Understanding Your Taxes

Tax Bills are mailed by December 1. Tax payments are due upon receipt and become delinquent January 1.

For convenience, real estate and personal property tax bills are combined into one envelope for mailing. Taxpayers should note, however, that they still could receive tax bills in separate envelopes if there are different names and addresses on their personal property assessment forms and real estate deeds. To prevent this in the future, residents should make certain the name and address on their personal property assessment forms and real estate deeds match. Personal property assessment forms are mailed by the Assessor at the beginning of January.
Revised statements are issued by the Collector's office when changes are made to tax accounts after the original billing. These changes may be initiated by the taxpayer, the Assessor, or the state tax commission. If an expected revised bill does not arrive by December 15, please look for the new amount due online at Print Receipts or Statements or call the Collector's office at 573-883-5492, option 5. Payment on revised statements, regardless of when or if it is received, is still due on December 31.
Failure to receive a bill does not relieve the taxpayer of any tax liability imposed by state law. Taxpayers who have not received a bill by December 15 are highly encouraged to look for the amount due online.
Taxes not paid in full, on or before December 31, will accrue interest and penalties which can be as high as 27% during the first year of delinquency.
For mailed payments, the USPS postmark determines the date or month of payment. A privately owned postage meter date does not qualify as a USPS postmark date.

Real Estate Taxes

The tax liability on real estate remains with the property. Taxes are a lien. When ownership changes, the new owner is liable for any unpaid taxes. Tax bills are sent to the mailing address in the tax file as of the date the bill is printed. A property is subject to be sold at public auction for back taxes if the real estate taxes remain unpaid for at least 3 years. (see Tax Sale Information.)

All real estate owners should receive a real estate tax bill. In addition to the owner of the real estate parcel receiving the bill, taxing services and mortgage companies, if requested, receive an Electronic Bill File from the Collector of Revenue for use in paying from escrow accounts. If an escrow company requested your real estate bill for payment, your copy of the real estate bill mailed to you will have a watermark "IN ESCROW" across the front of the statement. Payment of the full tax amount is the responsibility of the current owner of the real estate (personally or from their escrow account).

Personal Property Taxes

Taxes are assessed on personal property owned as of January 1. Taxes are due for the entire year regardless of length of residency or ownership. If items listed are incorrect, contact the Assessor at 573-883-2333, option 4.

State law requires that personal property taxes be paid before license plates on vehicles can be issued or renewed. The License Offices accept a paid tax receipt, which lists individual vehicles to verify taxes have been paid. Ste. Genevieve County paid personal property records are regularly uploaded to the Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles. This gives license offices in Missouri the ability to verify payment of personal property taxes and gives you the ability to renew your vehicle license online through the Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles. More information on vehicle licensing is available at dor.mo.gov.