The Bexar County property tax due date is January 31 of the year after the tax is imposed. Bills go out from the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector in October, and you have until the end of January to pay in full before penalties and interest start.1Bexar County, TX – Official Website. Property Tax If a bill is mailed after January 10, the delinquency date shifts to the first day of the month after the bill was sent, so a late-mailed statement won’t force you into an impossible deadline.
One Bexar County bill covers more than just the county. The tax office also collects for school districts, cities, and special districts under contract, so a single missed deadline triggers penalties across every jurisdiction on the statement.1Bexar County, TX – Official Website. Property Tax
What Happens If You Pay After January 31
On February 1 a delinquent bill picks up a 6 percent penalty plus 1 percent interest. Each month after that adds another 1 percent penalty and another 1 percent interest, until July 1 when the penalty jumps to a flat 12 percent.2State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.01 – Penalties and Interest The combined cost of waiting runs like this:
- February: 6% penalty + 1% interest = 7% total
- March: 7% penalty + 2% interest = 9% total
- April: 8% penalty + 3% interest = 11% total
- May: 9% penalty + 4% interest = 13% total
- June: 10% penalty + 5% interest = 15% total
- July 1 and beyond: 12% penalty + 6% interest = 18% total
The July 1 reset matters. The penalty does not climb gradually from 11 to 12 percent; it jumps to a flat 12 percent no matter how long the tax has been overdue. On top of that, if the taxing unit has contracted with a collection attorney, an additional penalty for attorney fees can be added to any tax that was delinquent on February 1 and still unpaid on July 1. That attorney fee penalty can run up to 20 percent of the total tax, penalty, and interest due.3State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.07 – Additional Penalty for Collection Costs Interest at 1 percent per month continues to accrue indefinitely until the balance is paid, even after a court judgment.
Delinquent property taxes do not show up directly on your credit report. However, the taxing unit holds a lien against your property from January 1 of the tax year, and a long-running delinquency can eventually lead to a lawsuit and a forced tax sale.
Splitting the Bill Into Two Payments
If paying the full amount by January 31 is a stretch, Bexar County offers a split-payment option under Texas Tax Code Section 31.03. You pay the first half before December 1, then pay the remaining half before July 1 of the following year, with no penalty or interest in between.4Bexar County, TX – Official Website. Tax Calendar Any property owner can use the split as long as the first half arrives on time. No special application is required.
Miss the second installment and the consequence is sharp. If the remaining balance is not paid before July 1, it becomes delinquent and immediately picks up a 12 percent penalty on the unpaid amount, skipping the graduated monthly schedule.2State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.01 – Penalties and Interest
Quarterly Installments for Seniors, Disabled Homeowners, and Veterans
Texas Tax Code Section 31.031 lets certain homeowners spread the bill across four equal payments. You qualify if you are 65 or older, disabled, a disabled veteran, or the unmarried surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who qualified for an exemption under Tax Code Section 11.22, and the property must be your residence homestead.5Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Payment Options
The four installments are due before February 1, April 1, June 1, and August 1. The first installment must arrive by the January 31 delinquency date and must be accompanied by written notice that you intend to pay in installments.5Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Payment Options As long as each payment is on time, no penalty or interest accrues. Miss one, and the remaining balance becomes delinquent under the standard penalty rules.
Deferring Collection Entirely
If even installment payments are out of reach, homeowners who are 65 or older, disabled, or qualified disabled veterans can defer collection of property taxes on their homestead. Under Texas Tax Code Section 33.06, you file an affidavit with the Bexar Central Appraisal District, and once it’s on record, no taxing unit can file suit or foreclose on the property for delinquent taxes while the deferral is in effect.6State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.06 – Deferred Collection of Certain Taxes
A deferral is not forgiveness. The tax lien stays on the property, and interest accrues at 5 percent per year, compared to the standard 12 percent annual rate on ordinary delinquencies. No monthly penalties pile up during the deferral period. The moment you sell the home, move out, or pass away, the deferral ends. The collecting taxing unit then delivers a notice of delinquency, and all standard penalties and attorney fees kick in 181 days later if the balance remains unpaid.6State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.06 – Deferred Collection of Certain Taxes
How to Pay Your Bill
If you have a mortgage, start by checking with your lender. Most mortgage servicers pay property taxes from your escrow account and are required under federal Regulation X to disburse escrow funds in time to avoid late penalties.7Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Regulation X – 1024.17 Escrow Accounts If your lender handles it, your only job is confirming the payment posted on your account.
Paying directly, you have three options:
- Online through the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector’s portal. Electronic check is free; credit and debit card payments carry a convenience fee of roughly 2 percent charged by a third-party vendor.
- By mail to Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector, P.O. Box 839950, San Antonio, TX 78283-3950. The postmark date counts as the payment date.8Bexar County, TX – Official Website. Tax Office Locations and Hours
- In person at the main office in Vista Verde Plaza at 233 N. Pecos La Trinidad in San Antonio, or at satellite offices in the northeast, northwest, southside, and Precinct 4 areas.8Bexar County, TX – Official Website. Tax Office Locations and Hours
For a large bill, do the math on the card convenience fee first. A 2 percent fee on a $5,000 tax bill is $100, which wipes out most credit card rewards. Electronic check avoids the fee and is the cheaper route for most people. Whichever method you use, keep the confirmation or receipt. You’ll need it if the payment is ever questioned, and you’ll need it if you itemize property taxes on your federal return.