Sedgwick County property tax is calculated by multiplying your property’s assessed value by the total mill levy for your address, and the bill is due in full by December 20 or split into two halves due December 20 and May 10 of the following year. The County Treasurer mails statements in November, and Kansas statute sets those deadlines whether or not they fall on a weekend. For 2026, the county government portion of the levy is estimated at roughly 27.553 mills, stacked with levies from your city, school district, and any special districts that overlap your parcel.
How Your Bill Is Calculated
Every bill starts with the appraised value the county assigns to your property each spring. Kansas then converts that appraised value into an assessed value using a fixed percentage tied to how the property is used:
- Residential: 11.5% of appraised value
- Commercial and industrial: 25% of appraised value
- Agricultural land: 30% of its agricultural use value
Agricultural land is valued not on what it would sell for but on what it produces, using an eight-year rolling average of yields, prices, and rental income.1Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 79-1476 – Land Devoted to Agricultural Use, Valuation A 160-acre farm worth $400,000 on the open market might have a use value closer to $60,000.2Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 79-1439 – Appraisal of Real and Tangible Personal Property at Fair Market Value, Rate of Assessment
The assessed value is then multiplied by the mill levy. One mill equals one dollar of tax per $1,000 of assessed value. A home appraised at $200,000 has an assessed value of $23,000; at a combined 120-mill rate, the annual tax comes to $2,760. Your actual rate depends on which city, school district, township, and special districts cover your parcel.
One boundary worth flagging: cars, trucks, and motorcycles are taxed separately at registration or renewal, not on this December and May schedule. The Kansas Department of Revenue publishes a lookup tool for estimating vehicle property tax by county and vehicle type.3Kansas Department of Revenue. Kansas Vehicle Property Tax Check
When Payment Is Due
Statements go out in November. You have two ways to pay:
- Pay in full by December 20.
- Pay the first half by December 20 and the second half by May 10 of the following year.
These dates are fixed by Kansas statute and do not move for weekends or holidays.4Kansas Department of Revenue. Property Tax Calendar If you haven’t received a statement by mid-November, call the Treasurer at (316) 660-9000 or email treasurer@sedgwick.gov for a duplicate.5Sedgwick County, Kansas. Delinquent Tax Listings Not receiving a statement does not excuse a late payment.
How To Pay
Online payment through the county’s property tax portal at sedgwickcounty.org lets you search by address or parcel ID and pay by credit card or electronic check.6Sedgwick County, Kansas. Property Taxes Credit cards carry a 2.19% processor fee; e-checks cost five cents. On a $3,000 bill, that’s $65.70 versus a nickel.
By mail, send your check and stub to PO Box 2863, Wichita, KS 67201-2863. The postmark determines timeliness, so don’t cut it close to December 20.
In person, the Treasurer’s office is at 100 N Broadway, Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67202. A secure drop box outside the building takes payments after hours.
What Happens If You Pay Late
Interest starts accruing the day after the deadline. For calendar year 2026, the Kansas Department of Revenue sets these rates on delinquent property tax:
- Real property: 13% annual interest
- Personal property: 8% annual interest
- Real property delinquencies of $10,000 or more: 15%
- Personal property delinquencies of $10,000 or more: 10%
The rates reset each year.7Kansas Department of Revenue. Property Tax Interest Rates for Calendar Year 2026
Tax Sale and Redemption
If real estate taxes go unpaid for three consecutive years, the Treasurer begins the tax sale process. The office sends notice, giving the owner a chance to clear the full delinquent amount plus interest. If nothing is paid, the county files suit and eventually auctions the property. The opening bid covers all delinquent years, court costs of 5% of the total owed, and title abstract fees.
Kansas law provides a redemption period after the sale. Homesteads and most residential properties get three years from the sale date to redeem; abandoned structures get one year.8Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 79-2401a – Real Estate Bid Off by County, Redemption Period, Foreclosure Miss that window and the county proceeds with a final foreclosure sale.
Challenging Your Valuation
If the valuation notice that arrives in the spring looks too high, you have two paths to contest it. Which one is available depends on timing.
Equalization Appeal
This is the first and cleaner route. You have 30 days from the date the county mails your valuation notice to file an appeal with the appraiser’s office. The informal hearing gives you the chance to present comparable recent sales, a private appraisal, or documentation of damage or deferred maintenance. If the appraiser’s decision doesn’t satisfy you, you can escalate to the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals.9Kansas Board of Tax Appeals. How to File
Payment Under Protest
Miss the 30-day window and your remaining option is a payment under protest. You pay your taxes by the December 20 deadline and file a written protest statement with the Treasurer at the same time. The Treasurer forwards it to the appraiser, who must schedule an informal meeting within 15 days.10Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 79-2005 – Protesting Payment of Taxes After the meeting, the appraiser issues a written decision, and you have 30 days to appeal to the State Board of Tax Appeals. File the protest no later than December 20, or by January 31 if your taxes are paid through an escrow or tax service agent.
Relief Programs That Can Reduce What You Owe
Kansas runs two refund programs for qualifying homeowners. Both are claimed on your state tax return and paid as refunds rather than as reductions on your county statement.
Homestead Refund
You qualify if you meet at least one of these conditions: age 55 or older for the full tax year, blind or permanently disabled, have a dependent child under 18 living at home all year, or are a disabled veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 50% or higher. Household income must be $43,389 or less, and the home’s appraised value cannot exceed $350,000. The maximum refund is $700. File Form K-40H by April 15 of the year following the tax year.11Kansas Department of Revenue. Frequently Asked Questions About Homestead
SAFESR
The Selective Assistance for Every Senior program is narrower but more generous for those who qualify. You must be 65 or older for the entire tax year, have household income of $25,380 or less, and own and occupy a Kansas home valued at no more than $350,000. Delinquent property taxes disqualify you. Eligible seniors file Form K-40PT for a refund equal to a portion of property taxes paid.12Kansas Department of Revenue. Kansas Property Tax Relief for Low Income Seniors