Over 20,000 February delinquent notices for 2021 property taxes arrived in area mailboxes beginning this week. Thanks to legislation passed several years ago, homeowners unable to pay their property taxes in full may sign up for a low penalty payment agreement with the tax assessor collector. Additionally, qualified seniors, disabled persons, disabled vets, spouses of disabled vets and those needing to take advantage of disaster installments may pay 7% penalty and interest on onefourth of the 2021 levy by February 28th and sign up for quarter installment payments. For those paying the 7% penalty and interest to establish quarter installments and those whom have already paid at least one-fourth, the remaining three coupons and return envelopes will be mailed by midMarch. The second installment must be postmarked by March 31, third by May 31, and final one-fourth by August 1 in order to be timely.
Property owners may pay in person at GCTO branches in Galveston, League City, Santa Fe and Texas City Monday through Friday 8:00 to 5:00 and in Friendswood Thursdays and Fridays (closed Noon to 1:00 for lunch). Yellow payment drop boxes are located all full time locations. Payments are retrieved at 8:30 am daily (and stamped received the previous business day). A black payment box is also located at the back of the side driveway at Friendswood City Hall. Payments may also be made online (www.galcotax.com) via electronic check ($1 fee) or credit card (2.5% fee) or through Chase Bank’s Payment Processing
Center via telephone at 1-866-865-1433 (English) or 1-866-865-1435 (Spanish). If online banking is your
preferred method of payment, expect a 3-5 day delay for paper check to be prepared and mailed to our office which could result in penalty and interest if the bank does not prepare the check the same day.
For directions to office locations call (toll free) 1-877-766-2284. Those with property tax questions
or requiring additional assistance with property tax concerns should call the Property Tax Department
directly at (409) 766-2481 (or call the toll free number and ask for a Property Tax Specialist). Email any
GCTO Department at galcotax@co.galveston.tx.us.
