Riverside County Tax Collector: Pay Property Tax, Search Bills & Avoid Penalties
Use this guide for the Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector, the official county office that handles property tax billing, payment status, secured taxes, unsecured taxes, supplemental taxes, defaulted taxes, redemption questions and tax sale routing for Riverside County, California.
Start with the right route
Quick answer: where do I pay Riverside County property taxes?
Riverside County property taxes can be paid through the official Treasurer-Tax Collector online portal, by phone at 951-955-3900, by mail to Riverside County Treasurer, P.O. Box 12005, Riverside, CA 92502-2205, or in person at a listed Treasurer-Tax Collector office.
The online portal lets taxpayers search using PIN, property address or bill number. Before submitting payment, confirm the county, bill number, PIN, tax type, fiscal year, installment and fee shown on the live payment screen.
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On this page: Riverside County Tax Collector services
Information reviewed: September 14, 2026
The new version removes broad all-state penalty widgets from the old article and focuses on Riverside County’s actual payment routes, offices, secured-tax cycle, Public Access portal, fee display, Assessor routing, defaulted-tax rules and tax sale warnings.
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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The official Riverside County payment portal currently displays no fee for eCheck/bank account payment, 0.95% convenience fee for debit card, and 2.15% convenience fee for credit card. Always use the live checkout screen as the final fee check before submitting money.
How to pay a Riverside County property tax bill
The Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector lists multiple payment routes. The right one depends on whether the bill is current secured, supplemental, unsecured, defaulted, prior-year, title-company related, bulk parcel payment or a situation where you need staff help.
1. Pay online
Use the official Riverside County Public Access payment system. Search by PIN, property address or bill number, then review the bill and payment method before checkout.
Open Payment Portal2. Pay by phone
Call 951-955-3900. The county describes phone payment as credit/debit card only and excludes prior-year unsecured taxes from that phone route.
Call 951-955-39003. Pay by mail or office
Mail payments to the official P.O. Box or visit a listed office. Credit-card payments are not accepted by mail, and branch payment types vary.
Check Offices- Start from the county site. Open countytreasurer.org or the official Riverside County Public Access payment portal, not a random ad or third-party lookup.
- Search one way first. Use PIN, property address or bill number. For a supplemental tax bill, the portal warns that bill number or address search may be required.
- Verify the account. Match the property address, bill number, tax type, installment and fiscal year before adding anything to the cart.
- Review the fee. eCheck, debit card and credit card can have different costs. The checkout screen controls your final payment decision.
- Save proof. Keep the confirmation number, payment receipt, PIN or bill number, amount and date until the county record updates.
Payment safety warning
Do not enter bank or card details unless the page clearly belongs to Riverside County’s official tax-payment route and your property record matches. County property tax is not the same as City of Riverside utility, permit, business-license or parking payment.
Riverside County online payment fees
The current Riverside County Public Access portal displays three main online payment types. These fees can matter on a large property-tax bill, so compare the method before submitting.
| Online method | Current portal display | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| eCheck / bank account | No fee | Often the lowest-cost online route if you have U.S. bank details and the account information is correct. |
| Debit card | 0.95% convenience fee | Confirm the dollar amount shown in checkout before approving payment. |
| Credit card | 2.15% convenience fee | Convenient, but the percentage cost can be significant on a large bill. |
| Phone payment | Credit/debit card only | The county’s payment page says phone payment is available for all tax types except prior-year unsecured taxes. |
| Credit card not accepted by mail | Use check, money order or cashier’s check as applicable, and follow the official instructions. |
Large-bill tip
A percentage card fee can become expensive quickly. For example, a 2.15% credit-card fee on a $5,000 tax bill would be $107.50 before any other payment-system limitation. Use the official checkout screen for the actual fee.
Riverside County property tax due dates and penalties
Riverside County follows the California secured-property-tax cycle. Annual secured tax bills are mailed once a year, and the bill can be paid in two installments. If a delinquent date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or county holiday, the county states the delinquent date moves to the next business day for those installment dates.
| Tax event | Official timing | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal year begins | July 1 | Defaulted secured taxes begin accruing additional penalties and redemption-related charges. |
| Unsecured bills mailed | July | Businesses and other unsecured taxpayers should not ignore these bills. |
| Unsecured delinquent date | August 31 after 5:00 PM | A 10% penalty is added after the deadline. |
| Current secured bills mailed | October / on or before November 1 | If no bill arrives, request one or use the official online system. |
| First secured installment due | November 1 | You may also pay the full bill at this stage. |
| First installment delinquent | December 10 after 5:00 PM | Late first installment can trigger a 10% penalty. |
| Lien date | January 1 | This date matters for ownership, value and unsecured-tax setup. |
| Second installment due | February 1 | The second installment must follow the first-installment payment rule. |
| Second installment delinquent | April 10 after 5:00 PM | Late second installment can add a 10% penalty plus an administrative charge. |
| Tax default risk | June 30 after 5:00 PM | If unpaid balances remain, the property can become tax defaulted. |
Missing bill warning
Riverside County’s secured-tax guidance says failure to receive a bill does not allow the Tax Collector to excuse late-payment penalties. If you bought property, changed mailing address, refinanced or expected a lender to pay, verify the account early.
Riverside County Tax Collector office hours and locations
Riverside County lists three public Treasurer-Tax Collector office locations. The Riverside office is open Monday through Friday, while Palm Desert and Temecula are listed Monday through Thursday. Check the official location page before visiting near holidays or deadline periods.
| Office | Address | Hours and payment notes |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside office | 4080 Lemon Street, 4th Floor, Riverside, CA 92501 | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM. Accepts cash, debit card, credit card, personal checks, money orders and cashier’s checks. |
| Palm Desert office | 38-686 El Cerrito Road, Palm Desert, CA 92211 | Monday-Thursday, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM. Accepts debit card, credit card, personal checks, money orders and cashier’s checks. No mail accepted at physical address. |
| Temecula office | 40810 County Center Drive, Suite 110, Temecula, CA 92591 | Monday-Thursday, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM. Accepts debit card, credit card, personal checks, money orders and cashier’s checks. No mail accepted at physical address. |
4080 Lemon Street
4th Floor
Riverside, CA 92501
38-686 El Cerrito Road
Palm Desert, CA 92211
No mail accepted.
40810 County Center Drive, Suite 110
Temecula, CA 92591
No mail accepted.
Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector main office: 4080 Lemon Street, 4th Floor, Riverside, CA 92501.
Mail payments, phone payments and home banking
Riverside County’s official payment page lists mail, phone, online, wires/ACH, title-company electronic payments, bulk parcel payments and in-person service. Use the route that matches your payment method and deadline risk.
Mailing address
Riverside County TreasurerP.O. Box 12005
Riverside, CA 92502-2205
Make checks payable as instructed by the county. For many tax payments, the county lists “Riverside County Treasurer.”
Phone and fax
Phone: 951-955-3900
Fax: 951-955-3923
Toll-free line: 877-748-2689 for taxpayers in the 951 and 760 area codes.
Home banking and mailed-check precautions
Riverside County Tax Collector vs Assessor
Many payment delays happen because the taxpayer asks the right question to the wrong office. The Assessor first determines the property value. The Auditor-Controller applies rates and calculates the tax amount. The Tax Collector prepares, distributes and collects the tax bills.
Use the Treasurer-Tax Collector for
- Paying current secured property taxes.
- Paying unsecured, supplemental or defaulted tax bills.
- Tax bill lookup, receipts and payment status.
- Duplicate bill requests.
- Payment method and fee questions.
- Redemption estimates and installment redemption plans.
- Tax sale and tax-defaulted property payment routing.
Use the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder for
- Assessed value questions.
- Homeowners, veterans, church or welfare exemption questions.
- Ownership and property-description issues.
- Business personal property assessment questions.
- Property record and parcel information.
- Some mailing-address and assessment-roll issues.
- Assessment appeals information if valuation remains disputed.
Pay even if you appeal
Riverside County warns that taxpayers should still pay installments by the deadlines while an assessment appeal is pending. If the appeal is granted, a refund may be issued, but the appeal itself does not automatically stop penalties.
Duplicate bills, PIN lookup and missing tax bills
Annual secured tax bills are mailed once a year. If you recently bought property, rely on an impound account, changed mailing address or expected an escrow/lender payment, do not assume the bill is handled.
Duplicate bill request
The county contact page lists a duplicate bill fee of $3.41 per bill. A bill can be requested in person, through the automated system or by written mail request with payment.
What to include
For a written duplicate-bill request, include name, PIN number, fiscal year, property address, mailing address and phone or email in case the county needs clarification.
New owner issue
Escrow prorations do not guarantee the Tax Collector received payment. Supplemental tax bills may also be sent directly to you, even when a lender handles annual taxes.
PIN and bill-number tip
The online portal asks users to search using one method: PIN, property address or bill number. If you cannot locate a supplemental bill by assessment/PIN search, try bill number or property address as the portal advises.
Defaulted taxes, redemption and installment plans
If Riverside County secured property taxes remain unpaid after June 30, the property can become tax defaulted. After default, the amount due can include unpaid taxes, penalties, administrative charges, monthly penalties and redemption fees.
| Defaulted-tax item | County guidance | Taxpayer action |
|---|---|---|
| First installment late | 10% penalty if not paid by 5:00 PM on December 10 or timely postmarked. | Do not wait for another notice if the first installment is unpaid. |
| Second installment late | 10% penalty plus a $38.06 administrative charge if not paid by 5:00 PM on April 10 or timely postmarked. | Confirm the first installment is paid because the second installment cannot be accepted alone unless the first is paid. |
| Tax default after June 30 | Redemption fee of $36.45 plus 1.5% monthly penalties on unpaid taxes can begin after default. | Ask for a redemption estimate with the date you plan to redeem. |
| Installment redemption plan | Requires at least 20% initial payment, current-year taxes, a signed agreement and a $23.92 start-up fee. | Read the agreement carefully and keep current annual taxes separate. |
| Annual installment-plan payment | One payment each year for five years, plus current-year annual taxes; annual maintenance fee listed at $40.24. | Missing payments or current taxes can cause the account to default. |
Do not estimate a redemption payoff from an old bill
The county says the redemption amount depends on all unpaid years, penalties, administrative charges, monthly penalties and redemption fees. Contact the Tax Collector with the PIN, address or legal description and the date you want to redeem.
Riverside County tax sale, tax-defaulted property and no tax lien certificates
Riverside County’s secured tax sale process is not a normal property-tax checkout page. The county states that secured properties become subject to the Tax Collector’s power to sell because of default in payment of property taxes for five or more years.
Secured tax sale
The purpose is to return tax-defaulted property to the tax roll, collect unpaid taxes and convey title to the purchaser through public auction.
No tax lien certificates
The county states that secured tax-defaulted properties may be sold through online public auctions and that there are no tax lien certificates or over-the-counter sales.
Unsecured tax sale
Unsecured tax sales involve personal property taxes and may use seizure and sale rules under California law. Treat these as account-specific legal/financial matters.
Buyer and owner caution
Tax sale pages are high-risk. Property owners should contact the Tax Collector before the sale date if trying to redeem. Potential buyers should review official terms, title risks, IRS lien language, payment deadlines and “as is” conditions from the county, not a blog summary.
Transient Occupancy Tax, short-term rentals and tourism-related tax routes
The Tax Collector page says the office is responsible for secured, unsecured, supplemental, transient occupancy tax and other special assessments. Riverside County also has short-term vacation rental and Transient Occupancy Tax routing for properties that fit those programs.
Short-term vacation rentals
The county’s short-term vacation rental information says such rentals are required to register with the Treasurer-Tax Collector to fulfill Transient Occupancy Tax obligations.
Short-Term Rental Tax InfoPlanning certificate may also matter
A short-term rental can involve both tax and planning/land-use requirements. Do not assume paying TOT alone satisfies every local rule for an unincorporated-area rental.
Planning STR ProgramCommon Riverside County Tax Collector problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Tax bill not found online | Wrong search method, supplemental bill, typo, wrong county, missing PIN or property address formatting issue. | Search by one method at a time; for supplemental bills, try bill number or address. |
| Payment fee higher than expected | Card type or selected payment method. | Compare eCheck, debit and credit card options before submitting. |
| Second installment cannot be paid | First installment may be unpaid or not selected. | Pay the first installment or include it with the second as required. |
| Value, exemption or ownership wrong | Assessor issue, not a Tax Collector payment issue. | Contact Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder. |
| Bank bill pay not credited | Wrong payee, missing bill/PIN number or late bank processing. | Use the county payee instructions and start 5-7 days before the deadline. |
| Defaulted tax amount keeps changing | Monthly penalties and redemption charges may continue accruing. | Ask the Tax Collector for a redemption estimate for the exact planned payment date. |
Related TaxCollectors.org guides
Use a related guide only when the county matches your bill. California counties can share the “Treasurer-Tax Collector” title but use different payment portals, officeholders, fees, mailing addresses and tax sale procedures.
California Treasurer-Tax Collector guide
Use this broader guide when comparing California county tax offices and avoiding confusion with state Treasurer or election searches.
Read California guideSan Diego Treasurer-Tax Collector
Use this only for San Diego County property tax bills, not Riverside County bills.
San Diego guideVentura County Tax Collector
Useful for another Southern California county with a separate official payment system.
Ventura guideOfficial Riverside County tax resources
Use official sources for final payment decisions, account-specific amounts, office access, deadlines, penalty status, redemption estimates and tax sale participation.
Official Treasurer-Tax Collector homepage
Officeholder, official payment links, tax calendar, news, office hours and tax sale access.
Official payment methods
Mail, phone, online, ACH/wire, title-company, bulk parcel and in-person payment routes.
Official Public Access payment portal
Search by PIN, property address or bill number; review current online payment fees.
Riverside, Palm Desert and Temecula offices
Addresses, hours, accepted payment types and non-cash drop-slot notes.
Official important dates
Secured, unsecured, delinquent, lien-date and default timing.
Secured-tax FAQ and office routing
Explains Assessor, Auditor-Controller and Tax Collector roles.
Defaulted-tax redemption rules
Penalties, redemption fee, estimate requests and installment-plan details.
Official secured and unsecured tax sale guidance
Tax-defaulted property sale information and no-tax-lien-certificate warning.
Official Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Use for values, exemptions, ownership, parcel records and assessment questions.
Riverside County STR and TOT route
Registration and Transient Occupancy Tax obligations for qualifying rentals.
Riverside County Tax Collector FAQ
What is the official Riverside County Tax Collector office?
The official office is the Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector. It collects secured, unsecured, supplemental, defaulted and other property-tax related bills for Riverside County, California.
Who is the Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector?
The official Treasurer-Tax Collector website identifies Matthew Jennings as Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector.
What is the Riverside County Tax Collector phone number?
The main phone number is 951-955-3900. Riverside County also lists 877-748-2689 for taxpayers in the 951 and 760 area codes.
Where do I pay Riverside County property taxes online?
Use the official Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector website or the Riverside County Public Access property tax payment portal. The portal allows search by PIN, property address or bill number.
What are the current Riverside County online payment fees?
The current Public Access portal displays no fee for eCheck/bank account payment, 0.95% for debit card and 2.15% for credit card. Review the live checkout screen before submitting.
Where is the Riverside County Tax Collector office?
The main Riverside office is at 4080 Lemon Street, 4th Floor, Riverside, CA 92501. The county also lists offices in Palm Desert and Temecula.
What are Riverside County secured property tax due dates?
The first secured installment is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after 5:00 PM on December 10. The second installment is due February 1 and becomes delinquent after 5:00 PM on April 10.
Does the Tax Collector decide my property value or exemption?
No. The Assessor determines value and handles exemptions. The Auditor-Controller applies tax rates, and the Treasurer-Tax Collector prepares, distributes and collects the tax bills.
What if I bought a property and did not receive a tax bill?
You should request the bill or use the official payment system. Riverside County says failure to receive a tax bill does not allow the Tax Collector to excuse penalties.
What happens when Riverside County taxes are unpaid by June 30?
If secured taxes remain unpaid after June 30, the property can become tax defaulted, and additional penalties, costs and redemption fees may accrue.
Can I pay one delinquent year separately?
The county’s redemption information says one year’s delinquent taxes may not be redeemed separately from other years. The redemption amount combines unpaid taxes for all delinquent years.
Does Riverside County sell tax lien certificates?
No. The county tax sale information says secured tax-defaulted properties may be sold through online public auction, and there are no tax lien certificates or over-the-counter sales.
Is TaxCollectors.org the official Riverside County Tax Collector?
No. TaxCollectors.org is an independent guide. Use the official Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Public Access portal, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and county pages for actual transactions.
Before you pay or visit
Confirm that your bill belongs to Riverside County, California, use the official Treasurer-Tax Collector or Public Access portal, review the live payment fee, and choose the correct office before sending money or driving to a branch.
- Property tax payment: use the official Public Access portal or county payment instructions.
- Tax bill or duplicate bill: call 951-955-3900 or use the county’s official request route.
- Value, exemption or ownership issue: use the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder.
- Defaulted tax or redemption: request a current payoff estimate for the date you plan to redeem.
- Tax sale interest: use the official county tax sale page and read terms carefully.
This page is an independent informational guide. Tax amounts, penalty status, redemption amounts, payment fees, office hours, mailing rules, public-counter access and tax sale procedures can change. For actual payment, account-specific payoff or legal/financial decisions, use the official Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector and related county offices.