Property tax bills coming soon, payment options available

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC – The New Hanover County Tax Department has begun mailing property tax bills. Property owners should receive their bill(s) by the middle of August. These taxes are due on September 1, 2026, but can be paid without interest until January 5, 2027.

Property owners whose taxes are paid via escrow will receive a courtesy notice of their tax bill and are encouraged to verify that their taxes have been paid by their mortgage company.

The New Hanover County tax rate is set at 30.6 cents per $100 for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, and the fire services tax rate for property owners in the unincorporated county is set at 7.25 cents per $100. View more information about the county’s tax rate and budget here.

Tax bills also include municipality taxes for residents in the City of Wilmington, and the towns of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach. Tax rates for each municipality are as follows: 

• Carolina Beach – 17.12 cents per $100
• City of Wilmington – 33.15 cents per $100
• City of Wilmington Municipal Services District – 5 cents per $100
• Wrightsville Beach – 5.31 cents per $100
• Kure Beach – 19.5 cents per $100

Property owners in the unincorporated areas of the county will be charged a fee as part of the county’s Stormwater Services Program, and this fee is listed as a separate line item on the tax bill. More information can be found at Engineering.NHCgov.com.

To assist property owners and encourage penalty-free payments, tax bills include four payment coupons that reflect the total amount owed divided into four equal payments. The Tax Office accepts credit card, debit card, and E-check payments in-person, online payments at InvoiceCloud, or by calling 1-877-309-0878. When paying online, there is a service fee.

Additionally, the Tax Office has an outdoor drop-box located to the right of the main entrance of the New Hanover County Government Center to drop off payments, or they can be mailed to New Hanover County Tax at PO Box 18000, Wilmington, NC 28406.

“Taxes go to support vital programs and services throughout our community that keep residents and visitors safe while enhancing our quality of life,” said New Hanover County Tax Administrator Allison Snell. “As a Tax Department, we want to make that yearly payment process as simple as possible. We offer a variety of ways for property owners to pay and try to give as much time as possible to ensure penalties don’t accrue. If anyone needs assistance, we encourage them to reach out to our team before January 6 to discuss with payments plan options so they don’t become delinquent.”

For questions or to make payment arrangements, please contact the Tax Department at (910) 798-7300 or submit a payment arrangement form.