Get the Facts: How late property taxes in Jefferson County turn into steep penalties

EXTEND THE TAX HOLIDAY IF NEEDED. JEFFERSON COUNTY COLLECTS ROUGHLY $1 BILLION A YEAR IN PROPERTY TAXES FOR MORE THAN 300,000 TAXPAYERS. THERE ARE AT LEAST 10,000 DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS FROM LAST YEAR ALONE. HOMEOWNERS HAVE A DEADLINE COMING UP NEXT WEEK THAT COULD COST THEM BIG IF THEY MISS IT. DEANDRIA TURNER SHOWS US HOW TO AVOID PENALTIES WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR PROPERTY TAXES. YOU WALK TO YOUR MAILBOX AND THERE IT IS A PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR 2025. FOR SOME, IT’S EASY TO JUST PAY IT, BUT FOR OTHERS IT’S ANOTHER BILL ON A LONG LIST OF YEARLY COSTS. THAT’S WHAT IT IS FOR. BECKY PROMISES NEIGHBORS SHE CAME DOWNTOWN TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILL. IT BROUGHT COMFORT TO THEM KNOWING THAT I WASN’T GOING TO MAIL IT, AND IT GOT LOST IN THE MAIL OR SOMETHING. THIS WAY I GOT THE RECEIPT, TURNED IT IN. WE’RE DONE. WE CAN ALL TAKE A LITTLE BREAK FOR ANOTHER YEAR. AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY WHERE YOU CAN DROP OFF YOUR PAYMENTS, AND THEY MAKE IT PRETTY ACCESSIBLE. THIS IS THE ONE DOWNTOWN. ALL YOU DO IS WALK IN, GRAB YOUR ENVELOPE, PUT YOUR INFORMATION IN, AND THEN DROP IT OFF. PROPERTY TAXES MUST BE PAID NO LATER THAN THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON APRIL 15TH, 2026. JEFFERSON COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY UNPAID PROPERTY TAX BILLS BECOME DELINQUENT AFTER THAT DATE, AND THAT’S WHEN COSTS START CLIMBING. THE CREATION OF THE CERTIFICATE ADDS APPROXIMATELY 40% OF ADDITIONAL PENALTIES, FEES, INTEREST AND A BALANCE OCCUR IN 12% INTEREST PER ANNUM. IF IT REMAINS UNPAID, THE BILL WILL BE SOLD TO A THIRD PARTY BUYER AT THE CLERK’S ANNUAL TAX LIEN SALE IN JULY. THOSE BUYERS CAN CHARGE ADDITIONAL FEES AND IN SOME CASES, IT CAN EVEN LEAD TO FORECLOSURE. BUT THERE IS ALSO HELP WITH PAYMENT PLANS IF NEEDED. THESE PAYMENT PLANS CAN PREVENT A TAX BILL FROM BEING SOLD TO THE TAX LIEN SALE, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE SET UP BEFORE JULY OF 2026 AND NO LATER THAN JULY 15TH, 2026. FOR THE 2025 TAXES, OUR GOAL AS A COUNTY IS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES INFORMED AND AWARE OF THEIR OPTIONS BEFORE PENALTIES AND INTEREST MAKE THE SITUATION MUCH WORSE. PAYMENTS CAN ALSO BE MADE ONLINE

Updated: 9:02 PM EDT Apr 8, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Updated: 9:02 PM EDT Apr 8, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Jefferson County homeowners have until April 15 to pay their 2025 property tax bills or risk steep penalties, county officials said.For some residents, the bill is easy to overlook. For others, it is another major expense among many monthly costs. Becky Probus said she came downtown to hand-deliver payments for her neighbors so they would have peace of mind."It brought comfort to them knowing that I wasn't going to mail it," Probus said. "And then if it got lost in the mail or something. This way, I got the receipt, turned it in. We're done."Officials said unpaid tax bills become delinquent after April 15. Once that happens, additional penalties, fees and interest begin to add up quickly."The creation of the certificate adds approximately 40% of additional penalties, fees, interest and a balance," said David Yates. "A current 12% interest per annual."The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office collects about $1 billion each year from more than 300,000 taxpayers. Officials said there were at least 10,000 delinquent accounts from last year alone.If taxes remain unpaid, the bill can be sold to a third-party buyer during the county clerk’s annual tax lien sale in July. Officials said those buyers may charge additional fees, and in some cases, the process can lead to foreclosure.Homeowners can pay online through the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office website or drop off payments at sheriff’s office payment locations throughout Louisville, including drop boxes inside clerk’s offices. Officials noted that personal checks are not accepted."Our goal as a county is to keep people in their homes informed and aware of their options, before penalties and interest make the situation much worse," said Yates.Officials said homeowners who cannot pay the full amount may qualify for a payment plan through the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office. Those plans can prevent a tax bill from being sold at the tax lien sale, but they must be set up before July 15, 2026, for 2025 taxes.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Jefferson County homeowners have until April 15 to pay their 2025 property tax bills or risk steep penalties, county officials said.

For some residents, the bill is easy to overlook. For others, it is another major expense among many monthly costs.

Becky Probus said she came downtown to hand-deliver payments for her neighbors so they would have peace of mind.

"It brought comfort to them knowing that I wasn't going to mail it," Probus said. "And then if it got lost in the mail or something. This way, I got the receipt, turned it in. We're done."

Officials said unpaid tax bills become delinquent after April 15. Once that happens, additional penalties, fees and interest begin to add up quickly.

"The creation of the certificate adds approximately 40% of additional penalties, fees, interest and a balance," said David Yates. "A current 12% interest per annual."

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office collects about $1 billion each year from more than 300,000 taxpayers. Officials said there were at least 10,000 delinquent accounts from last year alone.

If taxes remain unpaid, the bill can be sold to a third-party buyer during the county clerk’s annual tax lien sale in July. Officials said those buyers may charge additional fees, and in some cases, the process can lead to foreclosure.

Homeowners can pay online through the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office website or drop off payments at sheriff’s office payment locations throughout Louisville, including drop boxes inside clerk’s offices. Officials noted that personal checks are not accepted.

"Our goal as a county is to keep people in their homes informed and aware of their options, before penalties and interest make the situation much worse," said Yates.

Officials said homeowners who cannot pay the full amount may qualify for a payment plan through the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office. Those plans can prevent a tax bill from being sold at the tax lien sale, but they must be set up before July 15, 2026, for 2025 taxes.

Make WLKY a preferred source on Google

Get the Facts: How late property taxes in Jefferson County turn into steep penalties

Weather Information

Share

Top Picks