Getting behind on your property taxes

You usually have to pay your property taxes once at the beginning of the year and once in the middle of the year. Officially these are your “real estate taxes” or “real property taxes,” and they help pay for local schools and services.

How much you owe depends on the value of your property. But what happens if you get behind paying your property taxes?

Contact your county treasurer

Your county treasurer collects property taxes, and if you can’t pay everything you owe, it’s important to contact your county treasurer right away. Find contact information for your county treasurer on this page under "Local Government and Community Resources."

Take these steps when you work with the treasurer’s office:

• Ask for help. Explain that you can’t pay your full property tax bill and you want to understand your options.
• Set up a payment plan, if possible. If you qualify, you may be able to enter an agreement with the treasurer for a reasonable plan to pay your taxes.
• Pay as much as you can. If you can’t make full payments, make partial payments. This can help reduce the penalties or interest you could face later.
• Stay on schedule. Try to stay current on your plan and make payments on time. If you know you won’t be able to make a payment, contact your treasurer’s office as soon as possible. If you a miss a payment, your payment plan may be canceled, or you may need to enter into a new agreement with the treasurer.
• Open your mail. You may receive important certified letters, regular-mail letters or email from the county. Don’t ignore this information.

Work with the treasurer’s office to discuss your options. Paying smaller amounts over a longer time may help you avoid extra costs and penalties. 

What happens if you don’t pay property taxes

If you don’t pay your property taxes:

• Your costs go up. Interest and penalties continue to add up the longer the taxes go unpaid.
• You risk losing your home to foreclosure. Foreclosure is the legal process your county can use to take your home if you don’t pay property taxes. Even if you don’t have a mortgage, or the house you live in was paid in full, you still have to pay property taxes. Otherwise, you could end up in tax foreclosure.
• You could be forced out if you’re living in someone else’s house. If you live in a house that belongs to someone else, like a family member or friend, property taxes still must be paid. This is true even if the title to the house is in the other person’s name and the mortgage is paid off. If no one pays the property taxes, you could eventually be forced out.
• Your tax debt may be sold. Some counties in Ohio sell tax debt. This is called a “tax lien sale.” If your tax debt is sold, someone else has a legal claim against your property and could eventually force you out.

Help with property taxes

Some programs may be able to help you with your taxes, such as:

• Property tax payment help. Your county may have money available to help you pay your property taxes. You can find your county provider at Save the Dream Ohio.
• Homestead exemption. If you have a permanent, total disability or if you are 65 or older with a low income, you may qualify for a tax credit called the “homestead exemption.” It can help reduce the amount of property taxes you owe. You also may qualify if you are a military veteran with a disability or if your spouse was a public service officer killed in the line of duty.
• Payment extension for active-duty military. If you are an active-duty military member or spouse, you may be able to extend the time you have to pay your property taxes. You can find more information about this right in Ohio law under Ohio Revised Code 323.122. 
• Delinquent tax contract. You usually get at least one chance to enter into an agreement called a delinquent tax contract with your county treasurer. You agree to make regular payments over a longer period of time.

Contact your county treasurer to learn about other options that may be able to help you pay your property taxes.

If your taxes are “certified delinquent”

Late property taxes may be certified delinquent. This means:

• You risk foreclosure. If you don’t pay your property taxes within 60 days of the date that they are certified delinquent, your case could be sent to the county prosecutor to start the foreclosure process.
• Your costs go up. Interest and penalties continue to add up the longer the taxes go unpaid.
• Your property is put on a public list. The county auditor puts out a public list called the “delinquent land list and duplicate.” It lists properties with late taxes and how much is due.
• You can stay in your home. Certified delinquent doesn’t mean your home is being taken away. Eventually, you could be forced out in a tax foreclosure, but that could take several months or more than a year. Stay in your home unless it’s sold and you’re told to leave.
• You should ask about a delinquent tax contract. In most cases, you get at least one chance to enter an agreement called a “delinquent tax contract” with your county treasurer. You make payments over time, such as a few years. If you miss a payment, the contract will be canceled, unless the treasurer decides to give you another chance.

You can find information about delinquent tax contracts in Ohio law under Ohio Revised Code 323.31.

If there’s a tax lien

A tax lien is a legal claim against your property. Some Ohio counties sell property tax debt – called a tax lien or tax certificate sale. This means someone else could buy your tax debt and eventually force you out through a tax foreclosure.

Take these steps to find out if there is a tax lien against your property:

• Open your mail. Check your mail, whether it’s sent by regular mail, email, certified mail or another way. You may be contacted by the county or a company that buys the tax lien.
• Accept certified mail. You may get a green-colored card saying the mail service has tried to deliver certified mail to you. Check the card and follow up by getting the mail.
• Contact your county treasurer. Your treasurer can tell you whether there are tax liens against your property and who owns the liens.

Here’s what to know if there is a tax lien:

• There is a legal claim against your property. It can be used to collect what you owe.
• Your costs go up. Having a lien on your property can increase the amount you owe.
• It can be harder to sell. A lien makes it harder to sell the property later.
• Stay in your home. A tax lien doesn’t mean your home is being taken right away. Eventually, you could be forced out in a tax foreclosure, but that could take several months or more than a year. You can stay in your home until it’s sold at a foreclosure auction, in most cases.
• Find out if you qualify for help. Your county may have money available to help you pay your property taxes. You can learn more and find your county provider at Save the Dream Ohio.

Tax foreclosure

Tax foreclosure is the legal process your county can use to take your home if you don’t pay your property taxes. It can happen faster than the normal foreclosure process, so don’t wait to act.

The process starts when the county prosecutor or a debt buyer files a foreclosure complaint against you. You will be served with a copy of the complaint.

If a foreclosure complaint is filed against you:

• Stay in your home. You have the right to stay in your home while the foreclosure process is ongoing. You don’t have to leave until your house is sold at a foreclosure auction. That could be months or over a year after the foreclosure court case starts.
• Talk to a lawyer. Defending yourself from foreclosure can be complicated. Find a lawyer for legal advice or representation if you can. You can find organizations that can connect you with a lawyer or other legal help on this page under “Legal Help and Lawyers.” If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may be able to get help from your local legal aid.
• File a foreclosure answer. An “answer” is your response to the foreclosure complaint filed against you. You must file an answer with the court within 28 days. This is true even if your foreclosure has been suspended or you are talking to your county about other options. If you do not file an answer, you will lose your home.
• To file an answer, fill out this form and take it to your clerk of court's office. You can find your clerk of courts on this page under "Local Government and Community Resources.” 
• Find out if you qualify for help. You may be able to get financial assistance with your property taxes. Visit Save the Dream Ohio to learn more and to find your county provider.

If a foreclosure goes through against you, the sheriff is allowed to come in and force you out.

Learn more about the tax foreclosure timeline in Ohio.