Patrick's Quick Answer
In Texas, property taxes are due by January 31 each year and become delinquent on February 1 (Texas Tax Code Section 31.02, via the Texas Comptroller, accessed November 2, 2026). If you pay through a mortgage escrow, your lender collects roughly one-twelfth of the estimated bill with each monthly payment and pays the tax office when the bill comes due, usually in January or February. At closing, taxes are prorated between seller and buyer based on the closing date, so each side pays for the time they own the home. Ask Patrick how property taxes will affect your payment.
Texas property taxes are due by January 31 each year and become delinquent on February 1. To be timely, your payment must be postmarked on or before January 31, and if that date falls on a weekend, the deadline moves to the next business day (Texas Tax Code Section 31.02, via the Texas Comptroller, accessed November 2, 2026).
For most homebuyers the due date is handled for you: a mortgage escrow collects roughly one-twelfth of the estimated annual tax bill with each monthly payment, and the servicer pays the county when the bill arrives. The bill you are paying covers the previous year, because Texas property taxes are paid in arrears.
The statewide deadline: January 31
Texas property taxes are due by January 31 each year and become delinquent on February 1. To be timely, your payment must be postmarked on or before January 31, and if that date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day (Texas Tax Code Section 31.02, via the Texas Comptroller, accessed November 2, 2026).
What it means: the tax year and the payment year are different. The bill you pay this winter covers the previous year, because Texas property taxes are paid in arrears, and January 31 is the end of the payment window, not the start.
The exception worth knowing: if your tax bill is mailed after January 10, the delinquency date is postponed so you get at least 21 days to pay (Texas Comptroller, accessed November 2, 2026). The appraisal district's bill shows the exact delinquency date for your property, so read the date on the statement, not the calendar.
What happens if you pay late?
Unpaid Texas property taxes accrue a 6 percent penalty plus 1 percent interest beginning February 1, and the penalty grows to a maximum of 12 percent by July 1 (Texas Comptroller, accessed November 2, 2026). The longer a bill sits unpaid, the stronger the collection tools the tax office gains.
The consequence: a $5,000 tax bill left unpaid past February 1 costs $300 in penalty immediately, plus 1 percent interest, and the penalty keeps climbing through the year. Interest continues to accrue on top of the unpaid principal.
Check the official source: the county or appraisal district tax statement shows the penalty and interest owed to date. If you bought with an escrow account, the servicer is responsible for on-time payment, so a late penalty on an escrowed loan is a servicing issue to raise with your lender immediately.
How does escrow pay your Texas property taxes?
With a mortgage escrow account, your lender or servicer collects roughly one-twelfth of the estimated annual tax bill with each monthly payment, holds it in escrow, and pays the county tax office when the bill comes due, typically in January or February.
The money flow: because Texas taxes are paid in arrears, the escrow payment you make this year covers last year's taxes. The monthly total can change when the tax bill changes, which is why the servicer recalculates the escrow payment each year and explains any shortage or surplus in the annual escrow disclosure.
Check by address: the exact monthly escrow amount appears on your Loan Estimate, your Closing Disclosure, and your annual escrow statement from the servicer. The tax amount itself is set by the appraisal district, so verify the current assessed value and exemptions for your property with your county's tax office.
Who pays property taxes at closing in Texas?
At closing, property taxes are prorated between seller and buyer based on the closing date. Because Texas taxes are paid in arrears, the seller has occupied the home for part of the current tax year without yet paying the bill, so the seller credits the buyer for the seller's portion of the year up to closing (Daughtrey Law, accessed November 2, 2026).
What it means for your cash to close: that seller credit is a line item that usually lowers what the buyer brings to closing, because the buyer will pay the full annual bill when it comes due later. If you are paying cash or skipping escrow, mark January 31 on your calendar and pay the bill yourself on time.
Check your Closing Disclosure: the proration appears as a seller credit or a split line, and the settlement agent can show you the exact day count behind it. The calculation follows your contract, not a rule of thumb, so review that line before you sign.
When are Bexar County, San Antonio, and Hill Country taxes due?
Bexar County, which bills and collects for the City of San Antonio and 81 separate taxing units, sends tax bills in October. Payment is due by January 31 and becomes delinquent February 1 (Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector Property Tax FAQ, accessed November 2, 2026).
Check by address: the same January 31 deadline applies across Texas, but the amount, the taxing units, and the postmark instructions vary by county. For Comal and Guadalupe counties, where Spring Branch, Bulverde, New Braunfels, and Cibolo sit, look up the property by address or tax ID at the county appraisal district to see its exact bill.
The buyer angle: knowing the tax stack before you buy is part of the affordability math, because school district, city, county, and special districts all add up. Patrick runs the property tax number by address for every buyer, because the tax bill sets the escrow payment, which sets the real monthly cost.
How to check your exact bill and deadline
Your tax bill comes from the county appraisal district, not your lender. To see the exact amount, due date, and taxing units for a specific property, search by address or owner name on the appraisal district's website.
The method: in Bexar County use the Bexar Appraisal District, in Comal County use the Comal Appraisal District, and in Guadalupe County use the Guadalupe Appraisal District. The bill also shows the homestead and other exemptions on file, so confirming they are applied is the fastest way to lower the amount you owe.
The next step: if a homestead exemption is not on file and you occupy the home, apply with the appraisal district; each district sets its application window, so check the official source for your county. If you believe the assessed value is too high, the protest deadline is printed on the notice, and the appeal window is fixed, so read the dates on the bill.
Ask Patrick about property taxes
Get a straight answer on Texas property tax deadlines, escrow payments, and what you will owe at closing.
