Iowa property taxes are due in two installments each year: the first half by September 30 and the second half by March 31 of the following year. Miss either date and the unpaid balance starts accruing 1.5% interest per month, with every partial month counted as a full one.1Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 445.39 – Interest on Delinquent Taxes
The Two Due Dates
The county treasurer begins collecting on July 1, the start of Iowa’s fiscal year. From there, the first installment has until September 30 and the second until March 31.2Department of Revenue. Iowa Property Tax Overview
If September 30 lands on a Saturday or Sunday, the delinquency date shifts to the second business day of October. The same rule applies in the spring: when March 31 falls on a weekend, delinquency moves to the second business day of April.3Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 445.37 – When Delinquent
You don’t have to split the bill. If you’d rather clear the whole year at once, you can pay the full annual amount by the September 30 deadline.4Justia Law. Iowa Code Title X, Chapter 445, Section 445.36
What Your Statement Shows
The county treasurer mails an official tax statement each year with the total levy and the net amount owed. Any credits you qualify for, such as the Homestead Tax Credit or Military Service Tax Exemption, are already subtracted, so the bottom-line figure is what you actually pay.
Every property has a unique parcel number printed on the statement, your deed, and prior tax receipts. Keep it handy for online lookups or calls to the treasurer. If you can’t find the paper statement, most county treasurer websites let you pull a digital copy using the parcel number or property address.
One note on timing: the taxes you pay in a given fiscal year reflect the assessed value from the prior assessment year. Taxes due during the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025, for example, are based on your property’s value as of January 1, 2024. Local governments need the gap to finalize budgets and set levy rates.
How to Pay Before the Deadline
Many Iowa residents pay online through the Iowa Tax and Tags portal (IowaTaxAndTags.org) using an electronic check, credit card, or debit card. Credit card payments typically carry a convenience fee in the 2–5% range. E-check fees are minimal or zero.
If you mail a check, cashier’s check, or money order, the U.S. Postal Service postmark decides whether your payment is on time, not the date it lands in the treasurer’s office. Most county offices also take in-person payments and keep after-hours drop boxes for checks and money orders.
If Your Mortgage Includes Escrow
When your lender collects property taxes through an escrow account, the lender pays the county directly. Mortgage servicers request tax statements from the county treasurer themselves. The treasurer is still required by Iowa law to mail you a statement as the property owner, but it’s for your records. Don’t send a duplicate payment. If you’re not sure whether your lender handles the taxes, call them and confirm before the deadline.
What Happens If You Pay Late
The moment a payment becomes delinquent, interest accrues at 1.5% per month on the unpaid balance. Any partial month counts as a full month, and the charge is rounded to the nearest whole dollar with a one-dollar minimum.1Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 445.39 – Interest on Delinquent Taxes Interest keeps compounding on the full outstanding balance, including the interest itself, until everything is paid.
County treasurers can accept partial payments on delinquent taxes, but there’s a catch: your money is applied first to accrued interest, fees, and costs, and only then to the tax itself. Whatever tax remains after that keeps collecting 1.5% monthly interest. Partial payments also cannot substitute for redemption once the property has gone to tax sale.5Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code Chapter 445 – Tax Collection
Annual Tax Sale and Redemption
If taxes stay unpaid into the summer, the parcel goes to the annual tax sale. On the third Monday in June, the county treasurer offers all tax-delinquent parcels at public sale. If that date doesn’t work, the treasurer may reschedule to another date in June.6Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 446.7 – Annual Tax Sale A third-party investor pays off the delinquent taxes and receives a tax sale certificate, which becomes a lien against the property.
A tax sale doesn’t instantly transfer ownership. You can redeem by paying the county treasurer the full amount the buyer paid, including the certificate fee, plus interest at 2% per month. That rate is higher than the pre-sale penalty, each partial month counts as a full one, and the minimum interest is one dollar. If the certificate holder paid taxes for any later year, those amounts also carry 2% monthly interest.7Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 447.1 – Redemption Terms
The certificate holder can’t move to take the property right away. After one year and nine months from the sale date, the holder may serve a notice giving you 90 days to redeem. If you don’t redeem in that window, the holder can obtain a deed to the property.8Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 447.9 – Notice of Expiration of Right of Redemption Because the 2% monthly interest and added fees pile up fast, call the county treasurer early for an exact redemption total if you want a realistic shot at keeping the property.
Credits That Reduce What You Owe
Iowa offers several credits that can meaningfully shrink the bill, each with its own filing deadline. Miss the deadline and you wait another year.
Homestead Tax Credit
This credit equals the tax levy on the first $4,850 of your home’s actual value. You must own and occupy the property as your primary residence on July 1, declare Iowa residency for income tax purposes, and live in the home at least six months per year. Military members and people living in nursing homes who otherwise meet ownership requirements can still qualify without physically occupying the home.9Department of Revenue. Tax Credits and Exemptions
File your initial claim with the local assessor on or before July 1. Once approved, the credit renews automatically each year as long as you remain eligible.9Department of Revenue. Tax Credits and Exemptions
Military Service Tax Exemption
Veterans who were honorably discharged, retired, or placed on inactive or reserve status may claim an exemption on up to $4,000 of taxable value. File the claim with the local assessor by July 1; it carries over automatically in future years.10Department of Revenue. Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption
Elderly and Disabled Property Tax Credit
If you’re 65 or older, or 18 and older and totally disabled, you may qualify for an additional credit based on household income. For claims filed in 2026 (based on 2025 income), the thresholds are:
- Age 65 or older: total household income below $26,895.
- Age 18 or older and totally disabled: total household income below $26,895.
- Age 70 or older: total household income below 250% of the federal poverty level, which is $39,125 for a single-person household and $52,875 for a two-person household.
Unlike the Homestead Credit, this one must be filed every year. Submit Form 54-001 to your county treasurer between January 1 and June 1. The treasurer can grant an extension through March 31 of the following year if you need more time.11Department of Revenue. Property Tax Credit Expanded and Credit Calculation Amended Household income here is defined broadly and includes wages, Social Security benefits, disability payments, pensions, and investment income.