Understanding Your Tax Bill

Who pays tax?

All property owners are obligated to pay taxes to the town. Tax bills are issued to cover the costs of town, regional and educational services. Property owners must pay tax even if they don't use all the services provided.

The town generally issues two tax bills each year. However, if your property is newly constructed or physical changes have been made to your property, you may receive additional omitted and supplementary bills that can be retroactive for the current year and the past two years.

What does my tax bill show me?

Bills issued by the town contain the following information:

• The name(s) of the property owner (if there are multiple owners, only the first two will appear)
• Assessed value and tax class assigned by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)
• Account number, roll number and legal description of the property
• Breakdown of the tax bill payable to the town, region and school boards
• Account balance at the time the tax bill is produced (except on omitted and supplementary bills)
• Amount of each tax installment and the date on which each is payable
• Contact information for the Oakville Tax Office

What is an interim tax bill?

The interim tax bill, issued annually at the end of January, is for the first half of the year’s taxes. The amount levied is based on each property’s taxes for the previous tax year, because the town is not able to pass the annual tax rate until later in the year. The amount is calculated by multiplying the assessment value assigned to property for the year by a notional tax rate that restates the previous year’s budgetary requirements for the town, region and school boards, and then dividing that product by two.

Interim bills have two installment dates and show any outstanding or credit account balance at the time of billing. They are payable on or about February 25 and April 25.

What is a final tax bill?

The final tax bill, issued annually at the end of May, is for the second half of the year and is based on the annual tax rate approved by the town for that year. The bill is calculated by using the assessment value assigned to your property for the year, and applying the new tax rate determined by the year’s budgetary requirements for the town, region and school boards (minus the interim taxes that were billed for the first half of the year).

Final bills have two installment dates and show any outstanding or credit account balance at the time of billing. They are payable on or about June 25 and September 25.

What are supplementary and omitted bills?

Supplementary and omitted bills, issued throughout the year, are issued to owners of newly created properties or properties that have had physical alterations made that were not reflected on the interim and final bills. Generally, supplementary bills refer to the current tax year and omitted bills refer to previous years. You may receive three to four bills at different times throughout the year, depending on when the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) provides assessment information to the town.

Supplementary and omitted tax bills have one installment date that is shown on the bill, and do not reflect any previous account balance at the time of billing.

What is an apportionment?

An apportionment is a process of redistributing assessment values and taxes when land is severed or consolidated. Based on the assessment apportionment information supplied by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), the town distributes the taxes from the original property to the newly created properties in proportion to their relative value.

How do I pay my tax bill?

All tax bills (with the exception of supplementary and omitted bills) can be paid using one of the town’s pre-authorized payment plans. Please visit the Due Dates, Late Payment Charges and Payment Options page for information on how to pay your tax bills.

For more information

ServiceOakville
905-845-6601