San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector: Payments, Payment Plans and Office Contacts
The San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector collects property taxes, maintains payment records and administers qualifying payment plans, tax clearances and related collection services. Use this guide to find an official payment channel, identify the correct mailing address and contact the office handling your request.
Tax collection questions: 1-877-829-4732. Operators do not accept payments.
Pay by phone: 1-855-829-3773.
Online bill search and payment: Use the official search and payment system.
Independent guide. This website is not affiliated with the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. Submit payments, applications and account inquiries through official County channels. Follow the instructions on your tax bill and the current requirements for the selected service.
Choose the Tax Service You Need
| Your task | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Find an outstanding tax bill or make a payment | The official search and payment system. |
| Look up previously paid secured property taxes | The prior-year tax records page. |
| Ask about a tax balance, payment or missing bill | The Tax Collector contact page or tax collection telephone line. |
| Request a plan for eligible defaulted or escape taxes | The payment plan instructions. |
| Request cancellation of a late-payment penalty | The penalty cancellation page. |
| Request a tax lien release or tax clearance | The relevant service instructions and Tax Collection forms. |
| Find tax auction information | The official property tax auction page. |
For tax bill categories, supplemental assessments and property tax assistance, see our property tax guide. Questions about assessed values, exemptions or reassessment belong with the County Assessor.
Find a Tax Bill or Payment Record
The official search and payment system provides access to secured, unsecured, supplemental, escape and defaulted tax bills. Confirm the bill category, parcel or bill number, tax year and installment before paying.
| Bill category | Search information |
|---|---|
| Secured, defaulted, supplemental or escape | Parcel number or current mailing address. Supplemental and escape bill numbers are also available search options. |
| Unsecured, including business property, boats or aircraft | Four-digit tax year and six-digit bill number. |
The mailing address used for tax correspondence may differ from the property’s physical address. A search may also omit other bills associated with the property. For search instructions and help with missing results, see how to find your property tax bill online.
Supplemental and other separate bills
A supplemental bill is separate from the annual secured bill and may follow an ownership change or new construction. Supplemental bills are not sent to a mortgage lender for payment. If you have an impound account, confirm payment arrangements rather than assuming the lender will handle every bill.
Supplemental, escape and unsecured bills can have different deadlines from annual secured taxes. Use the dates printed on the particular bill.
Previously paid taxes
The prior-year search provides a summary of paid secured property taxes as recorded when the roll closed on June 30. It excludes unsecured and defaulted taxes and later adjustments to the closed roll.
A “record not found” result does not establish that no tax obligation existed. Use the current payment system or contact the office to check outstanding balances and recent payments.
Missing bills and address changes
Not receiving a tax bill does not remove the responsibility to obtain the bill and pay on time. Contact the Tax Collector when a bill is missing.
For a mailing-address change, use the applicable form on the official Assessor forms page. Select the form for real property, business property, a vessel or an aircraft, as appropriate. An address-change request does not replace paying an outstanding bill.
Choose a Payment Method and the Correct Address
Online payments
The County offers free e-check payments through its official payment system. Accepted card payments carry a convenience fee and are subject to card restrictions. Review the payment method, fee and total before submitting. See payment methods and fees for details.
Complete checkout and retain the receipt marked “Successful.” If you need to check whether a payment was received or applied to the correct bill, see how to confirm your property tax payment.
Bank bill pay
Your bank’s online bill-pay service is separate from the County’s e-check system. The bank may mail a paper check. Allow delivery time and follow the County’s payment instructions; the date you schedule a payment with your bank does not establish that the Tax Collector received it on time.
Mailed payments
Make checks payable to San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. Follow the tax bill’s mailing instructions and include the payment coupon or identifying information needed to apply the payment correctly.
| Purpose | Address |
|---|---|
| Mailed check payments | San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector P.O. Box 129009 San Diego, CA 92112 |
| General correspondence | San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector San Diego County Administration Center 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 162 San Diego, CA 92101-2474 |
Mail early enough to obtain a United States Postal Service postmark on or before the applicable delinquency deadline. Placing an envelope in a mailbox on the deadline does not guarantee that day’s postmark. A private postage-meter date should not be treated as a substitute for the required postal postmark.
Telephone, counter and drop-box payments
The official telephone payment number is 1-855-829-3773. Tax collection operators on the general inquiry line answer questions but do not accept payments.
Branch offices accept checks, cashier’s checks and money orders. Cash is accepted at the main office. Payment drop boxes are available at the listed locations, including Kearny Mesa, where in-person services are not available.
Check the official locations page for office availability and follow the applicable drop-box instructions before submitting a payment.
Check Deadlines and Unpaid Tax Balances
| Installment | Due date | Last day to pay without a late penalty |
|---|---|---|
| First installment | November 1 | December 10 |
| Second installment | February 1 | April 10 |
If a delinquency deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. Both annual secured installments may be paid together when the first is due.
A late first installment incurs a 10% penalty. A late second installment incurs a 10% penalty plus a $10 cost. Unpaid secured taxes enter tax default after June 30, with additional monthly charges and a redemption fee.
Supplemental, escape and unsecured bills have their own deadlines. For details about penalties and timely payment, see property tax due dates and late penalties.
Review Property Tax Payment Plans
A five-year installment plan may be available for qualifying prior-year defaulted secured taxes. A separate four-year plan may cover eligible prior-fiscal-year escape bills with a total due greater than $500. Each plan requires a signed agreement, an initial payment and applicable fees.
Current-year taxes are separate from the five-year plan and must be paid on time. Enrollment does not extend their regular deadlines. Interest continues on the unpaid five-year plan balance, and annual payments and maintenance fees are required.
Eligibility depends on the bill, default history and enrollment deadline. Review the official payment plan instructions and our FAQ on payment plans for overdue property taxes before applying.
Request Cancellation of a Penalty
Late-payment penalties are required by state law and may be canceled only in limited circumstances authorized by law. A request does not guarantee approval.
Use the official penalty cancellation instructions to submit a written request or a completed and signed Request for Cancellation of Penalties form. Include the requested information and supporting documents, and keep a copy.
The office provides a written decision. Do not assume that submitting a request changes a payment deadline or suspends collection; contact the office about outstanding amounts while the request is under review.
Understand Unsecured Tax Release Waiting Periods
Unsecured taxes apply to the assessed person or entity and commonly involve business personal property, boats or aircraft. Their payment and collection procedures differ from secured taxes on real estate.
The official unsecured tax page states that payments made with non-guaranteed funds, including a regular check, credit card or e-check, require a 30-day waiting period before release of an unsecured tax lien certificate or a vessel DMV registration hold.
To avoid that waiting period, the agency directs taxpayers to use cash at the downtown office or a cashier’s check or money order at a branch offering counter services.
This waiting period concerns the specified unsecured tax releases. It is not a general rule that every property tax payment takes 30 days to process. Confirm the balance, payment method and release procedure with the office if you need a release for a particular transaction.
Find Forms, Clearances and Auction Information
The Tax Collection forms page provides documents for specific services, including:
- Five-year and four-year payment plan agreements.
- Penalty cancellation requests.
- Tax lien demand or release requests.
- Mobile home tax clearance certificate requests.
- Map tax clearance applications.
- Unclaimed property tax refund claims.
- Tax bill segregation and research requests.
- Large-volume tax payment instructions and templates.
Read the instructions for the selected transaction and use its specified submission address, fees and supporting documents. A general inquiry does not replace a required application.
Property tax auctions
Use the official property tax auction page for announced auction dates, bidder registration, terms and parcel research guidance.
If you are seeking to redeem a property rather than bid, follow the agency’s redemption instructions and confirm the applicable deadline directly with the Tax Collector.
Tax Collector Offices and Contacts
| Purpose | Contact |
|---|---|
| Tax collection questions | 1-877-829-4732 Operators do not accept payments. |
| Telephone payments | 1-855-829-3773 |
| International inquiries | 1-619-236-2424 |
| Hearing-impaired contact | 1-877-735-2929 |
| Written inquiries | The official contact form or taxman@sdcounty.ca.gov. |
| Location | Address | Published service arrangements |
|---|---|---|
| Main Office — County Administration Center | 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 162 San Diego, CA 92101 |
Cash accepted; payment drop box available. |
| Chula Vista Branch | 590 Third Avenue Chula Vista, CA 91910 |
Checks, cashier’s checks and money orders; payment drop box available. |
| East County Branch | 10144 Mission Gorge Road Santee, CA 92071 |
Checks, cashier’s checks and money orders; payment drop box available. |
| San Marcos Branch | 141 East Carmel Street San Marcos, CA 92078 |
Checks, cashier’s checks and money orders; payment drop box available. |
| Kearny Mesa | 9225 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard San Diego, CA 92123 |
Drop box only; in-person services are not available. |
Confirm current office hours, closures and service availability through the official locations page before traveling.
Prepare an account inquiry
Have the following information available when applicable:
- Parcel number, or unsecured bill number and tax year.
- Property address and bill category.
- The installment or balance in question.
- Payment date, method and successful receipt or other payment record.
- The notice received and a clear description of the issue.
Keep payment confirmations and correspondence with your tax records. Use the service-specific destination for mailed payments, agreements and requests.