Since November 2023, several Augusta County departments have noticed delays in mail delivery through the US Postal Service. Recently, the treasurer’s office has been fielding calls from residents who mailed personal property and real estate tax payments on or before December 5, 2023, when payments were due, through the postal service. Residents are concerned because the check they sent for a tax payment has not yet cleared.
We assure that checks that arrive postmarked on or before December 5, 2023, will be classified as on time and processed without late penalties or interest. The treasurer’s office continues to receive tax payments every day and is diligent to process checks quickly, usually the same day that they arrive. If you know that your check was mailed on time, we ask that you remain patient.
However, on January 31, 2024, we will deem the non-received tax payments as delinquent and apply penalty and interest. We will work with each taxpayer individually to determine evidence of a mailed payment and process them accordingly. If we have not received your tax payment and you proactively choose to bring payment in, we must assess penalty and interest. However, if your original payment arrives at a later date with a post mark on or before December 5, 2023, we will refund the penalty and interest paid.
If you have not paid your taxes owed or are unsure of whether or not you have made your payment, please contact the treasurer’s office immediately to make arrangements to pay – 540-245-5660 or treasurer@co.augusta.va.us.
Penalty and interest will apply to all late payments that do not have a December 5, 2023 post mark and the longer you wait, the more penalty and interest will accrue. Penalty and interest also applies to checks mailed that do not arrive at the treasurer’s office.
Moving forward, we encourage the public to eliminate a carrier by using our online payment options. There is not a fee for using e-check. You can skip waiting in line by using the secure drop box if paying by paper check. To learn more about our different payment methods, please see the website https://www.co.augusta.va.us/residents/taxes.
