Paying property taxes is a big part of owning a home in America, but property tax rates can vary widely depending on where you live. With so many different average rates and processes for how to pay, navigating your property tax responsibilities can be tricky.

If you want to learn more about property taxes in Lake County,

California

, you’ve come to the right place.

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Property tax 101

Property taxes are what local governments use to collect funds from people who live in certain communities. These funds are used to pay for public services like education, emergency services, public libraries, and law enforcement.

Here’s what you need to know about property taxes:

Most property taxes apply to real property like land, buildings, and homes

Your property taxes are determined by a local tax assessor who assigns rates based on your property’s market value and your local tax rate

Property taxes can change based on market conditions and local budgets

MORE:

How to deduct a car accident from your taxes

What is the property tax rate in Lake County?

Lake County’s average tax rate is 0.62% of a property’s assessed market value, which is just below California’s average property tax rate of 0.74%. You can expect to pay around $1,645 in property taxes per year based on the Lake County average.

How Lake County property taxes are determined

Lake County property taxes apply to each of Lake County’s municipalities and include all property at the county, school district, and city levels.

Each of Lake County’s local governments creates a budget for public services and community improvement projects and levies property taxes to fit this budget. The County Auditor determines a tax rate for each district.

Then, the

Lake County Property Tax Assessor

determines the value of your property based on a fair valuation on the property market in your area. Your property tax in Lake County will be 0.62% of this valuation. You’re able to

appeal this valuation

before the tax filing deadline if you think your property is valued at more than it’s worth.

You may qualify for a Lake County property tax

Homeowners Property Tax Exemption

if the property you’re claiming the exemption for is your primary residence, and you aren’t applying for exemptions on other properties you own.

What do Lake County property taxes pay for?

Lake County uses property taxes to fund a variety of services, including the following:

Transportation

Roads and highways

Law enforcement

Public health

Building safety

Public libraries

K-12 and community education

Solid waste

Fire rescue

Public housing

MORE:

California minimum car insurance laws

How to pay property taxes in Lake County

The first installment of Lake County property taxes is due on November 1st and becomes delinquent on December 1st, while the second installment is due on February 1st and becomes delinquent on April 11th.

You have a few straightforward and convenient methods to pay your property taxes in Lake County, California. You can pay online, by mail, or over the phone.

Here’s how to use each method:

Online: You can use a debit card, credit card, or e-check to pay Lake County property tax fees via the

Lake County government website

. There is a 2.5% convenience fee for debit and credit card transactions and a $3 flat fee for e-check transactions.

By mail: You can mail checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders to this address:

Lake County Tax Collector 255 N Forbes Street, Rm 215 Lakeport, CA 95453

By phone: You can pay your property tax over the phone by calling (866) 506-8035. You can only use a credit card or e-check to use this method of payment.

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