Montgomery County, TX Property Tax Due Dates and Penalties

The Montgomery County TX property tax due date is January 31. Bills are legally due when you receive them in October, but any balance still unpaid on February 1 is delinquent and starts collecting penalties and interest.¹ Qualifying homeowners can stretch payments into installments that run as late as August 1, and a full deferral is available for some owners, but for most people January 31 is the date that matters.

When Bills Arrive and When Payment Is Due

The Montgomery County Tax Assessor-Collector mails tax bills by October 1, or as soon after that as practicable, to the person listed on the tax roll.² One bill typically covers Montgomery County plus the school district, city, and any special districts that apply to your property, because the tax office collects for most jurisdictions in the county.³

Payment is legally due the moment the bill arrives. The practical deadline is January 31, because anything unpaid on February 1 is delinquent.¹ If a mortgage servicer pays your taxes from escrow, the bill goes to the lender. Verify the payment cleared before the deadline anyway. Escrow errors happen, and the property owner is ultimately responsible.

What Late Payment Costs You

Penalties and interest begin the day taxes go delinquent. The penalty starts at 6% in February and adds 1% each month through June. On July 1 the total penalty jumps to 12%. Interest runs separately at 1% per month starting in February and keeps accruing until the tax is paid.⁴

Combined penalty and interest add up like this:

February 1: 7% (6% penalty plus 1% interest)
March 1: 9%
April 1: 11%
May 1: 13%
June 1: 15%
July 1: 18% (12% penalty plus 6% cumulative interest)

July 1 is also when collection costs can hit. If the county has contracted with a delinquent-tax attorney, an additional penalty of up to 20% of the base tax is added to cover legal fees.⁵ A $5,000 bill left unpaid past July 1 can carry close to $1,900 in combined penalties, interest, and attorney fees on top of the original tax. Interest continues at 1% per month after that, and the taxing unit can eventually sue and foreclose on the tax lien to collect.

Split Payment Option

Texas law lets taxing units offer a split-payment plan that divides the bill in half. Where it’s available, you pay the first half before December 1 and the second half before July 1 without penalty or interest.⁶ The option is not automatic. The governing body of each taxing unit has to adopt it, so confirm with the Montgomery County Tax Office that it applies to your specific jurisdictions before you plan around it.

Miss the July 1 second-half deadline and the unpaid portion immediately picks up a 12% penalty plus accrued interest.⁴

Quarterly Installments for Seniors, Disabled Homeowners, and Veterans

If you are 65 or older, disabled, or a disabled veteran (or the unmarried surviving spouse of one), you can pay homestead property taxes in four equal installments with no penalty or interest. You must qualify for a homestead exemption under the relevant Tax Code sections to use this option.⁷

The four due dates:

First installment: before February 1
Second installment: before April 1
Third installment: before June 1
Fourth installment: before August 1

Include written notice with your first payment that you intend to pay the balance in three more installments. There is a short grace period on the first payment. If you miss February 1, you can still enter the plan by paying before March 1.⁷ Any installment missed after that becomes delinquent and triggers a 6% penalty plus 1% monthly interest on the unpaid portion.

Tax Deferral for Qualifying Homeowners

Homeowners who are 65 or older, disabled, or qualifying disabled veterans can go a step further and defer collection entirely. Filing an affidavit with the Montgomery Central Appraisal District postpones all collection activity, including lawsuits and foreclosure, for as long as you own and live in the home.⁸

The tax lien stays on the property and interest accrues at 5% per year during the deferral. Once you move out, sell, or pass away, the taxing unit can start collection after a 181-day waiting period. Deferral can help if cash flow is tight and you plan to stay in the home, but the accumulated balance eventually has to be paid.

How to Pay Before the Deadline

The tax office accepts payments online, by mail, and at drop boxes across the county. You can look up your account, view your statement, and pay through the county’s property tax website.⁹ After an online transaction, print the confirmation page. It’s your receipt.

Online payment fees charged by the processor:

E-check: no fee
Debit card: 1.00% of the payment (minimum $1.00)
Credit card: 2.05% of the payment (minimum $1.00)

On a $5,000 bill, a credit card payment adds about $103 in fees. E-check avoids that.¹⁰

You can mail a check or money order to the Montgomery County Tax Office at 400 N. San Jacinto St., Conroe, TX 77301.⁹ Close to the deadline, 24-hour drop boxes are available at four locations:

Conroe: 400 N. San Jacinto St.
Magnolia: 19100 Unity Park Dr.
New Caney: 21130 Hwy 59 N.
The Woodlands: 1520 Lake Front Cir.

Drop boxes take checks and money orders only, no cash. For mailed payments the postmark date generally controls whether the payment is timely, but hand-delivery removes any risk of postal delay.

1
State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 31.02 – Delinquency Date
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State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 31.01 – Tax Bills
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Montgomery County Tax Office. Tax Office
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State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.01 – Penalties and Interest
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State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.07 – Additional Penalty for Collection Costs
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State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 31.03 – Split Payment of Taxes
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State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 31.031 – Installment Payments of Certain Homestead Taxes
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State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.06 – Deferred Collection of Certain Taxes
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Montgomery County, Texas. Montgomery County Tax Office – Property Tax
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Montgomery County Tax Office. Tax Statements and Online Payments