Several Wash. counties extending property tax deadlines amid pandemic

A growing number of counties in Washington state are allowing property tax payments to be delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak and resulting disruptions to the state's economy.

The first of two annual property tax payments is usually due by April 30 each year in Washington state, but Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency declaration, issued earlier this month, gave county treasurers the power to delay the property tax deadline beyond that date. And a number of counties are doing that.

“We know COVID-19 has hit our economy particularly hard. And we want to provide relief,” said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “These are not ordinary times, and we want to help out those who are stretched financially during this pandemic.”

Several counties have now delayed the property tax payment from April 30 to June 1, including King, Snohomish, Pierce, Thurston, Whatcom and Pacific counties.

At least one of those counties - Pacific County - is also deferring the second annual property tax payment deadline from Oct. 31 to Nov. 30.

In most cases, the extension applies only to individuals who pay their property tax directly to the county. Banks and other financial institutions that pay property taxes on behalf of their lending customers will still need to meet the original April 30 deadline.

And in all cases, counties are urging property owners to pay by the April 30 deadline if they can, or as soon thereafter as possible.

Property taxes help fund county operations as well as schools, hospitals, fire districts, emergency services, sheriff's offices, parks and a number of other local gocernment functions.

And county treasurers say they can't extend the deadline past June 1, since many of those tax recipients rely on the year's first installment of property tax revenue to make June debt service payments.

The property tax deadline extensions come after the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced the federal income tax filing date would be extended to July 15.