City of Edmonton Property Tax Due Date and Penalties

The Edmonton property tax due date is June 30 every year. The City of Edmonton mails tax notices in late May, but the June 30 deadline stands whether or not your notice arrived on time. Miss it, and the city applies automatic penalties that reach 15 percent of the unpaid balance before the year is out.¹

The June 30 date covers both the municipal portion and the provincial education tax the city collects on behalf of Alberta. There is no separate due date for the education portion.¹

What Happens If You Miss June 30

Three separate 5 percent penalties hit the unpaid balance over the rest of the calendar year, adding up to 15 percent:²

July 1: 5 percent of whatever remains outstanding. On a $2,000 balance, that’s $100.
September 1: another 5 percent on the remaining balance, including the July penalty.
November 1: a final 5 percent on the total still outstanding.

These penalties are automatic. The city cannot waive them because a notice arrived late or the deadline slipped your mind.

If the Balance Carries Into a New Year

Anything unpaid after the calendar year ends becomes arrears, and a different rate applies. The city charges 1.25 percent per month on the outstanding prior-year balance, applied on the first business day of each month, which works out to another 15 percent over a year.²

Leaving arrears in place long enough can cost you the property. Once taxes have been in arrears for more than a year, the city registers a Tax Recovery Notification on the certificate of title under the Municipal Government Act. If the balance still isn’t cleared within a year of that registration, the property must be offered at Edmonton’s annual fall tax sale auction, where it is sold at fair market value based on an independent appraisal.³

Ways to Pay Before June 30

The city accepts payment through several channels:¹

Online banking. Add the City of Edmonton as a payee through your financial institution using the account number on your tax notice. Each bank uses a specific payment code, so check the setup instructions.
In person at a financial institution. Bring the remittance portion of your notice, and confirm ahead of time that your branch accepts paper payments. Keep the receipt if you pay at an ATM.
Mail. Send a cheque or money order to City of Edmonton, PO Box 1982, Edmonton, AB T5J 3X5. The envelope must be postmarked by Canada Post on or before June 30 to avoid penalties.
Through your mortgage lender. Many lenders collect property tax as part of the monthly mortgage payment and remit it to the city. Confirm with your lender that this is in place.
Credit card through a third party. The city does not accept credit cards directly. Third-party services can process one for you and charge their own transaction fee.

Monthly Payment Plan Instead of a Lump Sum

If paying the full amount by June 30 isn’t workable, the city’s Property Tax Monthly Payment Plan spreads the cost across twelve automatic bank withdrawals on the first business day of each month. Enrollment keeps you free of late-payment penalties entirely.⁴

You can enrol at any point in the year. Signing up after January means catching up on the missed instalments, and the city charges a one-time service fee of 2 percent of those missed payments, rolled into the first withdrawal. On a $4,000 annual bill where you enrol in April and have missed three months’ worth ($1,000), the service fee is $20. That is far less than what a missed June 30 deadline would cost.⁴

To sign up, download an application through the MyProperty portal, request one online, or call 311 (780-442-5311 from outside Edmonton).¹

Deferral for Homeowners 65 and Older

The Alberta Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program lets qualifying homeowners defer part or all of their residential property taxes, including the education portion. At least one spouse or partner must be 65, the property must be your primary residence, and you must hold at least 25 percent equity in the home.⁵

Once approved, the province pays the tax directly to the City of Edmonton, and the deferred amount becomes a low-interest loan secured against the home. The current rate is 4.45 percent simple interest, calculated on the original loan amount rather than compounding, and it is reviewed every six months in April and October. Approval lasts up to 10 years without reapplying annually. The loan becomes due when the home is sold, when you are no longer a registered owner, or when the property stops being your primary residence, and you can repay voluntarily at any time.⁶

Applications are accepted year-round, but yours needs to reach the program at least 30 days before the municipal tax deadline to be processed in time. If processing takes longer and penalties are applied, they can either be paid directly or added to the loan balance.5

If You Think Your Assessment Is Wrong

Filing a complaint against your property assessment does not pause the June 30 tax deadline. You still owe the full amount on time. If the Edmonton Assessment Review Board later rules in your favour and reduces the assessment, the city adjusts your account and refunds the difference.⁷

1
City of Edmonton. Property Taxes
2
City of Edmonton. Penalties and Service Charges
3
City of Edmonton. Tax Sale Auction
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City of Edmonton. Monthly Payment Plan – Property Taxes
5
Alberta.ca. Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program
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Alberta.ca. Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program>
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City of Edmonton – Tribunals. Filing a Complaint