Tools and Education

Property Taxes in Arizona

Property Taxes in Arizona are levied twice per year and are paid in arrears. Meaning, taxes are due for the 1st half of the year (Jan-June) on October 1st of that year, and the 2nd half (July-Dec) taxes are due March 1st of the following year.

How are they figured and how do I pay them?

In Arizona, the county assessor levies taxes based on the "Assessed Value" of your home, which is NOT your home's actual value. The tax rate for owner-occupied residential property in Maricopa County (nearly all of the Valley) is 10% of this value. They are due to the County Assessor in March and October and are considered delinquent after November 1st (for first half taxes) and April 1st (for second half). They can be paid through the mail, on-line or in person if you do not have an escrow impound account set-up to pay these on your behalf (cash buyers most often do not use impound accounts).

Computing Your Property Tax

It's hard to say exactly what your real estate bill will be as it's dependent of many factors for your city including taxes added for schools, water districts, community colleges, etc., however the average rate before community add-ons is 1% of Market Value (10% of Assessed Value). Doing the math never seems to give you an accurate estimation as so many other factors are involved so it's advisable to go directly to the County Assessor's website and look up the taxes for the actual home you're investigating (see below).

Where can I see the prior year's taxes on a home I want to buy?

Here are the steps to view actual property taxes by address: Follow the link below and enter the address for any home you're considering purchasing. Once you've entered the address and hit Submit, be sure to click on "VIEW TAX INFORMATION" in the middle of the next page to be directed to the specific tax history. Keep in mind, the "total due" will be for the previous 6-month period and must be doubled for a total tax year bill.

Click Here to view the Maricopa County Assessor's web site
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