Lookup and pay your Real Residential or commercial property tax costs and find responses to your questions about real 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 vigilantly to process all payments in a prompt style. For residential or commercial property owners who sent by mail in their payment to get the early riser discount, but who's payment has actually not yet been withdrawn from their savings account, Finance ensures it will honor this discount on all payments gotten by Friday, August 15th.
If you have any extra questions and/or issues concerning your genuine residential or commercial property tax payment, please contact Finance's Tax Customer Service Office at 410-313-2062 or email customerservice@howardcountymd.gov for more assistance. 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 numerous taxpayers have the option of semi-annual payments. Many types of Residential or commercial property Tax Credits are used to help 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 convenience cost of 1.00 for e-check transactions and 2.4% ( 2.00 minimum) for all other debit and charge card transactions for payments of Real Residential or commercial property Taxes. These are immediately included during your deal.
Due to bank and charge card processing times, please permit 3-5 company days for your transaction to process.
Real Residential Or Commercial Property Fee Disclaimer
Payment by credit card does not offer Howard County Government access to your charge card number. That details is maintained strictly by MuniciPay. MuniciPay takes complete advantage of internet security in the handling of your credit card details.
Real Residential Or Commercial Property Tax Information Guide & Questions
Tax Rate Schedule
The real 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 levied yearly on all taxable land and improvements.
Tax Rate Schedule Effective July 1, 2025
Kinds 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 standard services as education, public safety, public works, and community services.
State Real Residential Or Commercial Property Tax:
This tax is imposed by the State of Maryland, but collected by Howard County and is utilized for the payment of principal and interest on State bonds.
Fire Tax:
This tax is collected countywide and supports all fire and emergency situation response operations.
Trash Fees:
The annual fee for the collection and disposal of domestic trash is $391 for those homes getting trash, recycling and lawn services, $376 for those families getting trash and recycling services only and $55 for those households receiving recycling service just.
Ad Valorem Charges:
An ad valorem charge is levied on real residential or commercial property situated within the Metropolitan District. Ad valorem charges are mainly utilized to fund the cost of brand-new building and/or replacement of the water and drain system's infrastructure and may 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 drain main exists, pay an annual front foot advantage assessment charge.
State Bay Restoration Fee:
The Maryland State Government enacted the State Bay Restoration Fund in 2004. Howard County is needed to bill users of private septic systems a cost of $15.00 per quarter for a single domestic residence. For extra information please go to the Maryland Department of the Environment website at www.mde.state.md.us.
Watershed Protection Fee:
This charge offers funding for County storm water projects mandated by the federal government to treat impervious surfaces. For more information go to CleanWaterHoward.com.
When Taxes Are Due
All taxpayers residing in their primary house might pay their genuine residential or commercial property tax expenses on a semi-annual basis, unless they decide out of the semi-annual schedule by making a yearly payment, on or before September 30th. Taxpayers who are principal homeowners will receive tax bills which will reflect both payment choices. Taxpayers who escrow their tax payments may choose to pay every year, but should alert their lenders by May 1st of their intent to pay yearly.
Starting July 1, 2012, real residential or commercial property tax on little business commercial 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 must not go beyond $100,000.
- Annual bills and the first installments of semiannual bills are due on or before September 30th and end up being overdue 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 ends up being delinquent January 1st.
- Delinquent taxes undergo interest and charge at the rate of 1.5% monthly on all County taxes and costs and 1.0% on State taxes.
- Interest and charges are used to the amount levied internet of any credits.
Taxpayers who stay overdue as of March 1st of each year will get a last legal notice. Additional penalties are imposed since April1st of each year and payments made since this date moving forward need to be in the form of money, licensed check, or credit card. Delinquent taxes may also result in the sale of a residential or commercial property tax lien through public Tax Sale.
How to Pay Taxes
Taxpayers have a number of options for paying their residential or commercial property taxes.
- Taxpayers can organize to have their taxes paid by their mortgage business from an escrow account. - Taxpayers ought to mail their check or cash order made payable to Director of Finance together with their payment voucher, if available, to Howard County Maryland, PO Box 37237, Baltimore, MD 21297-3237.
- If taxpayers do not have a payment discount coupon, they can pay by check or cash order made payable to Director of Finance mailed to Howard County Maryland, PO Box 3370, Ellicott City MD 21041-3370.
- For a charge taxpayers can pay by charge card (VISA, Master Card, American Express, or Discover) or e-check on line.
- Taxpayers can pay in person at the Department of Finance, Cashier's Office on the first Floor, 3430 Courthouse Dr, Ellicott City, MD. The workplace is open Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM except for Howard County Government holidays. Payments in person can be made by money, check, or money order. Map & Directions
- Taxpayers can likewise utilize the drop box situated to the left of the doors at 3430 Courthouse Drive to deposit their payments. Payment left in the drop box ought to remain in the type of check or cash order. Drop box payments will be processed effective the next County business day.
Convenience Fee
Payments made by charge card or e-check are evaluated a benefit charge. This charge is imposed by the Credit Card processor and can not be waived by Howard County.
Payments made via the website are charged with a that varies with the amount of the charges. See payment site for precise benefit charge for your payment quantity.
Mortgage Information
All taxpayers in Howard County receive an original tax bill and are accountable for ensuring that their taxes are paid on time. Howard County also supplies a complete 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 efficient July 31st (1st installation semi-annual and annual) and December 31st (2nd installment semi-annual), but may not be published up 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 might want to call their loan provider to guarantee that the lending institution recovered the tax costs and has actually consisted of that bill in the payment procedure. If the lender does not have the right billing info, you need to forward a copy of your expense to your loan provider.
Refinancing
If you are refinancing your mortgage around the due dates for residential or commercial property taxes, you ought to make particular that the taxes are not paid by both lenders or by the lending institution and the title business at settlement. Make certain to notify the old mortgage business well in advance of settlement that you are closing the escrow account and encourage them not to make payment if payment will be made at settlement.
State Assessments
The State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) figures out the taxable evaluation of your real residential or commercial property. The taxable evaluation equals the complete cash worth, as determined by the Assessor's Office. It is crucial to validate any assessment notices received from SDAT for precision. Assessments may be appealed.
Online assessment details is available at SDAT.
Residential or commercial property owners needing more exact details about an evaluation, or the appeal procedure, should 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 visit SDAT's site at https://dat.maryland.gov.
Change of Address
In Maryland, SDAT is the main main file of all addresses relative to State and County taxes. If you want to change your address, you should notify SDAT. We have actually offered a Modification of Address Form for your convenience.