When are property tax bills sent to the taxpayers?
They are mailed annually, generally within the month of February; however, tax bills may be sent later than February if there has been a delay in the County Treasurer receiving the tax rolls from the County Assessor.
When are property taxes due and payable?
Taxes may be collected as soon as they have been certified to the County
Treasurer.. Under state law, they are considered payable at that time but may be paid in one half installments with first half due no later than April 30 and second half due no later than October 31 if the tax is $50 or greater any tax or assessment under $50 is due in full on April 30. Further information is available on our web page site under Tax Payment Information.
If I have delinquent taxes, when will the County begin foreclosure?
Real property foreclosure occurs when taxes become three full years delinquent Further information is available on our web page under tax foreclosure information. Personal Property taxes are subject to immediate distriant proceedings if unpaid on May 1st.
What do I need to do if the "situs or location address"
is stated incorrectly on my tax bill?
You may contact the County Assessor’s Office to request a correction to this location address. We obtain that address from their records as a courtesy to our taxpayers that have requested this information.
How do I make a taxpayer address change?
You may send a letter to our Office to request an address change. Please be sure to include your parcel number (s) on all correspondence. To make an owner name or address change, please contact the County Assessor who maintains ownership records. You may also note any address change on your tax statement.
How do I make an ownership or name change? To change the ownership of property, it is necessary for you to record documentation with the Mason County Auditor's office. Please contact and Attorney or Title Company if you need help in processing the proper documents. There may be fee's associated with the transaction. After proper documents have been recorded in the Auditor's Office, the Assessor's Office can make the change to the tax roll. Our office does not make any name changes, nor can we give legal advice.
Real or Personal Property Transfers.
I want to sell my mobile home. What am I required to do?
If you are going to move the mobile home, you must obtain a permit from our office. You will be required to pay the full year’s property taxes at that point, which will be certified on the documents you obtain with the moving decal. If the mobile home is moving out of Mason County to another Washington State County or if the mobile home is going into a dealer’s inventory, the next year’s taxes will be collected in advance.
You will be required to complete a Mobile Home Excise Tax Affidavit to document the sale and pay excise tax on the sale price. The full year’s taxes must be paid and is documented on the Excise Tax Affidavit by our Office. You then go to the Licensing Division of the County Auditor’s office to change the ownership on the title.
I want to sell my real or personal property. Are there special
requirements?
For all such transfers of property, a Real Estate Excise Tax or a Mobile Home Excise Tax Affidavit is required to be completed and filed with the County Treasurer; as well, the documents must be recorded with the Recording and/or Licensing Division of the County Auditor’s Office.
Payment of real estate excise tax must be made at the time the REET is filed with the County Treasurer 1.78% of the sale price and as of July 1, 2006 a $5.00 Automated Reet Fee will be charged.
If there are advance taxes due in the case of personal property and mobile homes sales or if a document results in a boundary line adjustment, segregation or combination, property taxes must be paid at this time also.
How long do I have to process my property transfer and pay
excise tax?
Thirty (30) days from the date of sale to avoid interest and penalty on the excise taxes due.
I am gifting my property. Is there anything else I need to do?
There is a Real Estate Supplemental form that must be signed by both parties, and it must accompany the completion of a Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit. Those documents are filed with the County Treasurer’s Office and beginning July 1, 2006 are subject to a $5.00 processing fee if there are no taxes due or the tax is less than $5.00 and an additiona $5.00 Automated Reet Fee.
For Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavits, Mobile Home Excise Affidavits and Supplemental Statements on line please click here
