FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Gallatin County
Q. When are tax bills mailed?
A. Tax bills are mailed 30 days prior to the 1st half due date. **Legislative changes to tax laws can result in delayed billing during a legislative year**.
Q. When are my taxes due?
A. Taxes are due at different times of the year depending on the type of property:
Real Estate: 1st half due 11/30 – 2nd half due 5/31 (MCA-15-16-102)
Mobile Home: 1st half due 5/31 – 2nd half due 11/30
Personal Property: One time payment due 30 days after postmark of tax bill. (Usually due in May or June)
Q. When does penalty and interest get added to my bill?
A. The day after taxes are due, penalty and interest are added to the amount due (MCA 15-16-102).
Q. At what rate is penalty and interest calculated?
A. Penalty is 2% of the total due and is a one-time charge.
Interest is calculated at 5/6 of one percent per month of the total due. It is simple interest applied the 1st day of each month for as long as taxes are delinquent (MCA-15-16-102).
Q. Do you accept postmarks?
A. Yes, your payment is considered on time if it is postmarked on or before the due date. For delinquent taxes, if your envelope is postmarked on or before the last day of the month we will honor the interest accrued for that month.
Q. Can I pay my taxes using a credit card?
A. Yes. We use a third party service, Official Payments Corp., to process credit card payments. There is an extra fee added for this service. You can either call them at 1-800-272-9829 or use their website www.officialpayments.com. You will be asked for your tax parcel number, amount of payment, and our jurisdiction code. The Gallatin County’s jurisdiction code is: 3601.
Q. What happens if I make a duplicate payment?
A. If we receive double payments for the same parcel, we will post the first payment that comes in our office. When any duplicate payment arrives we will mail it back to whomever sent it (you, your lender, etc.) Our tax system will not allow posting of duplicate payments.
Q. What happens if I pay on the incorrect parcel number?
A. Having the proper parcel number is extremely important! Please verify the legal description and parcel number of the property you are paying taxes on. When we receive a payment we will post it to the parcel number indicated on the check or tax stub. If you indicate the incorrect parcel number on your payment, we will not be able to credit you for that. Once the payment is posted it cannot be reversed. You would need to contact the property owner for the parcel you paid in error to make arrangements to be reimbursed.
Q. Can I make partial payments?
A. The only “installments” allowed by law are the 1st & 2nd half amounts listed on the bill (MCA-15-16-102). After taxes become a full year delinquent, they must be paid one year at a time – starting with the current year, if all delinquent taxes cannot be paid in full. (MCA-15-16-102 (5)).
Q. Who is responsible for property taxes?
A. Delinquent property taxes are a lien against the property. If you have an interest in the property (ownership, possession or control) you will want to make certain the taxes are paid to prevent seizure and sale of the property or the property being deeded to someone else for back taxes.
Q. How do I get a mobile home moving permit and what is the cost?
A. You can obtain a mobile home moving permit at the Treasurer’s Office – Room 210. $5.00 is the fee for a singlewide. Please see our website under Mobile Homes for more detailed instructions.
Q. How do I get a retail fireworks stand license and what is the cost?
A. You can obtain a transient retail merchant license at the Treasurer’s Office – Room 210. This is a merchant’s license to sell goods (MCA-7-21-2404).
All other local state and federal laws mandating fireworks sales must be followed.
You can sell retail fireworks two times a year: (MCA-50-37-106)
June 24 – July 5th - Cost of license is $10.00
December 29th – December 31st - Cost of license is $5.00
Q. What do I need to do to get a property plat signed?
A. You need to go to the Treasurer’s Office – Room 210 and pay all taxes and assessments that have been billed on the parcel, including any city assessments billed. After confirmation that all taxes are paid the deputy at the Treasurer’s Office can sign the plat (MCA-76-3-611).
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