For emergency response and recovery information, visit SoCoEmergency.org

Property Tax Information

Tax Payment and Adjustment for Fire-Damaged Properties

The Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector and Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Offices are working to adjust tax bills for properties destroyed by the 2017 fires.

Intercepting Payments

If you sent a tax payment by mail and your property was damaged or destroyed by fire, please send an email to taxcollector@sonoma-county.org and include the following information:

  • Owner Name
  • Assessor Parcel Number (APN) and Property Address
  • Check number, amount, and date payment was mailed
  • If you want your check held for pick-up or destroyed

The Tax Collector will make every effort to intercept payments, but cannot guarantee it in all cases. Payments intercepted will be held for pick up for 45 days and then destroyed.

Forms and Resources

Forms
Change of Mailing Address (PDF)
Authorization to Access Confidential Files  (PDF)
Governor Declared Disaster (BOE-65-P)
Intercounty Transfer of Base Year Value Principal Residence in Governor-Declared Disaster (BOE-65-PT)
Transfer of Base Year Value Replacement Dwelling (55 or older – BOE-60-AH)

Resources
Assessor Parcel Number Lookup
Calamity Damage Provision
Disaster Relief

New Tax Bills

  • Pay the revised bill with the most recent billing date because it reflects the reassessed value and the correct Sonoma Valley Sanitation District charge.
  • If you recently acquired this property, completed construction before the fires, or you own a business, vessel or aircraft, you may have outstanding supplemental taxes or personal property taxes.
  • Review the status of your taxes using your FEE PARCEL NUMBER from the Tax Collector’s website: http://www.sonoma-county.org/tax

After you receive the “Notice of Correction to the 601 Assessment Roll” from the County Assessor informing you of the proposed reassessment, a new tax bill reflecting the reduction in value will be issued by the County Tax Collector within approximately 45 days of that notice.

Current Property Taxes

Yes. Please contact your mortgage company immediately for guidance on how your lender will handle the payment of your property taxes and the subsequent revision to the balance due.

If your payment was mailed in October during the firestorms, and has not yet cleared your bank account, please contact the Tax Collector’s office at (707) 565-2281.
• Payments will be posted to the bill that is in the tax system on the date the payment is posted by the Tax Collector.
• If the payment posting date occurs before the bill revision date, then this revised tax bill will reflect that payment, and either a reduced 2nd installment or a refund due.
• If the payment posting date occurs after the bill revision date, then this revised bill will not reflect that payment and you can expect a refund for any installments that were overpaid.
• You can check the status of your taxes from the Tax Collector’s website here:
http://www.sonoma-county.org/tax.

Yes. If your business personal property or vessel suffered damage of $10,000 or more, you are eligible for property tax relief. Please complete a Calamity Damage Reassessment application for the Assessor’s office to review.

  • The majority of 1st installment payments from mortgage companies were applied to the revised tax bills after the revised bills were created. These revised bills will not reflect those payments for that reason. However, the 1st installment may show payment in the online tax system now.
  • You can check the status of your taxes from the Tax Collector’s website: http://www.sonoma-county.org/tax.
  • If the mortgage company paid more than the revised 1st installment, a refund will be issued within 60 days to the mortgage company on your behalf.

Property owners have the option to pay the first installment of the original tax bill or wait until a revised tax bill is issued.  A reassessment will result in the issuance of a revised 2017-18 property tax bill and property owners will have a minimum of 30 days to pay the first installment without penalty.  There may be an income tax advantage to paying the original tax bill by December 31, 2017, so check with your tax professional to determine what is best for your situation.

  • Either a revised bill with a reduced 2nd installment has been issued, or a refund is in progress.
  • If the amount on your revised bill appears in brackets (i.e.: 000.00), then a refund to the property owner is in progress.

 

Contact your mortgage lender for guidance on how your lender will handle property tax payments and subsequent revisions tom your impound account.

No. There is not a provision to extend property tax due dates or waive penalties for property that does not qualify for a Calamity Damage Reassessment.

Future Property Taxes

No. Property owners will retain their previous factored base year value if the house is rebuilt in a like or similar manner, regardless of the actual cost of construction. However, any new square footage or extras, such as additional baths, will be added to the Proposition 13 factored base year value at its full market value.

Delinquent Property Taxes

Delinquent property taxes relate to property taxes that were incurred before the fires, therefore they will not change and must be paid. Please contact the Tax Collector’s office for payment plan options.

State Controller Property Tax Postponement

Please contact the State Controller Property Tax Postponement office at:
(800) 952-5661, or email postponement@sco.ca.gov.

Please contact the State Controller Property Tax Postponement office at:
(800) 952-5661, or email postponement@sco.ca.gov.

Sonoma County Energy Independent Program (SCEIP)

Yes. You should consider paying off the SCEIP lien with proceeds from your insurance claim. Make sure your insurance company itemizes the loss of your SCEIP improvements separately, so you can account for that loss.

For all other questions, please contact:

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