Coronavirus (COVID-19) Impact to Property Taxes
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Prepared by the County of Los Angeles Tax Collector
March 18, 2020
Page 1
1. Can you extend the April 10, 2020 deadline?
Answer: No. The County does not have the authority under State law to extend or
postpone the second installment property tax deadline of April 10, 2020.
2. County buildings are no longer open to the public, what are my payment options?
Answer: Although we are not accepting in-person payments currently at our offices,
taxpayers can pay online, via telephone or by mail. There is no cost for e-Check
payments online. For online credit/debit card transactions, our card payment
processor charges a 2.25 percent service fee. Please visit https://ttc.lacounty.gov/ to
review all payment methods, and several other online self-service options.
3. What if I am unable to make a full property tax payment by April 10, 2020 due to
the impact of COVID-19?
Answer: We encourage all property owners who can pay their taxes on time to do so.
This revenue helps keep the government running and providing vital services that the
public relies on, especially in times like these. However, if you are unable to do so, we
accept partial payments which reduces the amount of penalties imposed.
4. Can I request a penalty cancellation if I am unable to make a timely payment due to
COVID-19?
Answer: Yes. However, a penalty cancellation is not something that taxpayers
request in advance. Beginning on April 11, the day after property taxes become
delinquent, taxpayers unable to pay on time for reasons related to COVID-19 may
submit a request for penalty cancellation on our website. The department has set up a
special team to process these requests for those who demonstrate they were affected
by the outbreak.
5. How can I obtain my Personal Identification Number (PIN) to pay online if I
don’t have the bill?
Answer: The PIN is located on any secured property tax bill and does not change
annually. If you do not have this year’s property tax bill, please refer to a previous
year’s bill. Please also note that a PIN is only required for online e-Check payments.
6. Can the County waive the associated service fees of 2.25 percent for
Credit/Debit card payments online and over the telephone?
Answer: No. The County cannot waive the associated service fees of 2.25 percent
for credit/debit card transactions. The fees are charged by our card payment
processor to facilitate the transaction. As a reminder, there is no cost for e-Check
payments online.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Impact to Property Taxes
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Prepared by the County of Los Angeles Tax Collector
March 18, 2020
Page 2
7. Will property tax amounts be reduced due to economic impact of COVID-19?
Answer: No. Property tax amounts are established on the lien date of January 1 of
each year. The property tax amounts currently due for the 2019-2020 Annual Secured
Property Taxes have a lien date of January 1, 2019, and therefore, no reduction will be
made to the current bill. Should you have questions related to decline-in-value or
business personal property valuations, please contact the Office of the Assessor at
(213) 974-3211 or visit their website at https://assessor.lacounty.gov/.
8. I mailed in my property tax payment, however your system is not showing my
taxes as paid. What should I do?
Answer: Processing times for mailed payments may be delayed due to the current
public health concerns. We will process all mailed payments as soon as possible. Should
your payment not be processed by April 10, 2020, you can request penalty cancellation
as outlined above.
9. If using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or courier services (FedEx, UPS, etc.)
to deliver my property tax payment, and County Buildings are closed, how
will my payment be received?
Answer: As of this date, we are receiving mail from the USPS and courier services. If
circumstances change, we have the ability to cancel penalties for payments that would
have been mailed timely. For more information regarding mailed payments, please
click here: https://ttc.lacounty.gov/avoid-penalties-by-understanding-postmarks/
10. I am expecting a property tax refund. Will this refund be delayed by COVID-19?
Answer: State Law requires that the Tax Collector to issue refunds within 60 days of
the date of initial payment. However, due to the current state of emergency, we may
experience unusual delays meeting this timeframe.
As a reminder, you can use our website to look up taxes due, request a duplicate bill, and
look up payment history. Please CLICK HERE for more information on all payment options.
We also created a TOP 5 DOs AND DON’Ts with helpful information on property tax
payments, including How To Avoid Penalties.
You may also call us at 213-974-2111, or visit our website, ttc.lacounty.gov, for additional
information. Please note that our call volumes can be heavy and our website has many
self-service options.
For the latest information about COVID-19, please visit the Department of Public Health
website. In addition, the County of Los Angeles has a website with various resources for
COVID-19 - https://lacounty.gov/covid19/.
