2026 Property Tax Due Dates
December 10
First installment
April 10
Second installment
Payment Methods
Online, Mail, In-Person
Monterey County Treasurer
Phone
(831) 755-5057Office Hours
How to Pay
Online
Pay using credit card or e-check
By Mail
Mail check payable to Monterey County Treasurer
In Person
Visit the Treasurer's office — 168 W Alisal St, 1st Floor, Salinas CA 93901, Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm
About Property Taxes in California
California property taxes are governed by Proposition 13, passed in 1978, which fundamentally shaped how property is assessed in the state. Under Prop 13, property is assessed at its purchase price (fair market value at time of sale), and annual increases in assessed value are capped at 2% per year or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. Long-term homeowners often pay taxes on a fraction of their home's current market value. Property taxes in California are administered at the county level. The county assessor determines property values, the county auditor-controller calculates the tax amounts, and the county tax collector bills and collects. Tax rates are set at 1% of assessed value by Proposition 13, plus additional voter-approved bonds and assessments that typically bring the total to 1.1–1.6% depending on location.
Payment & Assessment
California property taxes are split into two equal installments: First installment: Due November 1, delinquent after December 10 (10% penalty) Second installment: Due February 1, delinquent after April 10 (10% penalty + $10 cost) If a delinquency date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline extends to the next business day. A useful rule of thumb: if you pay by December 10, you are fine for the first half; if you pay by April 10, you are fine for the second half. Most counties offer online payment through the county tax collector's website. You can also pay by mail (must be postmarked by the deadline), in person, or by phone. Note: Supplemental tax bills are issued separately when property changes ownership or new construction is completed. These are in addition to your regular annual tax bill and are due approximately 30 days after the bill date.
Statewide framework for California. Your county's specific rates and deadlines are shown above.
Other Counties in California
About Monterey County
Monterey County, officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas. Monterey County comprises the Salinas, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. It borders on the southern part of Monterey Bay, after which it is named. Monterey County is a member of the regional governmental agency: the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. Scenic features along the coastline - including Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula - have made the county famous around the world. Back when California was under Spanish and Mexican rule, the city of Monterey was its capital. Today, the economy of the county is mostly based on tourism in its coastal regions, and on agriculture in the region of the Salinas River valley. Most of the county's inhabitants live near the northern coast or in Salinas Valley; the southern coast and inland mountainous regions are sparsely populated.
Source: Wikipedia — content available under CC BY-SA 4.0
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Due dates shown are for reference only. Contact your county treasurer's office to confirm official deadlines before making payments.