San Diego County is mailing defaulted property tax bills to 32,573 property owners whose 2025-26 annual or supplemental taxes remained unpaid as of June 30, according to Patch and the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office.

Under state law, unpaid property taxes go into default after the tax roll closes June 30. The county said defaulted taxes are subject to a 1.5% penalty each month, or 18% annually, until the balance is paid, plus a $33 redemption fee.

Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Cohen urged property owners with outstanding balances to act quickly, saying the bills become more expensive each month they remain unpaid. Property owners may also qualify for a five-year payment plan to pay delinquent taxes over time.

The reminder applies countywide, including Santee homeowners who may be tracking annual and supplemental bills separately. County officials noted that supplemental tax bills are separate from annual property tax bills and are not sent to mortgage lenders for payment.

Property owners can look up tax accounts and make payments at sdttc.com. The county's 2026-27 secured property tax bills are expected to be available online in mid-to-late September, with the first installment due Nov. 1 and delinquent after Dec. 10. This article is based on reporting from Patch and information attributed to the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office.