When are Philadelphia property taxes due, and what happens if I pay late?
Philadelphia Real Estate Tax is due March 31 each year. If you pay late, the city adds charges of 1.5% per month, beginning April 1. If the tax is still unpaid when the following year begins, the city adds a 15% maximum addition to the principal balance and registers the tax as delinquent.
- Due date
- March 31 each year
- Late charges
- 1.5% per month, beginning April 1
- Still unpaid when the next year begins
- A 15% maximum addition to the principal balance
- Installment plan
- Up to 12 monthly installments, for qualified homeowners
If the tax stays unpaid
The city calls these late charges "additions," and they include interest. If the tax is still unpaid when the following year begins, the city adds the 15% maximum addition, registers the tax as delinquent and files liens for the total, additions included. It can also start the process of selling the home at a sheriff sale.
Paying over time
Qualified homeowners can pay the current year's tax in up to 12 monthly installments. If you're already behind, the Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement (OOPA) is an income-based monthly payment plan for past-due Real Estate Tax.
Income-based programs can also keep the bill from climbing, including LOOP and the Senior Citizen Tax Freeze.
How to pay
Pay online through the Philadelphia Tax Center, or by mail with a check or money order and a payment voucher printed from the Tax Center.
Verified against the city's Real Estate Tax page.