Madison County Tax Collector payment, records and office guide
If you live in Canton, Madison, Ridgeland, Flora or elsewhere in Madison County, this is the county office route for paying property tax, checking an issued tax bill, handling car-tag work and getting help with collection questions.
The key is knowing which desk owns the problem. The Tax Collector handles collection and payment. The Tax Assessor handles value, parcel data and homestead. Delinquent-tax redemption can move to the Chancery Clerk.
What does the Madison County Tax Collector do?
The Madison County Tax Collector in this guide is the elected tax-collection office for Madison County, Mississippi. The county says the Collector receives tax dollars on taxable property and settles those funds and related fees to the government entities they support.
Use the Collector to pay an issued real or personal property tax bill, confirm collection status, ask about a current balance and keep proof of payment.
The office also handles car-tag renewal and other Mississippi vehicle-registration transactions. Vehicle-document requirements are separate from property assessment questions.
If the value, acreage, classification, parcel details or homestead status is wrong, start with the Tax Assessor rather than asking the Collector to change the assessment.
How to pay Madison County MS property tax online
Madison County’s Tax Collector navigation links property-tax payment to Paystar. The safest workflow is to start from the official county Tax Collector page, open its Pay Property Tax link, verify the account and then submit payment on the county-linked processor.
This reduces the risk of landing on an unrelated Madison County or a lookalike payment website.
The official site links its Pay Property Tax action to the Madison County Tax Paystar application.
Compare owner name, parcel or property identifiers, tax year and balance with your bill or the county-linked tax-record search before paying.
Check the total, payment method and any displayed processing charge before you authorize the transaction. Fees can change and should not be guessed from an older article.
Keep the confirmation number, receipt and bank/card record until the county record shows the payment as posted.
Search a tax bill before you pay
Madison County links to a Data Systems Management tax-record service from the Tax Collector menu. Use that record route when you need to compare the taxpayer, property, tax year or payment status with a bill before submitting money.
Use the Collector-linked tax search for an issued tax account, tax-year balance and payment-related information.
Use the Tax Assessor’s land-roll tools for owner, street, subdivision, parcel, personal property and assessment information.
Use the Chancery Clerk for recorded deeds, plats, deed-of-trust documents and other official land records.
Canton, Madison and Flora Tax Collector offices
The current Madison County Locations page lists three Tax Collector locations. The Canton office is especially important because older county FAQ content still shows the former 146 West Center Street location. A county announcement confirms the Tax Collector moved to 229 North Union Street beginning September 2, 2025.
| Office | Current address | Phone | Practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton | 229 North Union Street, Canton, MS 39046 Mail: P.O. Box 113, Canton, MS 39046 | 601-859-5226 800-428-0584 toll free Fax 601-859-0322 | Current main-office address. County’s 2025 move notice also says a drive-thru is accessible from Center Street. |
| Madison | 171 Cobblestone Drive, Madison, MS 39110 | 601-856-4472 Fax 601-898-0731 | Convenient branch for south-county residents; confirm the service you need before visiting. |
| Flora | 168 Carter Street, Flora, MS 39071 | 601-879-9537 Fax 601-879-8980 | Local branch for the Flora side of Madison County. |
Madison County property tax due date, penalty and installment timing
The county Tax Collector FAQ says real and personal property taxes and special assessments are due and payable by February 1. It also says a 0.5% penalty per month accrues after that date on unpaid taxes until the August tax sale.
| Timing | What the county says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| November 1 | County FAQ says the Collector begins accepting tax payments on the first day of November. | Search the correct roll/year and confirm the issued amount. |
| Before February 1 | Real/personal property taxes and special assessments are due by February 1. | Pay in full or confirm eligibility/timing for a partial-payment arrangement. |
| After February 1 | FAQ states a 0.5% monthly penalty accrues on unpaid taxes. | Request the current amount due rather than calculating an old balance yourself. |
| May 1 | For the FAQ installment route, one-quarter may be due by May 1 with applicable interest after one-half was paid before February 1. | Confirm the exact installment balance with the Collector. |
| July 1 | FAQ describes the final one-quarter installment by July 1 with applicable interest. | Do not assume an installment arrangement is automatic. |
| August tax sale | FAQ describes the tax sale as traditionally held on the last Monday in August at 8:00 AM. | Resolve delinquency well before sale season and use the current county instructions. |
Tax Collector vs Tax Assessor vs Chancery Clerk
These offices work with the same property-tax system but they do different jobs. Choosing the right one can save a trip across Canton or a long phone transfer.
| Your question | Start here | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| How much tax do I owe on an issued bill? | Tax Collector | The Collector handles collection and payment records. |
| Why is my assessed value too high? | Tax Assessor | The Assessor lists and values real and personal property. |
| How do I file or update homestead? | Tax Assessor | The Assessor administers homestead applications and exemption records. |
| Where do I search the land roll? | Tax Assessor | Land-roll owner, street, subdivision and parcel searches are Assessor tools. |
| Where do I find a recorded deed? | Chancery Clerk | The Clerk maintains county land records. |
| My taxes are delinquent / in redemption | Collector or Chancery Clerk | The correct route depends on where the account is in the collection/tax-sale process. |
If the bill is wrong because of value or homestead
Paying a bill and correcting an assessment are separate tasks. Madison County’s Tax Assessor lists and values real estate and business personal property, maintains supporting records, prepares tax rolls and helps homeowners with homestead exemption.
The current Assessor page says homestead applications are accepted each year from January 2 through April 1. Refiling can be necessary after certain deed, marital-status, ownership, residence or exemption-status changes.
The Assessor publishes equalization rolls and explains review and formal appeal procedures. If you dispute value, follow that office’s review deadlines rather than withholding tax payment without instructions.
Car tags and vehicle transactions at the Tax Collector
The Tax Collector also handles Mississippi tag-renewal and vehicle-registration services. The county links Renew Car Tag, Estimate Car Tag and vehicle title/registration information from the Collector’s section.
Common Madison County tax problems and the next move
Try the Collector-linked tax record search, then the Assessor land roll. Search by the official parcel/account information rather than relying only on a street address.
Check deed filing timing and the correct tax year. Mississippi property-tax rolls can lag a recent purchase because taxes are paid one year in arrears.
Separate a collection problem from an assessment problem. Call the Collector for payment posting; call the Assessor for value, classification, parcel or exemption issues.
Do not submit only the current-year amount without checking the account. County guidance indicates delinquent balances can require a different Collector/Chancery Clerk workflow.
Use 229 North Union Street for the current Tax Collector main office. The older 146 West Center Street Tax Collector reference predates the September 2025 move.
Keep the official tax record, receipt, processor confirmation and bank record. The county FAQ says the office does not keep records identifying the person who actually paid someone else’s taxes.
Other Mississippi tax-collector guides
If the parcel is not in Madison County, do not reuse Madison County’s payment portal. These existing TaxCollectors.org guides cover other Mississippi county systems and their own official payment routes.
Jackson and Raymond property-tax, records and Tax Collector guidance.
Gulfport, Biloxi and Orange Grove property-tax and tag services.
Purvis and Oak Grove tax-payment and county-office guidance.
Official Madison County sources to use before taking action
These are the county or county-linked resources used to build the guide. Recheck them when paying close to a deadline, visiting during a holiday week, handling a tax-sale account or completing a vehicle/title transaction.
Madison County Tax Collector FAQs
Which Madison County Tax Collector is this page about?
This guide covers Madison County, Mississippi. The elected Tax Collector identified by the county is C.J. Garavelli.
Where is the Madison County Tax Collector main office now?
The current county locations page lists the Canton Tax Collector office at 229 North Union Street, Canton, MS 39046. Older county FAQ content still displays 146 West Center Street, but a county move notice confirms the Tax Collector moved to North Union Street in September 2025.
What is the Madison County Tax Collector phone number?
The Canton office number is 601-859-5226. The county locations page also lists 800-428-0584 as a toll-free number.
What are the normal Madison County Tax Collector hours?
The official Tax Collector FAQ states Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, except legal holidays. Confirm closures before making a special trip.
How do I pay Madison County property taxes online?
Start from the official Madison County Tax Collector page and use its Pay Property Tax link to the Madison County Tax Paystar application. Verify the taxpayer, property, tax year and amount before submitting payment.
When are Madison County Mississippi property taxes due?
The county Tax Collector FAQ says real property, personal property and other special assessments are due and payable by February 1 each year.
What happens after February 1?
The county FAQ states that a penalty of one-half percent per month accrues on unpaid taxes after February 1 until the August tax sale. Ask for the current official payoff rather than estimating a delinquent balance yourself.
Can I pay Madison County property taxes in installments?
The county FAQ describes an option to pay one-half before February 1, one-quarter by May 1 with applicable interest and the final one-quarter by July 1 with applicable interest. Confirm the exact account and requirements with the Tax Collector.
Do I call the Tax Collector if my property value is wrong?
No. The Tax Assessor handles property valuation, assessment records, land-roll information and homestead exemptions. The Tax Collector handles collection and payment of the issued tax.
Where do I handle delinquent tax or tax-sale redemption questions?
Start with the Tax Collector if you are unsure of the account status. Madison County’s tax guidance also directs delinquent-tax payment matters to the Chancery Clerk, so the correct office depends on the stage of the collection or redemption process.