San Diego County Property Tax Guide for Homeowners and Sellers

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team. Figures come from the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector and the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk; sources are listed at the end.

San Diego County property tax is paid in two installments: the first is due November 1 and late after December 10, and the second is due February 1 and late after April 10. A late installment carries a 10 percent penalty, and the second installment also picks up a $10 cost if it is late. If you sell, unpaid taxes are paid out of your proceeds at closing.

San Diego County property tax at a glance

First installment	Due November 1, delinquent after December 10
Second installment	Due February 1, delinquent after April 10
Late penalty	10% of the amount due, plus a $10 fee on a late second installment
Default	Unpaid taxes default after June 30; interest runs at 1.5% a month (18% a year)
Redemption fee	$33 when you pay off defaulted taxes
Pay online	E-check is free through the Tax Collector’s website
Pay by phone	1-855-829-3773
Questions	1-877-829-4732 (operators do not take payments)
Mail	San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector, 1600 Pacific Hwy, Room 162, San Diego, CA 92101
Transfer tax when you sell	$0.55 per $500 of the sale price, paid when the deed is recorded

When are San Diego County property taxes due?

Bills show two installments. The first is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after December 10. The second is due February 1 and becomes delinquent after April 10. If a delinquent date falls on a weekend or a holiday, the payment is due by the close of the next business day.

Many owners assume the due date is the deadline, but the penalty starts only after the delinquent date, so the real deadlines are December 10 and April 10.

• Mailed payments must be postmarked by the delinquent date.
• Paying online by e-check is complete only after you click Submit and receive a Successful receipt, so keep the confirmation.
• A duplicate bill costs $1.00 at a Tax Collector office.
• If your mortgage lender pays from an impound account, check that the payment posted, because the penalty lands on the owner if it did not.

How do I pay my San Diego County property tax bill?

You have four ways to pay. Online, the county accepts e-check at no charge. By mail, send a check postmarked by the delinquent date to the Treasurer-Tax Collector at 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 162, San Diego, CA 92101. By phone, call 1-855-829-3773.

In person, a Tax Collector branch office accepts checks, cashier’s checks and money orders. For questions about your bill, call 1-877-829-4732, though those operators do not accept payments.

What happens if I don’t pay property taxes in San Diego County?

The penalty comes first: 10 percent of the installment after its delinquent date, plus $10 on the second installment. If both installments are still unpaid by June 30, the taxes go into default. Defaulted taxes and penalties accrue interest at 1.5 percent a month, which is 18 percent a year, and a $33 redemption fee is due when you pay the defaulted amount off.

The county points owners to two ways to reduce the damage. You can pay back taxes as soon as you can, which stops the monthly interest, or you can request a Five Year Installment Payment Plan for prior-year taxes.

A bill marked “tax defaulted” means unpaid taxes may exist for earlier years, so read the notation before you assume the current bill is the whole story.

The Tax Collector’s page does not state when a defaulted property can be sold at auction, so ask the office for the timeline on your parcel. Selling the house yourself before then is usually the best way to stay in control.

San Diego County property tax calculators

Use these to estimate your annual bill, what a late installment costs, and the transfer tax on a sale. Use the figures on your own tax bill for the closest result.

How to sell a house in San Diego County when you owe property taxes

You can sell a house in San Diego County with unpaid property taxes. Property taxes are a lien on the home, so the escrow company pays what is owed from your sale proceeds at closing and the buyer receives the property with the taxes current.

1. Get your payoff figure. Look up the parcel with the Tax Collector or call 1-877-829-4732. Defaulted amounts grow every month, so ask for the amount due in the month you expect to close.
2. Expect proration. Escrow splits the current year’s tax between you and the buyer by the closing date.
3. Budget for transfer tax. The county charges $0.55 per $500 of the sale price, collected when the deed is recorded. On a $700,000 sale that is $770. The Recorder is at 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92101. Cities may add their own tax, so ask escrow what applies to your address.
4. Watch the calendar. Closing before December 10 or April 10 avoids the 10 percent penalty on that installment, and closing before June 30 avoids default charges.

A cash sale helps when time is the problem. There is no loan approval to wait for, so closing can be scheduled ahead of a tax deadline, and the taxes are cleared from the proceeds. See how we buy houses in San Diego County and our local page for San Diego. Statewide, the California real estate transfer tax report shows how rates compare.

Behind on San Diego County property taxes and thinking about selling? Call (424) 435-2326 or request a cash offer. There is no cost and no obligation.

San Diego County property tax FAQ

What is the penalty for paying San Diego County property tax late?

A late installment gets a 10 percent penalty, and a late second installment also gets a $10 fee. Taxes unpaid after June 30 default and accrue interest at 1.5 percent a month.

Can I pay San Diego County property taxes in monthly payments?

The county’s page describes two installments for the current year. For prior-year taxes it points to a Five Year Installment Payment Plan, so ask the Tax Collector whether you qualify.

Where do I mail my San Diego County property tax payment?

San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector, 1600 Pacific Hwy, Room 162, San Diego, CA 92101. It must be postmarked by the delinquent date.

Who pays property tax in the year a San Diego County house is sold?

Both sides, each for their share of the year. Escrow splits the bill by the closing date and pays any unpaid balance from the seller’s proceeds.

How do I sell a house in San Diego County with delinquent property taxes?

Get the payoff amount from the Tax Collector, give it to escrow, and the delinquent taxes are paid from your proceeds at closing.

Sources

• San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector: Secured Property Taxes
• San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk: Fee Schedule

This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rates, fees and dates can change; confirm the amount on your own bill with the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector.