Tax Payment Options

You can pay your County taxes using the options outlined on this page.

BY MAIL:

Taxes may be paid by mailing payment with the payment stub from the bottom of the tax bill to the address shown on the stub in the envelope provided.  Make checks payable to Orange County Tax Collector and please include your account number and parcel ID on your check.

Orange County Tax Office                                                                                               PO Box 8181                                                                                                                 Hillsborough, NC 27278

IN PERSON:

Pay in person at Orange County Tax Office, 228 South Churton Street 2nd floor in Hillsborough.  In person payments can be made with cash, check, money order, ACH/e-check, credit/debit cards, ApplePay or GooglePay.

ONLINE:

Pay your bill online with ACH, e-check, credit card, or debit card with PayIt:

*The vendor charges a fee for online payments and Orange County does not receive any part of this fee. 

Fee Schedule and Example Fee Amounts:

ACH/E-Check Payments: $1.25 processing fee + $2.00 transaction fee

Example: For a tax payment of $1,000, the fee would be $3.25

Internet & Phone (919-583-6137) Payments by Card: 1.85% processing fee + $2.00 transaction fee

Example: For a tax payment of $1,000, the fee would be $20.50

Point of Sale (in person) payments by Card: 2.35% processing fee

Example: For a tax payment of $1,000, the fee would be $23.50

PERSONAL ONLINE BANKING BILL PAY:

• Pay a tax bill using your financial institution’s bill pay service.
• Allow additional time for processing, we recommend scheduling your payment to be sent to us by your financial institution at least 5 business days prior to the actual due date on the tax bill.
• Be certain to verify the property tax bill number is submitted with your payment to ensure proper credit. Delayed posting may occur if the incorrect tax number is provided. The bill number is printed in color on your bill.
• If making an advance payment, please have your bank indicate ‘Prepayment’ on the remittance.  
• Make payable and remit to: Orange County Tax Office P.O. Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278.

PAY TAXES BY MONTHLY BANK DRAFT:

Orange County Tax Office offers a Bank Draft Program that will allow you to pay 2023 real and personal property taxes over a 10-month period. This will relieve you of mailing monthly payments and is a convenient way to pay taxes. 

• You may choose to have payments drafted on either the 5th or the 20th of the month. Drafts on the 5^th will begin in February and finish in November; drafts on the 20^th will begin in January and finish in October.
• Submit your application by mail, in person or by email. 
• A new application must be completed each year to continue to participate in the bank draft program. Click here for the application (PDF).
• Tax bills for registered motor vehicles are not eligible for this program.

If a financial emergency develops, please notify this office at least five days before the next payment is to be drafted. We offer two options in these cases:  we can cancel that month's draft and resume the next month as schedule, or we can cancel the draft for the remainder of the year.

You will receive the original bill that is sent out in July or August. This bill will reflect any payments made up to the billing date. A balance due receipt with a suggested draft change amount will be mailed separately. If you wish to adjust your draft amount for the remaining months to insure that all taxes are paid, please contact Tonya Smith to approve the draft change, or with any questions about the draft program at 919-245-2729 or tosmith@orangecountync.gov.

Please be advised that payments are non-refundable.

What to do:

1. Provide your completed 2023 application (PDF) to the tax office by Jan. 10, 2023. You can choose any amount to be drafted or use the Suggested Draft Amount provided. Please note that this yields an estimate only.
2. Watch for us to draft your account monthly. A balance due receipt with a suggested draft change amount will be sent in August for an update to the draft amount if needed to pay out the taxes with the remaining drafts.
3. A final balance due or paid in full receipt will be mailed in November, after the bank draft program is closed for the calendar year. If there is a balance due, the balance is due by Jan. 5, 2024.
4. A new application must be completed each year to continue to participate in the bank draft program.

For questions about this program, contact the Tax Office at 919-245-2100 option 2.

DELINQUENT COLLECTION REMEDIES

Enforced collection of taxes begins as soon as the bill becomes delinquent. Legal actions to collect taxes include, but are not limited to: garnishment of wages, attachment of bank accounts and rents, seizure and sale of personal property, and foreclosure and sale of real property.

• Attachments & Garnishments
• Sheriff’s Warrant
• In Rem Foreclosures
• Attachment of NC State Refund

All enforced collection methods include collection costs that you are required to pay in addition to taxes, penalties, and interest. Delinquent real property taxes are advertised in March.