Alexandria’s First Half Real Estate Tax Due Wednesday, June 15

2011 first half Real Estate Tax and Refuse Fee payments due on Wednesday, June 15.
Late payment penalty and interest will be assessed on all accounts not paid by the due date.
The City encourages taxpayers to avoid waiting in line by using one of the alternate payment methods described below.

June 8, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The City of Alexandria reminds property owners that the first half 2011 Real Estate Tax and Refuse Fee payments are on due on Wednesday, June 15. To avoid a late payment penalty and interest, payment must be received by the City or postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service no later than June 15.

If you have not received a bill in the mail and do not have your real estate tax paid by your mortgage company, contact the City’s Treasury Division at payments (at) alexandriava (dot) gov, or call 703.746.3902 to request a duplicate bill. Property owners who have refinanced in the past year may wish to verify that their current mortgage company has received their real estate tax bill. Failure to receive a tax bill is not grounds for waiving the late payment penalty and interest or extending the June 15 due date.
In accordance with City Code, late payment penalty and interest will be assessed on all real estate taxes and refuse fees that are not paid or postmarked by the due date. The late payment penalty is ten percent of the tax and refuse fee or $10, whichever is greater. Interest accrues at an annual rate of ten percent for the first year and five percent for each year thereafter, beginning June 16, 2011, and continuing until the entire outstanding balance is paid.  The Code of Virginia does not allow for waiver of tax, penalty or interest due to inability to pay.

The Finance Department urges Alexandria property owners to avoid waiting in line by using one of the other convenient methods for paying the real estate tax:

Pay at Walk-In Cash Payment Centers. Global Express Bill Payment Centers allow cash payment of City parking tickets and some City taxes.  This free service offers residents the convenience of making payments at 50 Northern Virginia locations, including Shoppers Food and Pharmacy Stores.  A complete list of locations is available on the City’s website.  A City tax bill or parking ticket is required for payment at these locations.
Pay by eCheck online to have the payment electronically deducted from a specified checking or savings account. To pay by eCheck, visit alexandriava.gov/payments. There is no fee for using this service.
Pay through the City’s “Real Estate Tax History Search and Pay” online service by visiting alexandriava.gov/realestatetax and clicking on “Real Estate Tax History and Payments” in the content list at the top of the page. This program allows property owners to verify current and prior year real estate taxes and to pay real estate taxes by eCheck or credit card.

Pay by Automatic Bank Debit. Real estate tax payments can be automatically deducted from a specified checking or savings account in monthly installments, or in two equal installments on each of the semi-annual tax due dates. There is no fee for using this service. However, property owners must register at least 14 days before the desired debits are to take effect. Failure to enroll for the lump sum payment option by June 1 may result in a late payment penalty if the tax is not paid by Wednesday, June 15. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/payments or contact the Treasury Division.

Pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) by phone by calling 1.800.272.9829 or online at alexandriava.gov/payments. Official Payments Corporation will assess a fee for using this service. The City’s jurisdiction code is 1007.

Pay by mail using the envelope enclosed with the bill or mail payment to the Treasurer’s Office, P.O. Box 34750, Alexandria, VA 22334-0750. Please make check or money order payable to the City of Alexandria. Also, please be sure to include the bill and write the account number(s) in the memo field of the check or money order. Returned checks are subject to a $35 fee in accordance with state law. Please do not mail payments to any other address.

Pay at any SunTrust Bank branch located in the City by 5 p.m. on June 15. SunTrust will only accept payment of the total amount printed on the real estate tax bill. There is no fee for this service.  A City tax bill is required for payment at SunTrust Bank.

A payment drop box is located on the Royal Street side of City Hall. To be considered on-time, payments must be in the drop box by midnight on the due date. Please be sure to include the bill and write the account number(s) in the memo field of the check or money order. Returned checks are subject to a $35 fee in accordance with state law. For your protection, please do not submit cash.

Pay in person at the Treasury Division, City Hall, 301 King St., Room 1510, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Tax bills may be paid in person by cash, check, or Discover Card. Discover will assess a fee for using this service.

Property owners with a new mailing address or who have questions concerning assessments or appeals should contact the Department of Real Estate Assessments at realestate (at) alexandriava (dot) gov, or call 703.746.4646 to ensure that all future bills and correspondence are mailed to the correct address.
For more information on real estate tax, please visit alexandriava.gov/realestatetax. For information on payments, late payment penalty and interest, contact the Treasury Division or view the Alexandria Tax Guide at alexandriava.gov/taxguide.