Property taxes are charges or levies imposed by the local government for upkeep, infrastructure improvement, and educational purposes. They are the city of Toronto's primary revenue stream, comprising nearly 33% of the overall operating budget. To avoid paying high interest on property tax, paying all your property tax payments is important to avoid any property tax penalty.
What are the Penalty, Interest and Fee Charges for Late Payments?
The city takes legal action to recover unpaid property taxes. The Toronto Municipal Code's Chapter 767 governs the procedure for tax collection of outstanding property taxes. Following the City of Toronto Act of 2006, property tax penalties and interest rates are determined by city bylaws. The following are the property tax payments penalty charges and rules applied to late property tax penalties -
- On the first day of delinquency and the first day of each subsequent month, as long as taxes or charges are not paid, late payment tax penalties are applied to all delinquent payment taxes at a rate of 1.25%.
- Tax penalties and interest charges cannot be waived or changed on overdue balances.
- Additionally, if taxes are unpaid, fees could be levied.
- The oldest unpaid amount is paid off first when payments are made.
Arrangements for Payment and Collection Issue
If you need information on your property tax balance or may have a query regarding your tax account, call 311 for all your enquiries. The line is open from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am. to 4:30 pm.
Accounts Assigned to Bailiff
For payment solutions, get in touch with the Bailiff company if your account is with a collecting firm or a Bailiff. Property tax payments must be made to the Bailiff firm; the city cannot collect fees. For assistance, email [email protected] if you are a property owner with a tax account in the pre-registration or registration category.
Real Estate Tax Account Statement
Property tax accounts with past-due payments obtain property tax statements for their accounts. Property tax statements are sent via mail for the first and last billing cycles.
Interim
- The property tax statement is free of charge for January 1, with a balance from December 31.
- Before the March 31 tax deadline.
- Before the May 31 tax deadline.
Final
- Before the tax filing deadline in July.
- Before the September deadline for filing taxes.
Note - A statement of accounts fee is counted into the property tax account. It is necessary to pay the past-due payment immediately.
Collection Letter and Contact Number
Property tax payments must be submitted by the deadline to prevent interest and penalty fees. Property owners with unpaid fees or debts may be notified. In addition, property owners must pay their property taxes or contact the city if they have any queries regarding the property tax account.
Final Notice Alert
Final notices are sent out when previous efforts to process payments have been unsuccessful. The property owner has 21 days to pay after sending a final notice. The property/real estate tax account is turned over to a Bailiff if the payment is incomplete.
For Residential Property Owners -
- A final notice is sent out in April for accounts with an outstanding balance from a prior year.
- The beginning of May is when accounts are given to a Bailiff.
For Non-Residential Property Owners -
- A final notice is sent out in November if an account has a current year's overdue amount.
- A Bailiff receives accounts at the start of January of the following year.
- A final notice fee is imposed on the property tax account.
Property Tax Fees
The table below entails property tax fees, effective as of January 1, 2023.
Description | Fee Amount |
Mortgage Business Administration Fee – Bi-annual invoices will be sent for the fee for mortgage business administration for each property tax account (interim and final bills). | $11.58 |
Payment Re-Distribution Fee – When an electronic payment is made to the wrong account, a request to re-distribute funds must be submitted. | $48.97 |
Pre-Authorized Tax Payment Program Reinstatement Fee | $28.39 |
Reprint tax bill – For a request for the reprint of a bill | $20.81 |
The fees mentioned below may be subject to change as and when the city council determines the 2023 tax and rate budget in February.
Description | Fee Amount |
Current Year Tax Receipt – Per request. | No charge |
Dishonoured Cheque Processing (NSF) – Processing a cheque returned by a bank or financial institution for reasons such as insufficient funds available in the bank account upon the cheque drawn. | $40 per cheque and payment |
Final Notice Fee – For overdue property tax accounts. | $25.09 per notice |
Municipal Charges added to the tax roll - Any unpaid fee levied by the City or Agency for a service or product requested by a City division or Agency other than the Revenue Services and added to the tax roll for collection purposes. | $59.61 |
Setting up fee for a new property tax account | $76.78 |
Issuance Notice to Bailiff | $66.80 |
Overdue utility amounts added to the tax roll (Transfer to Tax Notice) | $41.70 |
Ownership Change Fee on a property tax account. | $41.70 |
Ownership Change Fee on tax and utility accounts for the same property when requested simultaneously. | $59.61 combined fee per property |
Payment by debit card using PayIt (MyToronto Pay) | The lesser of 1.5% and the amount that card brands are allowed to charge users |
Payment by credit card using PayIt (MyToronto Pay) | The lesser of 2.35% and the amount that card brands are allowed to charge users |
Prior Year Tax Receipt | $19.15 per year and account |
Refund Fee – If a property tax account has a sum due from an overpayment or credit balance that has not been the result of City of Toronto-initiated action and has been there for more than two years, a user fee will be applied to process the application for a tax refund. | $41.70 per transaction or refund |
Refund or Transfer Credit Balance Status Fee – A charge for qualified professionals working on the taxpayer's behalf and requesting information about the refund transfer credit balance. | $41.70 per request |
Statement of Accounts – (Overdue Tax Notices) A statement other than the annual statement delivered in January. Taxpayers can fulfil their tax liabilities by notifying the IRS of unpaid taxes totalling more than $100. | $19.15 per statement |
Tax Apportionment Application – If each parcel of land may be legally transferred under the Planning Act separately, an application as per section 322 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, for the allocation of unpaid taxes from parcel(s) of land to numerous newly created parcels of land. | $59.61 per application |
Tax Calculation Statement – A document describing the methodology used to determine annual property taxes for each commercial, industrial, and multi-residential property, including any capping, claw-back, or other modifications. | $59.61 per tax account per tax year |
Tax Certificate – A tax statement provided by the city's treasurer following Section 317 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, listing all amounts owed. | $72.98 per certificate |
Tax History Statement – A listing of each transaction made during a given tax year in a property tax account from 2005 till the current year. | $41.70 per tax account per tax year |
Tax Status Verification – A statement addressed to a financial company for mortgage requirements, letting them know whether or not the property taxes owed on a specific tax account are paid. | $29.81 per tax account |
*Charges are subject to change and are evaluated yearly as part of the budgeting process.
Tax Arrears Issued to Bailiff
When property owners neglect the final notice, tax accounts are handed over to the Bailiff. The property owner receives an issuance notice to Bailiff in the mail that specifies which property has been given to the Bailiff, the amount still owed, and the requirement that all additional payments be paid directly to the Bailiff.
Residential Property Owners
- Accounts having an unpaid balance of $100 or more from the prior year are handed to a Bailiff.
Non-Residential Property Owners
- A Bailiff is responsible for non-residential property owners' accounts with unpaid tax amounts.
- The property tax account receives a Notice of Issuance to Bailiff Fee.
Land Sales via Public Bidding
If any accounts are delinquent and no adequate payment alternatives are obtained, a Sale of Land by Public Tender shall follow as per the City of Toronto Act, 2006. Legal action is initiated when taxes have not been paid for a minimum of two years.
Procedure
- The city records a Tax Arrears Certificate on the property's title.
- Debt holders get one year from the Tax Arrears Certificate's registration date to pay the cancellation amount, including all assessed and unpaid taxes and any interest earned, property tax penalty, and fees.
- The treasurer must sell the property if payment is not received within that year or an extension agreement is not signed.