When Are Philadelphia Property Taxes Due and How to Pay?

Philadelphia property taxes are due March 31 each year. The Department of Revenue mails bills in December, giving you about three months to pay, but a bill that never arrives does not push the deadline back. If you cannot pay the full amount by March 31, the city offers an installment plan for qualifying homeowners, and separate programs exist for people who already owe back taxes or want to lower their bill going forward.

How to Pay

You have four ways to pay, and the method affects what you actually spend.

Online through the Philadelphia Tax Center, using your property address or 9-digit OPA number. eCheck payments from a checking or savings account are free. Credit card payments carry a 2.10% processing fee, and debit card payments carry a flat $3.45 fee.¹
By mail, with a check or money order and the payment voucher from your bill. Write your account number on the check.
In person at an authorized payment center, by check or money order. The Department of Revenue website lists current locations and hours.²
By phone at (833) 913-0795.²

If You Have a Mortgage With Escrow

Many mortgage lenders collect property taxes through an escrow account built into your monthly payment. If yours does, the city sends the bill directly to your lender and you will not receive one. Not every lender escrows, though. If you are unsure, ask your mortgage company. If they do not escrow your taxes, you are personally responsible for paying by March 31.³

Monthly Installment Plan

Philadelphia lets qualifying homeowners spread the annual bill across monthly payments instead of paying a lump sum by March 31. Seniors age 65 or older who own and live in their home qualify regardless of income. Lower-income homeowners of any age qualify if their household income stays within published limits.

Applications for the 2026 installment plan are due by March 31. The first monthly payment is due in May, and the balance must be paid off by December.

Income limits for non-senior applicants by household size:

1 person: $41,800
2 people: $47,800
3 people: $53,750
4 people: $59,700
5 people: $64,500
6 people: $69,300
7 people: $74,050
8 people: $78,850

You can apply online through the Philadelphia Tax Center or submit a paper application.⁴

What Happens If You Pay Late

Charges start building on April 1. The city calls them “additions,” and they accrue at 1.5% of the principal per month through December 31. By the end of the year, the additions total 15% of your original bill.²

On January 1 of the following year, your account becomes officially delinquent. The city adds a $106.45 lien charge on top of the 15% in additions, and a lien is filed against your property for the full amount owed. From there, additional penalties accrue at 1% per month from February through August (another 7%), and interest accrues at 0.75% per month, or 9% per year, starting January 1 of the lien year and continuing until you pay in full. If the city hands your account to an outside collection firm, you also owe an 18% collection fee. Collected internally, that fee is 6%.⁵

Beyond financial charges, the city has enforcement tools. In a tax sale, the city petitions the Court of Common Pleas to sell your property to recover the debt. In rent sequestration, a court-appointed person takes temporary control of your property, collects the rent, and applies it to what you owe. The city can also file a personal lawsuit against owners of multiple properties.⁶

If You Already Owe Back Taxes

The Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement (OOPA) program lets you set up a manageable monthly plan on delinquent real estate taxes. Every homeowner with overdue taxes qualifies as long as they live in the home they own. No down payment is required.⁷

Monthly payments are based on your income. Some low-income and senior residents qualify for a $0-minimum payment. To stay enrolled, you have to pay each new year’s property taxes as they come due, though some participants can roll the current year into their existing agreement.

You can apply online through the Philadelphia Tax Center or on paper. You will need two forms of proof of residency (one has to be a government-issued photo ID) and proof of income such as tax returns, pay stubs, or benefits letters. Seniors, widows and widowers, and permanently disabled applicants submit additional documentation for their status.⁷

Programs That Lower Your Bill

Three programs can meaningfully reduce what you owe before you ever write a check. They are worth checking every year, because eligibility and benefit amounts can change.

Homestead Exemption

The Homestead Exemption reduces your property’s taxable assessed value by $100,000, saving most homeowners up to $1,399 in 2026. You qualify if you own the property and live in it as your primary residence. No age or income restrictions apply.⁸

Apply online or mail a paper application to the Department of Revenue. Once accepted, you never have to reapply unless your deed changes. For homeowners who have not signed up, this is the single easiest way to lower your tax bill.⁹

Senior Citizen Tax Freeze

This program freezes your real estate tax bill at its current amount so it does not increase in future years. You (or your spouse) must be at least 65, or at least 50 and widowed by a spouse who was 65 or older. Income limits:

Single person: $33,500 or less
Married couple: $41,500 or less

Apply using the Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Freeze application from the Department of Revenue.¹⁰

Longtime Owner Occupants Program (LOOP)

LOOP protects longtime homeowners from sharp assessment jumps. If your assessment increased by 50% or more from last year, or 75% or more over the past five years, you may qualify. The program caps your assessment at 50% or 75% above the previous amount and locks it in for as long as you remain eligible.¹¹

You have to have owned and lived in the home for at least 10 years, be current on property taxes (or enrolled in a payment agreement), and have household income below the published limit for your family size. For 2026, the single-person cap is $100,300 and the family-of-four cap is $143,250. Applications are due by September 30, 2026.¹¹

One catch: you cannot be enrolled in both LOOP and the Homestead Exemption at the same time. If your assessment jumped sharply, compare both and pick the one that saves you more.

Finding Your Bill and Account Information

You can look up your tax bill, account number, and current balance anytime at the Philadelphia Tax Center using your property address or 9-digit OPA number. The portal also shows past balances and lets you print payment vouchers.²

If your paper bill never arrives, email revenue@phila.gov or call (215) 686-6442 to request a replacement. Not receiving the bill does not change the March 31 deadline or stop penalties from accruing on April 1.¹²

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