to pay online.
Phone payments work the same way: you call the Treasurer's Office, provide your account number and card information, and the payment is processed immediately. The same convenience fee applies. Both methods are useful if you are near the deadline and need confirmation that your payment has been received on time.
Online and phone payments do not require you to mail anything, so there is no risk of postal delay. However, the convenience fee makes these methods more expensive than mailing a check. Use them when the deadline is close or when you need immediate confirmation, not as your routine payment method.
What to do if you cannot pay in full
If you cannot pay your full property tax bill by the deadline, contact the Treasurer's Office before the deadline date. The office has a limited payment plan program for taxpayers in hardship, though it is not available to everyone and must be requested in advance. A payment plan typically requires you to pay a portion by the deadline and the remainder in installments over the following months, with penalties and interest still accruing on the unpaid balance.
Payment plans are granted at the Treasurer's discretion and depend on your circumstances and the amount owed. The office will not grant a plan retroactively after you have already missed the deadline. If you wait until after the deadline to ask, you will owe the full 10 percent penalty plus daily interest, and a plan becomes much harder to obtain.
If you own your home and are struggling with property taxes due to financial hardship, look into whether you may have access to for the Homeowners' Property Tax Exemption or the Senior Deferral Program, both administered by Pima County. These programs reduce your tax bill or allow you to defer payment, though they have income and age limits. Information is available on the Assessor's Office website (pima.gov/assessor).
Understanding your property tax bill
Your Pima County property tax bill shows your property account number, the assessed value of your property, the tax rate applied by the county and any special districts (such as schools or fire districts), and the total amount due. The bill also lists the payment deadline and any installment dates. Read the bill carefully to make sure the property address and account number match your property — errors do happen, and catching them early prevents payment problems.
If you believe your assessed value is too high, you can challenge it through the Assessor's Office, but this is a separate process from paying your taxes. You still owe the full amount by the deadline even if you have filed a protest. Once your protest is resolved, you may receive a refund if the assessed value is reduced retroactively.
If you do not receive a bill by late January or early February, contact the Treasurer's Office. Bills are mailed in January, and if yours does not arrive, you are still responsible for paying by the deadline. The office can tell you the amount owed and accept payment even if you never received the physical bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I pay online but the deadline is tomorrow?
Online payments process immediately and are considered received on the date you submit them, not the date the funds clear your bank. If you pay online before midnight on the deadline date, your payment counts as on time. However, verify this with the Treasurer's Office if you are cutting it very close, because system outages or technical issues could delay processing.
Can I pay someone else's property tax bill?
Yes. You can mail a check with the property account number, pay online using the account number, or call and pay over the phone. You do not need to be the owner to make a payment. However, the payment will be credited to that account, so make sure the account number is correct before sending money.
Do I get a receipt when I pay?
If you pay online or by phone, you receive a confirmation number immediately. If you pay by mail, keep a copy of your cancelled check or money order receipt. You can also call the Treasurer's Office to request a receipt showing your payment was posted. The office does not automatically mail receipts for mailed payments.
What happens if I overpay my property taxes?
If you pay more than the amount owed, the Treasurer's Office will credit the overpayment to next year's tax bill or issue you a refund. You can request a refund by contacting the office, or you can let the credit apply to your next year's bill. Refunds typically take several weeks to process.
Are property taxes different if my property is in Tucson city limits?
Tucson collects its own property taxes separately from Pima County. Your bill will show which office collected the tax. If you live in Tucson, you pay Tucson's tax rate in addition to county rates. Payment goes to the City of Tucson, not to the County Treasurer. Check your bill to see which office to pay.