Mecklenburg County property taxes are due next week. Millions in help may go unclaimed
The deadline to pay property taxes in Mecklenburg County without accruing interest is fast approaching, and millions of dollars aimed to help taxpayers potentially have gone unclaimed.
Property owners have until Jan. 5 to make outstanding real estate and personal property tax payments to avoid interest charges. After that date, a 2% interest charge will be added for the month of January, and an additional 0.75% will be added in interest every month after January until the tax bill is paid.
Many property owners, including nearly all residential properties, saw higher tax values in the wake of the 2023 revaluation cycle, which determines value of a property and is a key component in determining the next tax bill. And even with revenue-neutral rates, people across the county saw pricier bills.
Additional assistance was made available to homeowners, but time has run out for many to get help. Among that help: Applications closed for the HOMES program, which received an infusion of millions of extra dollars and saw its deadline extended to get more people to apply.
Other assistance programs are available, including for the elderly, people with disabilities, veterans and owners of historic properties.
How to pay your Mecklenburg County property taxes
There are multiple options for paying your Mecklenburg County property taxes, including:
Online at MeckNC.gov/paytax
By phone by calling 1-800-994-1026
By mail with a check or money order and payment stub using the return envelope that came with your tax bill. Checks should be sent to P.O. Box 31457, Charlotte, NC 28231-1457 and made payable to the Mecklenburg County Tax Collector.
In person at 3205 Freedom Dr., Suite 3000, Charlotte, NC 28208
There is a service fee if you pay using a debit or credit card.
Property owners can check their tax record online or call 311 to ensure their payment has been received.
How much money was left in HOMES program?
The number of households receiving grants through the HOMES program more than doubled in the last year, the county said, from 1,347 to 3,377.
But funding for the program increased to $12.1 million this year, and much of the money allocated for grants could still go unused. As of the extended Dec. 15 application deadline, the county had processed only about $1.7 million in grants, spokeswoman Pamela Escobar told The Charlotte Observer.
It will take more time for the county to process all of the applications submitted on or before the deadline and determine a final total for how much grant money will be dispersed, she added.
Despite the possibility that money could still be leftover, applications won’t reopen for this cycle of property taxes again, according to the county.
The county’s Department of Community Resources will recommend Mecklenburg County commissioners rollover any leftover money to the pool for next year’s HOMES program.
Commissioners approved putting more money, including a contribution by the city of Charlotte, into the HOMES program this year in anticipation of revaluation and increasing property values, WFAE reported.
Other property tax assistance programs in Mecklenburg County
Other property tax assistance programs available in Mecklenburg County include:
The Historic Property Tax Deferral, which defers property taxes for some properties designated as historic. For more information, visit cao.mecknc.gov/tax-relief-programs/historic-property-deferral. The application period runs from Jan. 1 - 31.
The Elderly or Disabled Homestead Exemption, which provides a property tax exclusion of either $25,000 or 50% of the taxable value of a residence to North Carolina residents who are elderly or disabled and meet an income threshold. For more information, visit, cao.mecknc.gov/tax-relief-programs/property-tax-exclusion-elderly-or-disabled. The application deadline was June 1 but will reopen for future property tax cycles.
The Circuit Breaker program, which allows residents who are elderly or disabled and meet an income threshold to defer a portion of the property taxes owed on their permanent residence. For more information, visit cao.mecknc.gov/tax-relief-programs/property-tax-deferral-elderly-or-disabled-circuit-breaker. The application deadline was June 1 but will reopen for future property tax cycles.
The Disabled Veteran Homestead Exclusion, which excludes from property taxes the first $45,000 of assessed value for the permanent residence of some veterans or surviving spouses of veterans. For more information, visit cao.mecknc.gov/tax-relief-programs/disabled-veterans-homestead-exclusion. The application deadline was June 1 but will reopen for future property tax cycles.
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