One of the most commonly overlooked expenses when buying a house is how much you have to pay in property taxes. Tax in general can be confusing, but especially property taxes. If you’re looking to move to Arizona from a different state, buying your first home in the area, or just wanting to learn more about your property tax in Pinal County, we’ve got you covered. We’ve made a complete guide to Pinal County Property Taxes. Here you will find the Pinal County property tax rate, supplemental taxes, and special assessments including how to estimate your tax liability, how to get exemptions, and how to pay your Pinal County property taxes online.
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Pinal County Property Taxes
So, what even is a property tax? Basically, a property tax is an ad valorem tax, which is a tax whose amount is based on the value of the property. The tax is paid by an individual (or entity) on an owned property.
Let’s first take a step back and look at why property taxes are even a thing. Property taxes started all the way back in 1797 when the government needed funding for the U.S. Navy. Back in 1797, taxes were collected as a response to needing to finance the wars. However, the modern property tax that we know today was implemented in 1916. Instead of wars, nowadays, property taxes are used to fund government initiatives and services, things such as fire and police protection, libraries, schools, and road work. Think about it, usually in nicer neighborhoods and cities the property taxes are higher. This makes sense since neighborhoods with higher property taxes tend to have good school districts, safe neighborhoods, and plenty of neighborhood amenities that only homeowners in that neighborhood or county can enjoy.
Now let’s look specifically at Pinal County, Arizona.
Pinal County, AZ property tax is comprised of a levy amount set by several local taxing authorities, including:
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- The State Legislature (sets rates for school equalisation)
- The Board of Supervisors (sets tax rates for Pinal County, the Pinal County Library District, the Fire District Assistance Tax, and the Pinal County Flood Control District)
- Cities, towns, school districts, irrigation and drainage districts, and special districts set their own tax rates
- The County School Superintendent sets the rate for Unorganised Schools property and Reserve Fund and the Mary C. O’Brien Accommodation School
- Bonds
- Valuation of property as determined by the Pinal County Assessor’s office
Your property tax will include two major parties: the county assessor and the treasurer. Put simply, the assessor will assess all real estate located throughout the county and establish a fair market value for each property, including yours! Then, the treasurer will mail out property tax bills and will collect the money. The treasurer takes these funds and uses them to pay for different local needs.
You might be wondering where exactly your money is going. All Arizona property taxes are used to pay for the operating budget and maintenance of state and local governments and the secondary property taxes fund is for items approved by voters, such as special district levies and school budgets.
Pinal County Assessor
Property taxes are calculated based on your home’s assessed value. The Pinal County Assessor’s department estimates the market value of each property using mass appraisal techniques as regulated by the State Department of Revenue. The notice of value is sent to every property owner before March 1st of each year.
Your home is valued based on comparable properties in your area, and Pinal County is broken down into sub-markets to allow us to equally assess values. If you’re not happy with your valuation you have several appeal options.
Watch this video of the Assessor Valuation Process to learn more about how your property is assessed and when you should appeal the valuation:
Pinal County Assessor’s Office Contact Information
- Assessor: Douglas Wolf, Pinal County Assessor
- Address: 31 N Pinal Street, Building E, Florence, AZ 85132
- Phone: 520.866.6361
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
Pinal County Treasurer
The Pinal County Treasurer’s department sends out the property tax bills and accepts property tax payments. If you have a mortgage, your mortgage company makes the property tax payments on your behalf. You can verify the tax has been paid by visiting Pinal County Treasurer Page with the parcel inquiry feature. You can also get the Pinal County Property Tax mobile app in Apple or Android.
Pinal County Treasurer’s Office Contact Information
- Treasurer: Michael McCord, Pinal County Treasurer
- Address: 31 N Pinal Street, Building E, Florence, AZ 85132
- Phone: 520.509.3555
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
What is the Pinal County Property Tax Rate?
Now let’s get into the numbers. In Arizona, there are two separate values for each property: Full Cash Value and Limited Property Value. Let’s break them down:
Full Cash Value (FCV) is a value determined as prescribed by statute. Basically, this value is synonymous with the market. If the market goes up, so does the value. If the market goes down, so does the value.
Limited Property Value (LPV) is calculated according to a statutory formula, designed to reduce the effects of inflation on taxes. Therefore, if inflation goes up or down, the value won’t be affected. This value cannot exceed full cash value, and is calculated on an individual basis for the property.
So, why is this important? The primary property taxes are calculated using the LPV and the secondary taxes are calculated using the FCV. Pinal County itself does not have a secondary tax. Other entities in the county, such as school districts, community colleges, and fire districts, charge a secondary tax. Therefore, you more than likely will only have the primary property tax if you’re just paying taxes on a home in which you currently reside.
The primary Pinal County property tax rate is $3.69 per $100 of assessed value.
The Treasurer department has provided an example bill with an explanation of how the amount was calculated and what the various tax rates are for primary, and secondary property taxes, special district tax, and PRM reductions.
Pinal County Property Tax Payments
When are Property Taxes Due in Pinal County?
In Pinal County, the first half of taxes are due October 1st, with delinquency starting at 5 PM November 1st. The 2nd half of taxes are due March 1st, with delinquency starting at 5 PM May 1st. Instead of doing two installments, you can pay your taxes in full, which would be due December 31st.
Your rates will be mailed out in September after the rate is set in August. The auction for the taxes not paid will be in February. This is where the public can purchase Tax Lien Certificates.
To pay your taxes, you have a few options. The first is to pay online using a credit or debit card or an E-check. In order to do this, you will need your parcel number located on your tax bill. Another way to pay is using your bank’s online bill pay. Every bank institution is unique, but if you have any questions, contact your bank. You can also call 1-855-663-4181 Option 1 to pay through the phone using a credit or debit card. You may pay through the main by sending it to the Pinal County Treasurer. Finally, you can pay in person at the Treasurer’s office. For more information about how you can pay your property taxes, visit Pinal Gov Payment Options.
Failure to pay your tax on time will result in a 16% penalty per year prorated monthly, starting the 1st day of the month.
Pinal County Property Search/Tax Records
A great tool that Pinal County offers is the availability to look up your property tax and detailed tax information online at Pinal County Parcel Search. Here, you can enter your name, address, parcel number, or township and get information about your taxes. Another way to look up your tax information is on the Treasurer’s website. Here, you can look up your information using your parcel number.
Here is an example of where your parcel number might be on your tax notice. Note: your parcel number might not be in the same spot, if you have any questions about what or where your parcel number is, call the Treasurer’s office.
Pinal County Property Tax Exemptions
There are many different tax exemptions in Pinal County that help reduce your property tax bill, including:
- Church Non-Profit Organisations: The property must be used for non-profit purposes
- Widow or Widower’s Exemption: Must be a permanent resident of Arizona and have resided with their spouse in Arizona at the time of the spouse’s death.
- Disabled Persons: Must be permanently residing in Arizona and be medically certified as 100% totally and permanently disabled by your doctor
You will have to re-apply every tax year for some but not all of the exemptions.
If you want to apply, you would apply the first Monday in January through the last day of February. First time applicants must apply in person at the Pinal County Assessor’s Office. After that, they can be done through mail. For more information or to see if you apply to any of the exemptions, visit Pinal County Tax Exemptions.
Pinal County Property Tax Appeals
If you choose to file an appeal to your property tax you will want to check out this video: Appeal Process in Pinal County.
If you choose to appeal the value of a residential property, use Form 82130R. To appeal the value of commercial/industrial property, vacant land, agricultural land, or other non-residential property, use Form 82130. When filling out these forms, you can choose whether or not you want a meeting to discuss your appeal or not. When appealing, make sure you note if you are using the market comparison, income, or cost approach to arrive at what you think is the correct value of your property.
The deadline to file an administrative appeal is April 22 for residential and April 18 for vacant, commercial, and agricultural properties. You can either mail your appeal or drop it off at the Treasurer’s main office.
County Property Tax FAQ
When are property taxes due in Cook County?
In Pinal County, the first half of taxes are due October 1st, with delinquency starting at 5 PM November 1st. The 2nd half of taxes are due March 1st, with delinquency starting at 5 PM May 1st.
When are property taxes mailed out in Cook County?
The Pinal County Treasurer’s office will mail out tax forms in September.
How do I pay property taxes in Cook County?
You can pay your taxes online, through your bank’s online bill pay, in person, on the phone, or through the mail.
After going through the guide, we hope you feel more informed about property taxes in Pinal County. We want you to feel ready and excited about your move to Pinal County. When you’re ready for your move, let the top Pinal County movers help you with the relocation! Fill out our form for a free quote, or give us a call at 855-918-2142.
