Los Angeles County: 2.4 million property tax bills mailed, first installment due today, 10% penalty after December 10

Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector Elizabeth Buenrostro Ginsberg announced on October 1 that the county would mail about 2.4 million 2026-27 annual secured property tax bills to owners on the tax roll on or before today, November 1 — the due date for the first installment. Bills are paid in two installments, and owners should note the difference between the due date and the delinquency date: missing the due date alone does not trigger the penalty; the delinquency date is what matters.

Two installments and the penalties

The first installment is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after close of business on Thursday, December 10, when state law imposes a 10% penalty. The second installment is due February 1, 2027, and becomes delinquent after close of business on Monday, April 12, 2027, with the same 10% penalty plus a $10 cost — April 12 rather than the usual April 10 because April 10, 2027 falls on a Saturday and the law extends the date to the next business day. Mailed checks count by their USPS postmark, which must be on or before the delinquency date, and under the Revenue and Taxation Code, failure to receive a bill does not relieve an owner of the duty to pay on time.

The cheapest way to pay online

Payments can be made at the county Property Tax Portal, propertytax.lacounty.gov: electronic checks are free, and online payments are accepted until 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on the delinquency date; credit or debit cards carry a 2.22% fee with a $1.49 minimum; automated information is available around the clock at 1-888-807-2111. Transactions require the Assessor's Identification Number printed on the bill, and each eCheck transaction is limited to $2,500,000.