San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros and Board President Yee Announce May 15 Property Tax Deadline
City Hall Offices Will Temporarily Open May 13 through 15 for In-Person Cash-Only Payments
San Francisco, CA – Today, San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros and Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee announced the new deadline for property tax payments will be May 15, 2020 pending approval by the Board of Supervisors at its next meeting on Tuesday, May 5. With the Board of Supervisors approval, this will be the final property tax deadline with no further deferrals. The 2019/2020 2nd installment property tax deadline has been deferred from the original date of April 10 to alleviate the growing financial burdens on San Francisco taxpayers due to COVID-19.
"Our community has been hit hard financially and I'm proud of our efforts to lessen the burdens on San Francisco taxpayers," said, San Francisco Treasurer, José Cisneros. "I will continue to do everything within my power to support San Franciscans during this difficult time."
"We believe it is prudent to provide additional time for those with outstanding property tax payments to pay online, through mail, or in person on May 15, 2020. We recognize property owners are struggling and we are working with the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector to ensure that additional customer service and support are offered. I want to emphasize that taxpayers who are unable to meet the new deadline due to impacts caused by COVID-19 health emergency are able to apply for penalty waivers after May 15, 2020 and I know that the staff will work diligently to resolve those issues," states Supervisor Norman Yee, President of the Board of Supervisors.
"As families struggle to make ends meet in the middle of this ongoing pandemic, extending the property-tax deadline from May 4th to May 15, 2020 is the right thing to do," said Supervisor Ahsha Safai. "I want to thank President Yee and the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector for leading on this, I am happy to lend my voice and support to this extension and will continue to monitor the situation to take any additional steps that may be warranted beyond this extension to ensure San Franciscans get the assistance they deserve."
San Francisco is one of only two California counties that provided additional time to pay property taxes. The vast majority of taxpayers have paid. Setting the property tax deadline to May 15 is necessary as there are significant implications for taxpayers and the City when taxes remain delinquent past the end of the fiscal year. Unpaid parcels past June 30 incur substantial interest of 1.5% per month, and setting a deadline of May 15 will help taxpayers avoid this penalty.
With the property tax deadline set as May 15, 2020, the City Hall offices of the Treasurer & Tax Collector will open temporarily for in-person cash-only property tax payments from Wednesday, May 13 through Friday, May 15. The office will remain closed for all other business. The Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector strongly urges taxpayers to pay online or by mail, and to avoid coming in person unless absolutely necessary. Taxpayers that come to City Hall will be required to bring their own face mask and should be prepared to wait outside in line with proper social distancing. Details for the temporary reopening of City Hall offices:
Arrival Location:
San Francisco City Hall
May 13 & 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
May 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Face covering to enter the building (masks will not be provided)
Property tax bill stub
Cash for payment
In consultation with the Department of Public Health, the City Administrator's Office, the Sheriff's Office and City Hall building management, the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector have put in place a protocol to protect City residents and staff during this temporary opening.
Taxpayers who are unable to pay their property taxes by the deadline, because of the COVID-19 crisis, are encouraged to submit a request for a penalty waiver on the website for the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector. Please note that requests for penalty waivers will not be accepted until after the property tax deadline. Taxpayers can visit our Help Center or call 311 with any further questions.