Frequently Asked Questions
If you have other questions or concerns, please Contact Us.
Name and Address Changes must be made in writing and delivered to the Treasurer; either in person, submitting an electronically Name and Address change form or by U.S. postal mail.
If you are in business, you are subject to a personal property tax. Taxable personal property includes items such as: furniture and fixtures, office equipment, machinery, tools, supplies, etc. The Treasurer may distrain (seize) and sell personal property if taxes are delinquent. Advance taxes are collected if the property sells or transfers before the tax is due. The tax is due even if the business closes or the property is sold or transfered. Contact the Treasurer's Office before buying or selling any personal property to protect your property against a lien. If you need more information, please call us. Please visit our Contact Us page for the number.
The interest and penalty rates are determined according to Washington State law (see RCW 84.56.020). Payments made without the appropriate interest and penalty cannot be posted to the account and will be returned.
The law allows waiving interest and penalty under the following situations (defined by statute RCW 84.56.025)
Taxpayers are responsible for monitoring their relationship with their mortgage company or tax service. All Snohomish County property tax statements will be sent to the taxpayer/owner.
Read your escrow account statements carefully to verify that taxes are paid current, especially when you have recently purchased your property or refinanced your home.
Occasionally, tax payments collected on refinancing are not forwarded to the Treasurer until April or October.
Errors or delays in payments can be caused by failure to notify the Treasurer in a timely manner of changes in your address or account status.
The method of giving notice for payment of taxes due, notices of delinquency and collection procedures, distribution of taxes to various taxing districts, waiving of interest and penalties and accounting for money collected are explained in statutes within RCW 84.56.
Filing a Satisfaction of Mortgage with the County Auditor does NOT change the name and address on your tax statement.
The Treasurer must be notified. Please see the Name and Address Change Form for more information on Name and Address changes.
All real property taxes are public records and, as such, are available to anyone who inquires. To see the taxes on a property, please use our Property Information inquiry.
If mailed, payment for taxes does NOT have to be in the Treasurer's office by the due date. However, the payment MUST be postmarked by the due dates of April 30th and October 31st. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the filing shall be considered timely if postmarked on the next business day (refer to statute RCW 1.12.070).
Multiple accounts may be paid with one check. Also, multiple checks may be used to pay for one account, but, in any case, the check amount(s) must equal the amount due.
Current year taxes may be paid without paying prior year delinquent taxes.
However, be aware that property is subject to foreclosure if the third delinquent year's taxes are owing in full (refer to statute RCW 84.56.060).
Payments can be made in person by cash, check, credit card or money order; as well as by mailing in checks or money orders or online by credit card. Please see here for all options.