Butte County Tax Collector: Pay Property Taxes, Check Office Hours & Avoid Penalties
If you searched for the Butte County Tax Collector, you probably need one of four things fast: pay a property tax bill, print a tax bill, call the Property Tax Division, or understand whether December 10, April 10, June 30, or August 31 applies to you. This refreshed guide puts those actions first and explains the details official pages often leave scattered across multiple links.
Important: This page is for Butte County, California, not Butte County Idaho, Butte County South Dakota, or Box Butte County Nebraska. The correct official county domain is buttecounty.net, and the online tax-search/payment vendor is linked from the county website.
What do you need to do right now?
The Butte County Tax Collector is part of the Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector Department in Oroville, California. For property tax questions, call 530-552-3720. The office is at 25 County Center Drive, Suite 125, Oroville, CA 95965, with lobby hours Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. You can pay online by e-check, credit card, or debit card through the official county-linked payment system, but card payments carry vendor service fees. Secured property taxes have two main deadline dates: December 10 for the first installment and April 10 for the second installment.
When Is Your
Next Tax Deadline?
Select your state — see your exact deadline, live countdown, and whether you’re on time or already accruing penalties.
What the Butte County Tax Collector Handles — and What It Does Not
The Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector collects property taxes and handles tax-payment questions, but it does not set your assessed value or decide most exemption issues.
Property Tax Penalty & Interest Calculator
State-specific penalty rates • Interest accrual • Tax lien deadline • Cost-of-waiting breakdown
| Original Tax Amount | $0.00 |
| Initial Penalty— | $0.00 |
| Monthly Interest— | $0.00 |
| Fixed Fees— | $0.00 |
| Total Due | $0.00 |
Daily Accrual Rate
Interest and penalties are adding this much to your balance every single day
Tax Lien Warning
| If You Pay On | Days Late | Penalty | Interest | Total Owed | Extra Cost |
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That distinction matters because many people call the Tax Collector when their real problem belongs with the Assessor, title company, lender, or Clerk of the Board. If your question is “How do I pay?” or “Did my payment post?” the Tax Collector is the right starting point. If your question is “Why is my assessed value too high?” or “Why is my exemption missing?” you usually need the Assessor or assessment appeal process.
Use the Tax Collector for payment
Call the Property Tax Division for tax bills, payment posting, tax receipt questions, online payment issues, delinquent notices, payment plans, postmark rules and payoff questions.
Use the Assessor for value and records
Call the Butte County Assessor if the problem is assessed value, exemption status, ownership record, address change, parcel detail, business property statement or property classification.
Use appeal channels for value disputes
If you disagree with valuation, you may need the assessment appeal process. Do not wait until the tax deadline to learn where the dispute belongs.
The simple rule
If you are trying to pay, print, confirm, or fix a late payment, start with the Treasurer-Tax Collector. If you are trying to change the value, ownership, exemption, or assessment record, start with the Assessor or appeal process.
How to Pay Butte County Property Taxes Online Without Using the Wrong Site
The safest online payment path is to begin from the official Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector page or the county-linked property tax search/payment portal.
Butte County uses an online property tax system where you can search for the tax account and pay after confirming the assessment details. The fastest route is not always the safest route. You should verify the assessment number, fee parcel number, owner details, property address, installment, and amount before clicking the final payment button.
Open the county-linked tax search and payment system
Use the official Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector page or the direct county-linked payment search at common2.mptsweb.com/mbc/butte/tax/search. This is the vendor system linked from Butte County’s own website.
Search by assessment or fee parcel number when possible
The assessment number is usually shown on the upper left area of the property tax bill. If you do not have it, search by fee parcel or contact the Property Tax Division before guessing.
Confirm the installment before payment
California secured property tax bills are commonly split into two installments. Confirm whether you are paying the first installment, second installment, both installments, a supplemental bill, an unsecured bill, or a delinquent balance.
Review payment fee and terms
Butte County says e-check is free through the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s online payment system. Credit cards and debit cards have vendor service fees. Review the amount charged before submitting payment because online payment terms matter.
Save the email confirmation and receipt
After payment, save the confirmation email, screenshot the receipt page, and later verify that the tax account shows the payment correctly. This is especially important close to December 10, April 10, or June 30.
Pay Butte County property taxes online
Use this for property tax search, online payment, bill viewing and current/delinquent fiscal-year tax account checks.
Open Payment SearchButte County Treasurer-Tax Collector
Use the county page for official department links, forms, payment options, tax auctions, payment plans and related property tax resources.
Open Official County PageHow to Search and Print a Butte County Property Tax Bill
Use the county-linked tax search system to view or print the tax bill before you pay, refinance, sell, or call the office.
Many users land on a tax collector page because they no longer have the mailed tax bill. That is common. Butte County’s tax system lets you search for tax information and print a tax bill. The better you identify the assessment, the faster you can finish the job.
Search by assessment number
This is usually the cleanest method because it points to the exact account shown on your tax bill.
Search by fee parcel number
If you know the parcel number but not the assessment number, use the tax search help carefully and match the property before paying.
Print before paying
Printing or saving the bill first helps you compare installment amount, fees, due date, owner name and property address before payment.
What to verify on the bill screen
Identity check
- Assessment number
- Fee parcel number
- Property address
- Owner or prior owner name
- Bill type: secured, supplemental, unsecured, or delinquent
Money check
- First installment amount
- Second installment amount
- Penalty or additional charge
- Payment status
- Current payoff amount if delinquent
Micro-level warning: supplemental bills confuse new owners
If you recently bought, built, inherited, or transferred property, your regular secured bill may not be the only bill. Supplemental bills can arrive separately and can be missed if you only look for one annual tax bill. Search carefully and call before assuming your account is clear.
Butte County Property Tax Payment Fees: E-Check, Credit Card, Debit Card and Phone Payments
Butte County says e-check is free through the Treasurer-Tax Collector online payment system, while credit card and debit card payments carry vendor service fees.
E-check online
Butte County states that e-check is free through the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s online payment system. This is usually the best low-cost online method if you have routing and account information ready.
Credit card online
The county payment page lists a credit card service fee of 2.30% of the total charged to the card. That fee is assessed by the payment vendor, not the county.
Debit card online
The county payment page lists a debit card service fee of $3.49 per transaction. Confirm the final checkout amount before you submit.
Phone payment warning from Butte County
Butte County lists phone payment options, including a live-agent debit-card line and a 24-hour automated credit-card number. The county also warns residents to dial the 24-hour number carefully because similar numbers may connect to bad actors posing as payment processors. If a live agent answers the automated-only number or offers an award, hang up and go back to the official county page.
Do not search “Butte County tax payment phone number” and trust the first result
This is where scammers win. Start from the official Butte County payment page, then use the number listed there. If anything sounds like a prize, gift card, sweepstakes, refund bonus, or “special verification,” stop.
Butte County Tax Collector Office Hours, Address and Phone Number
The Butte County Property Tax Division is located at 25 County Center Drive, Suite 125, Oroville, CA 95965, and the lobby hours listed by the county are Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Property Tax Division
For property tax bills, payments, due dates, receipts and delinquent notices
Other Treasurer-Tax Collector Contacts
Use the right division so your issue does not bounce around
Before visiting the Oroville office
- Bring your tax bill or assessment number.
- Bring the payment stub if you have it.
- Ask ahead if your issue involves a delinquent payoff, payment plan, penalty relief, tax auction, or mobile home clearance.
- Do not wait until late afternoon on December 10, April 10, or June 30.
- Confirm current county holiday closures before driving from Chico, Paradise, Gridley, Oroville, Magalia, Durham, Biggs, or rural Butte County.
Butte County Property Tax Due Dates: December 10, April 10, August 31 and June 30
Butte County property tax deadlines depend on the bill type. Secured taxes use December 10 and April 10 final-payment dates, while unsecured and delinquent accounts have different rules.
Secured first installment
The first installment is due November 1. The final day to pay without the 10% penalty is December 10. Butte County says online payments are timely if paid by midnight on the final due date.
Secured second installment
The second installment is due February 1. The final day to pay is April 10. After 5 pm, a 10% penalty and an additional charge are added.
June 30 delinquent deadline
June 30 is different. Delinquent property taxes for the current fiscal year must be received by the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office by 5 pm. June 30 postmarks are not accepted.
Butte County property tax timeline
Secured property tax
- October: secured bills are mailed.
- November 1: first installment due.
- December 10: last day for first installment without 10% penalty.
- February 1: second installment due.
- April 10: last day for second installment before 10% penalty plus additional charge.
Unsecured and delinquent
- July 1: unsecured tax bills are mailed.
- August 31: unsecured property tax payment due.
- June 30: last day to pay current fiscal-year delinquent secured taxes by 5 pm.
- July 1: delinquent secured accounts transfer to delinquent tax rolls.
Weekend or holiday rule has an exception
Butte County states that if a final due date falls on a weekend or holiday, taxes may generally be paid without penalty until 5 pm on the next business day. The exception is the end of the fiscal year: payments must be received by mail or in person by 5 pm on the last business day in June.
How to Mail Butte County Property Tax Payments Without Losing the Deadline
For regular mailed payments, Butte County says payments must be postmarked on or before the due date listed on the payment stub, but June 30 delinquent payments must be received by the office by 5 pm.
Mail rules sound simple until deadline week. Private postage meters, bank bill pay, weekend handling, wrong address, missing payment stub, missing assessment number, and June 30 receipt rules can create penalties. If the deadline is close, online e-check or in-person payment may be safer.
Make the check payable correctly
Butte County instructs taxpayers to make checks payable to the Butte County Tax Collector.
Write the assessment number on the check
This is not optional in practice. If the payment stub gets separated from the check, the assessment number helps the office match the payment to the correct bill.
Include the payment stub if available
The stub reduces manual matching risk. If you do not have it, print the bill online or write identifying details clearly.
Understand the June 30 exception
For delinquent property taxes with a June 30 final due date, Butte County says payment must be received by the Treasurer-Tax Collector by 5 pm. A June 30 postmark is not enough.
Butte County Monthly Property Tax Payments and Payment Plans
Butte County has partnered with Easy Smart Pay for monthly property tax payments, and it also has separate payment plan resources for defaulted property taxes.
Monthly property tax payments
Butte County says Easy Smart Pay is available to help break property tax bills into manageable payments. The county lists free e-checks and card fees through that monthly-payment service.
Read County Payment OptionsDefaulted tax payment plans
Defaulted tax installment plans are different from monthly convenience payments. Butte County’s due-date page notes annual installment-plan requirements and April 10 timing for defaulted taxes.
Check Due DatesElectronic payment limitation
Butte County’s delinquent notice language says installment payments cannot be paid electronically. Contact the office before assuming a payment plan can be handled through the normal online checkout.
Delinquent Tax HelpMicro-level monthly-payment advice
Monthly payment tools can help with budgeting, but they do not remove your responsibility to confirm that the tax bill is paid by official deadlines. Always check the county account after payments post, especially near December 10 and April 10.
Butte County Delinquent Property Taxes, Payoff Amounts, 1.5% Monthly Penalty and Tax Roll Transfer
If your Butte County property tax is delinquent, call the Property Tax Division and confirm the current payoff before sending money.
Butte County notes that delinquent payoff amounts increase by 1.5% per month. That means a number from an old notice may not be the exact amount due today. If your property has prior-year unpaid taxes, supplemental delinquency, power-to-sell status, or a payment plan, you need current instructions.
After June 30
Delinquent secured property tax accounts transfer to delinquent tax rolls on July 1. Additional monthly penalties accrue, and a redemption fee is added.
Payment plan caution
If you are on an installment plan for defaulted taxes, Butte County notes annual payment requirements plus interest and any current or supplemental taxes due.
Power-to-sell risk
Long-unpaid tax-defaulted property can move toward tax auction steps. Do not wait for auction notices before calling the county.
What to do after receiving a delinquent notice
Search the online tax bill
Confirm whether the unpaid balance is from secured taxes, supplemental taxes, unsecured taxes, prior years, or a payment plan issue.
Call 530-552-3720 before paying old numbers
Ask for the current payoff amount, acceptable payment methods, payment-plan status, and whether the June 30 receipt rule applies.
Keep proof after payment
For delinquent taxes, save the receipt, confirmation, payoff quote, date paid, and tax year cleared. This matters for refinance, sale, insurance, estate work, or title clearance.
Butte County Tax Collector vs Assessor: Who Fixes Value, Exemptions and Address Changes?
Call the Tax Collector for payment. Call the Assessor for assessed value, property records, exemption status and assessment questions.
Tax Collector problems
Paying a bill, printing a bill, payment confirmation, missed payment, delinquent notice, penalty relief request, postmark question, payment plan, tax auction or payoff amount.
Assessor problems
Assessed value looks wrong, homeowners’ exemption missing, ownership record outdated, address change needed, parcel detail wrong, business property statement questions, or assessment appeal.
Important phone split
Property tax payment help
- Butte County Property Tax Division: 530-552-3720
- Use for payment, receipt, penalty, due-date, bill and delinquent questions.
Assessed value help
- Butte County Assessor: 530-552-3800
- Use for assessed value, exemption, ownership, parcel and assessment questions.
Do not assume an assessment dispute pauses the tax deadline
If you disagree with value, still ask what must be paid while the dispute or appeal is pending. Missing the payment deadline can create penalties even when your value question is legitimate.
Butte County New Owner Property Tax Checklist: Bought, Sold or Transferred Property
If you recently bought, sold, inherited, or transferred property in Butte County, do not assume the tax bill automatically reaches the right person at the right time.
Butte County’s own guidance notes that if you sold, bought, or transferred property recently, you may print a copy of the tax bill online and contact the Assessor’s Office to validate the time it is taking to change file information. That matters because a tax bill may still show a prior owner while the payment deadline keeps moving.
Right after closing or transfer
- Find the assessment number or fee parcel number.
- Save your settlement statement or transfer document.
- Check whether the title company paid or prorated taxes.
- Print the current tax bill online.
- Ask the Assessor how long ownership updates may take.
Before each deadline
- Check December 10 first installment status.
- Check April 10 second installment status.
- Watch for supplemental tax bills.
- Confirm mortgage/lender payment if escrow is involved.
- Forward the original bill if you received it after selling.
Title company and lender mistake to avoid
“Taxes were handled at closing” can mean different things. Sometimes taxes were prorated between buyer and seller, not fully paid to the county. Always verify the Butte County tax bill status directly.
Penalty Relief, Military Tax Relief, Mobile Home Tax Clearance and Property Tax Postponement
Butte County provides official forms and links for penalty relief, military tax relief, mobile home tax clearance, payment plans and California’s property tax postponement program.
Penalty relief request
If you believe a penalty should be reviewed, use the official penalty relief request path. Do not assume the county can waive penalties just because a bill was missed.
Military tax relief
Butte County lists a Military Tax Relief Application. Read eligibility rules carefully and keep copies of all submitted documents.
Mobile home tax clearance
If a mobile home title change or clearance is involved, use the official county form and confirm current payment status before transferring ownership.
California property tax postponement
Butte County links to the California State Controller’s Property Tax Postponement Program. This is a state program, not a regular Butte County discount. It may help eligible homeowners, but it has rules, deadlines and repayment obligations. Use the official State Controller link from the county resource page.
Butte County Tax Collector Tips That Save Real Homeowners Time
The official pages give the rules. This section gives the practical “what I would do first” order if a neighbor in Chico, Oroville, Paradise, Gridley, Magalia or Durham asked for help.
Use e-check first if you want the lowest online fee
Butte County says e-check is free through its online payment system. If you are comfortable using bank routing details, compare this before choosing card payment.
Do not use bank bill pay close to the deadline
Bank bill pay can create mailing/postmark uncertainty. Butte County specifically advises using the Treasurer-Tax Collector online system instead of your bank’s bill pay system.
June 30 is stricter than a normal postmark deadline
Regular mailed payments can rely on postmark rules, but June 30 delinquent payments must be received by 5 pm. That difference can cost money if missed.
Supplemental bills are the hidden trap
New owners often watch only the regular secured bill and miss a supplemental bill. Search your account and ask questions after a purchase or major change.
Print the bill before calling
Having the bill on screen makes the phone call faster. You can read the assessment number, installment, amount and tax year instead of describing the problem loosely.
Assessor vs Collector confusion wastes deadline time
Payment and penalties are Collector issues. Value and exemptions are Assessor issues. Handle both if needed, but do not call only one office and assume the other problem is solved.
Butte County Tax Collector Map: Oroville Office
The Butte County Property Tax Division is located at 25 County Center Drive, Suite 125, Oroville, CA 95965. Use the map for orientation and call before visiting for time-sensitive payment issues.
Bring to the office
- Tax bill or printed bill copy
- Assessment number or fee parcel number
- Payment stub if available
- Payment method accepted by the office
- Any notice, payoff quote, or penalty letter
Call before visiting for these issues
- Delinquent payoff
- June 30 deadline payment
- Tax-defaulted property or auction status
- Payment plan installment
- Penalty relief or mobile home clearance
Official Butte County Property Tax Resources
Use official Butte County and California government links first. Property tax payment, penalty and delinquency details should not be trusted from random directory pages.
Butte County Tax Collector FAQ: Payments, Hours, Due Dates, Fees and Delinquent Taxes
These answers focus on the questions people usually have when they are trying to pay, print, call, visit, or fix a late Butte County property tax bill.
Best Way to Use the Butte County Tax Collector Page
Start with the official Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector page or the county-linked tax search system. Search your assessment or fee parcel number, confirm the installment and amount, choose the safest payment method, and save your confirmation. If the issue is payment, delinquency, receipt, postmark, penalty relief or payment plan, call the Property Tax Division at 530-552-3720.
If the issue is assessed value, ownership, address, exemptions or assessment details, contact the Butte County Assessor instead. If the deadline is close, do not use bank bill pay, do not trust random phone numbers, and do not rely on a June 30 postmark for delinquent property taxes. Use official links, verify the current amount, and keep proof.
Editorial note and official-source warning
This independent TaxCollectors.org guide helps Butte County, California property owners understand official payment links, office details, due dates, penalties, and routing between the Treasurer-Tax Collector and Assessor. It is not the official Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector website and does not collect payments.
Always verify current payment methods, service fees, penalty amounts, mailing rules, phone numbers, payment plan rules, tax auction status, office closures and deadlines directly through official Butte County and California government sources before acting.
Official source shortcuts: Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Property Taxes Payment Page, Property Tax Due Dates, and County-Linked Tax Search and Payment System.