In Philadelphia, your property tax goes to one place: the City’s Department of Revenue, which bills the Real Estate Tax that the City and the School District of Philadelphia both impose [1]. There is one due date a year, and several ways to spread the bill out if you live in the home.
At a glance
- Who collects
- Philadelphia Department of Revenue [1]
- Bills mailed
- Usually December [1]
- Due
- March 31 each year [1]; next is Wednesday, March 31, 2027
- Late
- Additions of 1.5% a month from April 1 [1]
- eCheck online
- Free [2]
- Credit card
- 2.10%, $1.50 minimum [2]
- Monthly plans
- Installment plan, OOPA, deferral [1][3][4][5]
When the bill comes and when it’s due
The Department of Revenue usually mails Real Estate Tax bills in December, and payment is due March 31 [1]. For the 2027 tax year, that’s Wednesday, March 31, 2027. The amount is your taxable assessed value, set by the Office of Property Assessment, times the tax rate [1][6]. If you have a mortgage with an escrow account, your bill can go straight to your mortgage company [1]; check that it was paid.
What paying late costs
If the tax isn’t paid by March 31, the City adds interest and charges it calls additions. They build up at 1.5% a month, starting April 1 and running until January 1 of the next year [1]. If the bill is still unpaid on January 1 [1]:
- a 15% maximum addition is added to the balance;
- the taxes are registered delinquent;
- liens are filed for the full amount, additions included; and
- the City can start the process of selling the home at a sheriff sale.
Ways to pay
| How | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Online, eCheck | Philadelphia Tax Center (tax-services.phila.gov); no login needed | Free |
| Online, credit card | Philadelphia Tax Center, through KUBRA EZ-PAY | 2.10%, $1.50 minimum |
| Online, debit card | Philadelphia Tax Center, through KUBRA EZ-PAY | $3.45 |
| Phone | (833) 913-0795 (English and Spanish) | Same as online |
| Check or money order with the payment voucher to Philadelphia Dept. of Revenue, P.O. Box 8409, Philadelphia, PA 19101-8409 | Postage | |
| In person | Check or money order at one of three municipal service centers; only the Municipal Services Building in Center City takes cash | Fees apply in person |
You can pay as a guest on the Philadelphia Tax Center by searching your address or OPA number, and you can print a payment voucher there too [1][2]. Card payments are processed by KUBRA EZ-PAY; the fee goes to that vendor, not the City [2]. When mailing a check, write the tax type and your account number on it [1].
If you can’t pay the whole bill
| Program | Who | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Tax Installment Plan | Owner-occupants under the income limit; all homeowners 65+ regardless of income | Pay the current year's tax in monthly bills; new applications due by March 31 |
| Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement (OOPA) | Homeowners who live in the home and have past-due taxes | Monthly payment based on household size and income, as low as $0 for some; no down payment |
| Real Estate Tax deferral | Owner-occupants whose tax rose more than 15% from the year before and meets the income test | Pay the increase later, when the home is sold or transferred; at least 2% interest a year and a lien |
Installment plan: this year’s bill, monthly
The Real Estate Tax Installment Plan lets owner-occupants pay the current year’s bill in monthly installments [3]. Every homeowner 65 or older (or with a spouse in the household who is) qualifies regardless of income; everyone else must be under the income limit, for example $42,950 a year for one person or $61,350 for a household of four [3]. New applications must be received by March 31, and you can apply online through the Tax Center’s combined assistance application without a login [3].
If you finish the year’s payments, you’re automatically re-enrolled for the next year, with 11 monthly payments from February through December; Revenue now sends a monthly bill instead of a coupon book [3]. Miss payments and the plan defaults: you’re removed, and everything, including additions, comes due at once [3].
OOPA: past-due taxes, monthly
An Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement spreads out taxes that are already overdue. There’s no down payment [4]. The monthly amount is a share of your household income, from 0% to 10% depending on your tier, and lower tiers get some or all of the interest and penalties waived [4]. The City’s example: a four-person household with $3,100 a month in income pays 8%, or $248 a month, and gets half the interest and all penalties waived [4].
Most people in an OOPA still have to pay each new year’s bill in full by March 31 on top of the agreement; households in the two lowest tiers have new taxes rolled into the agreement automatically [4]. You’ll need two proofs of residency (one a government photo ID) and proof of income [4].
Deferral: when the bill jumps
If your Real Estate Tax goes up by more than 15% from the year before, you may be able to put off paying the increase until the home is sold or transferred [5]. The City charges at least 2% interest a year, and the deferred amount is a lien on the property [5]. Eligibility depends on household income and how large the tax is compared with it [5]; your taxes must be current or in a payment agreement [5].
Who to call
- Your bill, payments and relief programs: Department of Revenue, (215) 686-6442 [6].
- Your assessed value: the Office of Property Assessment; Revenue doesn’t set values [6].
- A home that isn’t in your name (a “tangled title”): SaveYourHomePhilly, (215) 334-4663 [6].
Pennsylvania also runs a Property Tax/Rent Rebate for older and disabled homeowners and renters; see BestPennsylvania’s Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate guide.
Sources
- City of Philadelphia: Real Estate Tax
- City of Philadelphia: How to file and pay City taxes (payment methods and processing fees)
- City of Philadelphia: Set up a Real Estate Tax installment plan
- City of Philadelphia: Set up an Owner-occupied Real Estate Tax payment agreement (OOPA)
- City of Philadelphia: Enroll in the Real Estate Tax deferral program
- City of Philadelphia, Department of Revenue: Learn how to lower your property tax bill ahead of the 2027 valuations (July 20, 2026)
Next steps
PhiladelphiaBest has a business relationship with these companies, and we may earn money if you use them. How we make money
Credit repair company
Credit Saint
If an old debt or another item on your credit report looks wrong, Credit Saint can help you challenge it with the credit bureaus.
You can also dispute errors yourself, for free, with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. No company can legally remove accurate, timely information, and results vary.
Learn about Credit Saint →Free financial app
Bolster
Bolster is a free app for keeping an eye on your credit and building credit history over time.
Check the app's terms for any optional paid features.
See Bolster →Credit monitoring and credit builder
Credit Squad
Credit Squad watches your credit and identity and alerts you to changes. Its credit builder, included with every plan, reports your monthly payment to all three credit bureaus as an on-time installment payment.
Paid monthly subscription; see Credit Squad's site for current plans and terms. Credit building depends on on-time payments, and results vary.
See Credit Squad →Common questions
When is Philadelphia property tax due?
March 31 of each year. The Department of Revenue usually mails Real Estate Tax bills in December, so the 2027 bill arrives in December 2026 and is due Wednesday, March 31, 2027.
What happens if I pay Philadelphia property tax late?
Starting April 1, interest and charges the City calls additions build up at 1.5% a month until January 1 of the next year. If the tax is still unpaid on January 1, a maximum 15% addition is added, the taxes are registered delinquent, liens are filed and the City can start the sheriff sale process.
Is there a fee to pay Philadelphia Real Estate Tax online?
Not by eCheck from a checking or savings account, which is free. A credit card costs 2.10% with a $1.50 minimum and a debit card costs $3.45. The fees go to the City's payment processor, KUBRA EZ-PAY, not to the City.
Can I pay Philadelphia property tax monthly?
Owner-occupants who meet the income limits, and every homeowner 65 or older regardless of income, can use the Real Estate Tax Installment Plan to pay the current year's bill in monthly payments. New applications are due by March 31. Homeowners with past-due taxes can ask for an Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement (OOPA), which has no down payment.