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Sussex County property tax bills due Sept. 30

September 15, 2013

Sussex County reminds property owners that Monday, Sept. 30, is the deadline to pay annual county property tax bills.

Payments can be made in person, online, or sent by mail. Any payments mailed must be postmarked no later than Sept. 30. Payments made Oct. 1 or later will be subject to a 1.5 percent penalty.

In August, the county’s billing office issued tax bills for the 2014 fiscal year, totaling an estimated $112.8 million in revenue. The bills include county property taxes, as well as fees for county sewer and water, tax ditches and street lighting, where applicable.

Additionally, tax bills include local school district taxes, which are collected by the county, but forwarded to the state. Delaware law requires Sussex County to bill property owners for school taxes on behalf of the eight public school districts within the county.

This year’s tax bills feature a new, easier-to-read format to help taxpayers better understand charges and payment options. A sample copy of this year’s bills is available on the County’s website, at www.sussexcountyde.gov/e-service/propertytaxes/ReadingYourTaxBill.pdf.

Also new are changes to how and where payments can be made. For the first time, property owners can make credit card payments in person; that’s in addition to credit card payments that have been accepted online for years. And where customers pay has changed this year, too. The county has consolidated its payment locations into one convenient customer-service center, on the first floor of the County Administrative Offices building in Georgetown.

Sussex County accepts tax payments by cash, check, money order, and debit or credit cards. Taxpayers have different options to make their payments. These include:

• Through lender: Many taxpayers have their annual taxes paid out of escrow accounts by their mortgage lenders. If these taxpayers have any questions regarding the status of their escrow accounts, they should contact their lender.

• Internet: Payment can be made on the Internet, with the use of most major credit cards or by check. Go to www.sussexcountyde.gov/e-service/propertytaxes/ and select “Make a Payment” on the left side for more information. For assistance using the online payment system, select the “Property Tax Portal Tutorial” on the left side of the page to view a short video.

• By mail: Property owners can mail their tax payments using the return envelopes included in their statements. Bills should be addressed to the Sussex County Treasury Division, PO Box 429, Georgetown, DE 19947. All payments sent by mail must be postmarked by Sept. 30 to avoid the 1.5 percent penalty, per month, on unpaid balances.

• In person or by telephone:The county’s payment center is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The office is located on the first floor of the County Administrative Offices building, 2 The Circle, in Georgetown. Tax payments also can be left in the office’s after-hours drop box located in the lobby. For more information, call 302-855-7760.

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