Guilford County Property Tax Deadlines Approaching; Penalties and Foreclosure Risk

Guilford County residents and business owners must pay local property taxes by midnight on January 5, 2026, or risk escalating enforcement that can include interest charges, wage garnishment, attachment of bank accounts and ultimately tax foreclosure. The January 5 deadline applies to taxes on all real property and all classes of personal property except vehicles licensed in North Carolina.

County officials have provided multiple payment options intended to make compliance easier, though most non-cash methods carry processing fees. In-person payments are accepted at the Guilford County Tax Collection Center, 400 W. Market St., Greensboro, and the Governmental Complex, 325 E. Russell Ave., High Point; both sites also offer 24/7 drop boxes. Mail payments should be sent to Guilford County Tax Department, P.O. Box 70939, Charlotte, NC 28272-0939. Online payments are available by eCheck or by American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa through the county website or the myGuilfordCounty app. Phone payments can be made at 336-203-7795. For general questions, taxpayers may call 336-641-3363 and ask for Tax Collections.

Processing fees include a 1.85 percent charge plus $2 for credit and debit card payments made online or by phone, an eCheck fee of $1.25 plus a $2 transaction surcharge, and a 2.35 percent fee for in-person point-of-sale card transactions. Taxpayers should weigh the convenience and any reward points against these fees.

A second key obligation falls by midnight on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026: all persons and businesses must list any personal property owned on Jan. 1, 2026, for taxation. Individual personal property listings submitted in person, electronically or postmarked after Feb. 2, 2026, will face penalties. Business personal property filings submitted after Feb. 2 without an approved extension will be penalized, and electronic business listings without extension submitted after May 15 will also trigger penalties. Property that is not listed at all is subject to discovery and additional penalties.

Applications for tax relief are due by June 1, 2026. Homeowners who were age 65 or older or totally and permanently disabled on Jan. 1, with incomes including Social Security of $38,800 or less, may qualify, as may honorably discharged veterans with 100 percent total and permanent disability. Applications are available online and at the Tax Department.

Tax Department staff can assist taxpayers in person at the Guilford County Independence Center, 400 W. Market St., Greensboro, and at the Governmental Complex, 325 E. Russell Ave., High Point. Phone assistance is available at 336-641-3320 for individual personal property, 336-641-3345 for business personal property, 336-641-4814 for real property and 336-641-7911 for the High Point office.

With rising local tax bills and increasingly sophisticated collection processes, missing these deadlines can have immediate and severe consequences for household finances and business operations. Residents should act promptly to avoid penalties and potential loss of property.