Planning on moving to Charlotte in Mecklenburg County and even buying a home? If so, congratulations on this exciting time in your life! Before you jump in, you’ll need to understand all the nuts and bolts of property tax. Considering it works differently in every city, the concept of property taxes can easily be confusing and overwhelming.
To make it easier for you, we’ve put together this complete guide that tells you everything you need to know about Mecklenburg County property taxes. Regarding real property, you’ll learn about how to pay or lower your tax bill, due dates, exemptions, the average property tax, and much more!
Table of Contents
Mecklenburg County Property Taxes
Interestingly enough, the United States hadn’t adopted the tax systems until the 18th century. Up until now, the property tax rate for home buyers is determined by each individual district, local government, and state. While there is no state property tax in the state of North Carolina, it is completely in the hands of the local government to determine property tax rates. In other words, the property taxes in the state are solely locally assessed tax that is collected by the counties.
On average, homeowners in North Carolina pay property taxes that are below the national average by .38%. However, Mecklenburg County has property tax rates that are relatively high. In fact, the county is in the top 25% of counties in the United States ranked by property tax collections. Property taxes remain Charlotte and Mecklenburg County’s largest revenue source.
If you’re interested in more information regarding an overview of property tax in Mecklenburg County, visit the North Carolina Department of Revenue.
Curious how property taxes work in Mecklenburg County? First of all, having a clear understanding of what property tax is is a big plus. Property tax is also known as an ad valorem tax. This is what an owner has to pay based on the value of the property being taxed. The amount of tax you pay is determined by a tax applied to your property’s assessed value.
The three steps to real property taxation in Mecklenburg County are:
- Establishing tax rates
- Evaluating market value
- Bringing in the tax
As appointed by Mecklenburg County’s Board of County Commissioners, the county assessor and tax collector are responsible for collecting your Mecklenburg County property taxes. The county commissioners set the tax rate based on its budgetary requirements and taxable base. These tax laws have duties and responsibilities established by the Revenue and Taxation Code, State Constitution, Probate Code, Government Code, and county ordinances.
Mecklenburg County Assessor/Collector
When it comes to listing, appraisal, and assessment of your property, Mecklenburg County Assessor, Ken Joyner, is the person in charge. The Mecklenburg County Assessor has the duties of:
- Finds the fair market value of your property
- Analyzes trends in sales prices, construction costs, and rents to estimate the value of all assessable property
- Keeps track of ownership changes
- Maintains maps of parcel boundaries
- Keeps descriptions of building and property characteristics up to date
- Keeps track of individuals and properties eligible for exemptions and other forms of property tax relief
Within Mecklenburg County, the taxable value of your property is determined by the County Assessor. In other words, the Mecklenburg County property taxes are determined through your home’s assessment value– the cash or market value at time of transfer.
To determine market value, the North Carolina General Statute 105-286 requires all counties to conduct a property revaluation at least every eight years. To ensure the property tax burden is spread fairly among all taxpayers, revaluations reset property tax values to their current market value- fair market value. The last Mecklenburg revaluation was in 2019.
Keep in mind that assessed value is also known as taxable value. Mecklenburg County has an assessed value of 100%– so all your property’s value is subject to tax.
Mecklenburg County Tax Assessor/Collector’s Office
- Email the assessor of Mecklenburg County
- Phone number: 980-314-4226
- Office hours: Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Office location: Valerie Woodard Center, 3205 Freedom Drive – Suite 3500, Charlotte, NC 28208
Mecklenburg County Treasurer/Tax Collector
Property taxes in Mecklenburg County are advertised, processed, maintained, billed, and collected by the Office of the Tax Collector whereas Neal Dixon is the director.
The Mecklenburg County Treasurer/Tax Collector is responsible for:
- Receiving, safeguarding, and investing county, school, and special district funds
- Collecting taxes and revenues
- Administering estates for county residents when required as a public administrator
- Administer conservatorships for county residents when required as public guardian
Mecklenburg County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office
- Phone number: 704-336-7600
- Office hours: Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Office location: Valerie C. Woodard Center, 3205 Freedom Drive, Suite 3000, Charlotte, NC 28208
Mecklenburg County Property Tax Rate
The median property tax In Mecklenburg County, North Carolina is $1,945. Mecklenburg County has a current tax rate of $.6169 per $100 of assessed value. Likewise, the city of Charlotte has a tax rate of $0.3481 per $100 of assessed value ($0.9650 combined with the Mecklenburg County rate).
The average effective property tax rate in Mecklenburg County is 1.05%. This amount is the maximum average percentage of a property’s value paid annually in taxes.
The property tax in Mecklenburg County is calculated by dividing the value of your property by 100 and then multiplying by 0.6169. For example, if you have a $200,000 house, your annual County tax bill will be $1,233.80.
There are several Mecklenburg County tax tools you can use to learn more information regarding your property. Do you currently own or are considering purchasing a home in Mecklenburg County? If so, take a look at this Mecklenburg County property tax calculator.
Important laws in Mecklenburg County that limit property tax increases and assessments must comply with Article V, Sec. 2(5) of the Constitution of North Carolina. The laws include Proposition 4, Proposition 13, Proposition 111, and Proposition 218.
Mecklenburg County Property Tax
County property tax, municipality property tax, and Single Family Solid Waste Fees are the three factors that go into your bill. Everyone in Mecklenburg County has different total taxes due to their specific location. Depending on where you live, additional property taxes will be added to your bill based on the municipality, fire departments, the school district, and other special taxing authorities.
Based on the GIS Polaris, we entered the address of a single-family home in order to provide an example of the property information you can find. This home has a property tax value of $315,400- so let’s figure out how much they owe in property taxes this year!
First, let’s take a look at what millage rates are. Property taxes are assessed in the unit called mills. In North Carolina, one mil equals one-hundredth of a dollar or, put another way, you pay $1 mil for every $100 of assessed value. The number of mills is your millage rate.
Now, let’s calculate mills and property tax of the home with a property tax value of $315,400:
County- Mecklenburg County
- Assessed taxable value: $315,400
- Divide by 100
- Taxable value (mil) = $3,154
- Multiply with the local county tax rate of 1.05
- Property tax owed: $1,945.70
Municipality- Charlotte
- Assessed taxable value: $315,400
- Divide by 100
- Taxable value (mil) =$3,154
- Multiply with local municipality tax rate of 0.3481
- Property tax owed: $1,097.91
Once you add the two together, you’ll find that his home is expected to pay $3,043.61 for property taxes in 2022 (not including the $125.56 in waste fees).
Wondering how to figure out the amount of taxes based on the tax rate?– it’s simple. For example, let’s look at the city of Charlotte in Mecklenburg County.
- Fire District Tax Rates: 0.0667
- Police District Tax Rates: 0.1781
From there, we can figure out each category’s total amount of taxes:
- Fire District Tax Rates: $6.67
- Police District Tax Rates: $17.81
Mecklenburg County Property Taxes by District
Between all the county and city tax rates, school district taxes, and special tax districts, the county has numerous different tax rates.
The Mecklenburg County combined tax rate for 2021/2022 is 0.6169. However, there are individual jurisdictions (city) taxes and some areas are in a special tax district as well. Here is a chart of the most recent data regarding the property tax rates by jurisdictions in Mecklenburg County:
The combined property tax rates in the jurisdictions are a combination of the Mecklenburg County (unincorporated county) tax rate and the jurisdictions themselves such as the city of Charlotte. This can be seen below:
The jurisdictions with the highest and lowest tax rates are:
- Highest: City of Charlotte: 0.3481
- Lowest: City of Stallings: 0.215
Mecklenburg County Property Tax Payments – Due Dates & How to Pay Your Tax Bill
How to Make Mecklenburg County Property Tax Payments
Curious when you’ll receive your annual secured property tax bills in Mecklenburg County? Mecklenburg County property tax bills are issued and mailed by the Office of the Tax Collector on or by July 28, 2022.
After you’ve received your tax bill, there are four recommended ways how to pay your property tax bills in Mecklenburg County.
- Online: You can pay your Mecklenburg County property taxes online by visiting the Mecklenburg County Tax Collector Website and locating your bill. Here, credit card and ACH (E-Check) payments can be made. Keep in mind that there is no service fee for eCheck transactions whereas a service fee of 2.35% or a minimum of $1.95 will be charged for credit or debit cards.
- By Phone: Call 1-800-994-1026 to make a Mecklenburg County property tax payment by phone. Bills can be paid by phone 24/7.
- By Mail: You can mail a check to Neal Dixon, Mecklenburg County Tax Collector. If you’re paying your Mecklenburg County property tax by mail, send the tax payments to the following address:
Without Tax Bill Coupon Stub:
Mecklenburg County Tax Collector
P.O. Box 31457
Charlotte, NC 28231-1457
With Tax Bill Coupon Stub:
Mecklenburg County Tax Collector
P.O. Box 71063
Charlotte, NC 28272 -1063
- In Person: If you want to pay your Mecklenburg Property tax in person, here is the address to visit:
Valerie C. Woodard Center
3205 Freedom Drive
Suite 3000
Charlotte, NC 28208
The office is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. They accept cash, money orders, or checks.
Mecklenburg County Delinquent Property Tax Penalties
September 1st is the property tax due date in Mecklenburg County. There is a second billing on October 26th for properties not billed in July. January 5th is the last day to pay taxes without interest whereas the taxes become delinquent and take on a 2% interest on January 6th. For each month thereafter, an interest charge of 3/4% is assessed.
Wondering what the consequences are of delinquent property taxes in Mecklenburg County? Well, if you fail to pay by January 6th, the property becomes tax defaulted which results in additional costs and penalties. These can include seizure and sale of personal property, seizure of state income tax refunds, and foreclosure of real estate.
If you’re a homeowner, veteran, impoverished, or disabled individual, you may qualify for Mecklenburg County property tax programs, payment plans, or tax exemptions.
Mecklenburg County Property Search/Tax Records
After entering your parcel #, house #, street name, or unit # into the Mecklenburg County Property Tax System or the North Carolina Property Tax Records Search, you’ll find information regarding current ownership, legal property description, mailing address, property values, land use, building details, tax bills, sales, deeds, directions, and street maps.
The Polaris 3G tax tool from the county’s government website will direct you to a Mecklenburg County property map– a free interactive search tool. This will inform you of the tax bill number, the amount of property taxes you owe, the parcel number if needed, assessment history, and payment history. You can search by address, parcel #, owner name, or landmark.
Mecklenburg County Property Tax Exemptions
Do you think you qualify for a Mecklenburg County Property tax exemption? Applications for exceptions or reliefs must be submitted to the Mecklenburg County Assessor’s Office. Below are a few different types of tax exemptions in Mecklenburg County:
- Low-Income Homestead Exclusion or Disabled Tax Deferral: This is a Mecklenburg County property tax homeowner exemption. You can qualify for an exclusion of the property’s taxable value of either $25,000 or 50%.
- Disabled Veterans Homestead Exclusion: This is a Mecklenburg County property tax exemption for veterans. For a permanent residence by a qualifying owner, North Carolina excludes from property taxes the first $45,000 of assessed value.
Mecklenburg County Property Tax Appeals
If you disagree with your assessed value, you must file a formal appeal to the Mecklenburg County Board of Equalization. You must also complete a separate form supplied by the County Assessor’s Office for each parcel placed under appeal. Keep in mind that this appeal must be filed with the County Assessor’s Office no later than the Board’s adjournment in the tax year.
Here are the locations of the Assessor’s Office:
Valerie Woodard Center
3205 Freedom Drive – Suite 3500
Charlotte, NC 28208
The phone number is 980-314-4226.
Mecklenburg County Property Tax FAQ
What are the Mecklenburg County property tax due dates?
The property tax due date in Mecklenburg County is September 1st. You must pay taxes by January 5th. If you still haven’t paid your taxes by January 6th, the taxes become delinquent and take on a 2% interest. For each month the late taxes are unpaid, there is an interest charge of 3/4%.
How can I pay my property taxes in Mecklenburg County?
You can pay your Mecklenburg County property taxes in several different ways.
- Online: Visit the Mecklenburg County Tax Collector’s website
- By phone: Call 1-800-994-1026
- By mail: Mail to Mecklenburg County Tax Collector, P.O. Box 31457, Charlotte, NC 28231-1457
- In-person: Visit Valerie C. Woodard Center, 3205 Freedom Drive, Suite 3000, Charlotte, NC 28208
Online banking (not recommended): Contact your financial institution to set up electronic payments.
Where can I look up my property taxes for Mecklenburg County?
For Mecklenburg County property tax lookup, you can use the following tools:
- Mecklenburg County Property Tax System: a tool that provides, mailing address, current ownership, property values, legal property description, building details, land use, sales, tax bills, and street maps.
- Polaris 3G: Mecklenburg County property tax map that provides the amount of property taxes you owe, tax bill number, parcel number, assessment history, and payment history.
- North Carolina Property Tax Records Search: tool that provides property classification, number and type of rooms, recent sales, year built, square footage, lot size, and property tax valuation assessment.
Now that you have a better understanding of Mecklenburg County property taxes, are you ready to move to the area? When you’re ready to begin the relocation process, Make a Move is here to give you a stress-free move. Our professionally-trained team of experts are ready to transfer you to your new home! Give Make a Move a call at 704-378-8588 today!
