Butte County Property Tax Help: Pay Online, Look Up Bills & Understand Deadlines
Need to pay, look up, print, calculate, or fix a Butte County property tax bill? Start with the right office: the Treasurer-Tax Collector handles bills, payments, receipts and delinquent balances; the Assessor handles assessed values, parcels, ownership records, exemptions and value questions.
What you probably need to do right now
Choose the row that matches your problem. This avoids calling the Assessor for payment issues or the Tax Collector for value changes.
Fast action board
- 1Need to pay or print a bill? Use the official Butte County tax search/payment system. Search by fee parcel, assessment number or street address.
- 2Need assessed value or parcel detail? Use the Assessor Parcel Search. It can show APN, property status, situs address, legal description, land value, improvement value, exemptions and total assessed value.
- 3Question about penalties or fees? Call the Property Tax Division at 530-552-3720 before paying. Butte County warns online payments are posted immediately and cannot be reversed.
- 4New owner or did not get the bill? You are still responsible for paying on time. Request a duplicate bill or access it online.
- 5Value looks wrong? Contact the Assessor. The Assessor values property and applies exemptions, but does not collect taxes or set tax rates.
Official links to keep open
Assessor values
Locates property, sets taxable value, maintains maps and exemptions.
Charges apply
Auditor adds direct charges and special assessments to accounts.
Tax Collector bills
Mails bills, collects payments, posts receipts and handles delinquency.
You keep proof
Save APN, bill, installment, receipt and payment confirmation.
How to look up a Butte County property tax bill or parcel value
There are two useful lookups. Use the Tax Collector system for bill status and payment. Use the Assessor system for assessed value and parcel details.
| Need | Use This | What It Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Pay or print tax bill | Tax Collector payment search | Roll year, assessment, fee parcel, unpaid/paid status, amount due, cart/payment steps. |
| Assessed value | Assessor parcel value lookup | APN, situs address, legal description, land value, improvement value, exemptions, total assessed value. |
| Parcel map | Assessor parcel map tools | Book-page-parcel mapping based on APN parts. |
| Missing bill | Tax Collector duplicate bill help | Request duplicate or print online; call 530-552-3720 if needed. |
1
Search by fee parcel or assessment number first
This is cleaner than owner-name guessing.
▾
Open the official Butte County tax search. The system supports roll year, fee parcel, assessment and street-address searches.
2
If using address search, shorten the address
The county system warns address formatting can block matches.
▾
The official search help says deed addresses may use abbreviations. Try without Street, Road, Drive or Lane. For directions, try N, E, S or W instead of spelling out the direction.
3
Use Assessor search for value questions
Payment screen is not the value appeal tool.
▾
Open the Assessor Parcel Search page when you need assessed value, exemption amount, land value, improvement value or parcel-map context.
How to pay Butte County property tax online, by phone, mail or office
The safest route is the official Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector payment system. If the amount looks wrong, contact the office before submitting because online payments are posted immediately and cannot be reversed.
Online e-check
Free through the Treasurer-Tax Collector online system. Butte County recommends using this instead of bank bill pay.
Online card
Credit-card service fee: 2.30% of the total charged. Debit-card fee: $3.49 per transaction.
Phone payment warning
Automated credit-card phone service is 844-882-3391. If a live agent answers that 24-hour line or offers an award, hang up.
1
Open official payment search
Start from county-linked system before entering payment details.
▾
Use the official Butte County online payment/search system. Confirm the page says Butte County, California.
2
Confirm installment, penalties and bill type
Secured, unsecured, supplemental and defaulted tabs can differ.
▾
Review roll year, bill type, fee parcel, assessment number, APN, due date, penalty, redemption status and total amount. If a mortgage company should pay, verify escrow before paying personally.
3
Choose the payment method carefully
Fees change the final total.
▾
Use e-check if you want the no-fee online route. Card payments add vendor fees. For phone, Butte County lists 866-658-4533 for live-agent debit-card payments Monday–Friday, 8 am–5 pm EST, and 844-882-3391 for 24-hour automated credit-card payment.
4
Save proof immediately
Useful for escrow, closing, refinance, sale or refund questions.
▾
Save the email confirmation, receipt number, payment date, amount, roll year, fee parcel, assessment number and payment method. If you later call 530-552-3720, this information speeds up help.
| Payment Method | Official Detail | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Online e-check | Free through county online system | Lowest-cost online payment. |
| Online credit card | 2.30% service fee | Urgent card payment when fee is acceptable. |
| Online debit card | $3.49 per transaction | Flat-fee card route for smaller balances. |
| Postmark by due date except June 30 delinquent cutoff | Non-urgent check payments. | |
| Office | 25 County Center Drive, Suite 125, Oroville | Cash, check, money order, or staff help. |
Butte County property tax due dates and late-payment risk
Most secured bills follow the California two-installment schedule, but online timing, June 30 rules and defaulted-tax rules matter.
| Date / Event | What Butte County Says | Practical Action |
|---|---|---|
| November 1 | First secured installment due. | Start checking payment status and escrow early. |
| December 10 | Final day to pay first installment; 10% penalty after 5 pm. Online timely until midnight. | Do not rely on bank bill pay near deadline. |
| February 1 | Second secured installment due. | Verify lender payment if escrowed. |
| April 10 | Final day to pay second installment; 10% penalty plus $44 charge after 5 pm. Online timely until midnight. | Save receipt before midnight if paying online. |
| June 30 | Last day of fiscal year; delinquent current taxes must be received by 5 pm. June 30 postmarks not accepted. | For year-end delinquency, delivery/receipt matters more than postmark. |
| July 1 | Delinquent secured taxes move to delinquent rolls; 1.5% monthly penalties and $15 redemption fee added. | Get a current payoff before paying defaulted balances. |
How to estimate Butte County property tax
The county bill is final, but this framework helps you understand why your bill is more than a simple “1% of value” estimate.
Simple Butte County estimate
Estimated tax = assessed value × applicable rate + direct charges + supplemental, defaulted or penalty amounts.
Use assessed value
Use the Assessor’s value record, not a Zillow estimate or listing price.
Add exemptions
The Assessor applies legal exemptions. The parcel detail can show an exemption amount.
Expect direct charges
The Tax Division says the Auditor adds direct charges and special assessments to accounts.
Include penalties if late
After delinquency, penalties, redemption fees and monthly charges can change the payoff.
New Butte County property owner: duplicate bills, prior owner mail and supplemental taxes
A new buyer can miss a bill because it went to the previous owner. Butte County warns the buyer is still responsible for paying on time.
Bill may go to previous owner
Depending on purchase date, the regular property tax bill may have been mailed before ownership records updated.
Duplicate bill is available
If you do not receive a bill by the next installment deadline, contact the Tax Collector at 530-552-3720 or access the bill online.
Supplemental bill is separate
A supplemental bill reflects the difference between prior assessed value and new assessed value after purchase or construction.
1
Check online even if no paper bill arrived
No mailed bill does not remove responsibility.
▾
Use the official tax search to print the bill. If you bought close to a due date, do not wait for the mail.
2
Ask your lender about supplemental taxes
Most lenders do not automatically pay these bills.
▾
Butte County states a supplemental bill is generally mailed within one year of purchase and is in addition to the regular bill. If you have an impound account, ask your lender who will pay it.
3
Mobile home + land can mean two bills
Do not assume one bill clears everything.
▾
Butte County notes that if you purchased land and a mobile home, you may receive two separate bills: one for the land and one for the mobile home.
High bill, wrong value, missing payment or escrow issue: who fixes what?
Use this before calling. It saves time and gets you to the correct Butte County office.
| Problem | Call / Use First | Have Ready |
|---|---|---|
| Payment not posted | Treasurer-Tax Collector | Receipt, payment date, amount, assessment number, fee parcel. |
| Penalty or fee question | 530-552-3720 before paying | Bill screenshot, installment, deadline, penalty shown. |
| Assessed value too high | Assessor / appeal route | APN, Assessor value screen, purchase price, comparable evidence. |
| Ownership or mailing update | Assessor | Parcel, deed/transfer info, old and new mailing address. |
| Supplemental bill confusion | Assessor + Tax Collector + lender | Purchase date, bill, escrow statement, lender response. |
| Mortgage escrow should pay | Lender first, Tax Collector second | Escrow statement, APN, installment, county payment status. |
Map to Butte County property tax offices in Oroville
Both key property tax offices are at 25 County Center Drive in Oroville, but the suite and task differ. Tax Collector is Suite 125; Assessor is Suite 100.
Butte County Tax Collector / Assessor office map
Confirm hours before visiting. Tax Collector lobby hours are Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm. Assessor lobby hours are Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm, with phone hours listed as 9 am–4 pm.
Official Butte County property tax resources
Use these links for final actions. The details above explain what each office does so you do not have to dig through every official page first.
Butte County property tax FAQs
Short answers for people trying to pay, look up, calculate, appeal or understand a Butte County property tax bill.
QWhere do I pay Butte County property tax online?▾
Use the official Butte County tax search and payment system. Confirm roll year, assessment, fee parcel, bill type, penalty and fee before submitting.
QHow do I look up a Butte County property tax bill?▾
Use the Tax Collector search for fee parcel, assessment or street address. The official help says fee parcel search gives a current/delinquent fiscal-year summary, while assessment search is for a specific assessment.
QHow do I find assessed value?▾
Use the Assessor parcel lookup. It can show APN, property status, situs address, abbreviated legal description, land value, improvement value, exemption amount and total assessed value.
QWhat are Butte County online payment fees?▾
Butte County lists free e-checks through the online payment system, 2.30% for credit cards and $3.49 for debit cards. Monthly Easy Smart Pay lists free ACH/e-check and 1.99% card payments.
QWhat is the Tax Collector phone number?▾
Call the Butte County Property Tax Division at 530-552-3720 for bill, payment, receipt, duplicate bill, penalty or delinquency questions.
QWhat is the Assessor phone number?▾
Call the Butte County Assessor at 530-552-3800 for assessed value, parcel, ownership, exemption and property-characteristic questions.
QWhen is the first secured installment delinquent?▾
The first installment is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after December 10. Butte County says a 10% penalty is added after 5 pm, while online payment is timely if paid by midnight on the final due date.
QWhen is the second secured installment delinquent?▾
The second installment is due February 1 and becomes delinquent after April 10. Butte County says a 10% penalty and an additional $44 charge are added after 5 pm.
QWhat is a supplemental tax bill?▾
A supplemental bill may follow a purchase or new construction. It reflects the difference between the previous assessed value and the new assessed value, and it is separate from the regular annual bill.
QIs this the official Butte County tax website?▾
No. PropertyTaxUSA.org is an independent guide. Always verify payment status, deadlines, penalties, fees, parcel values and exemptions with official Butte County sources.
Bottom line
For Butte County property tax, think: Assessor for value, Tax Collector for bills and payment. Use the Tax Collector system to view, print or pay property tax bills. Use the Assessor parcel lookup to understand assessed value, exemptions and parcel details. Before paying, confirm roll year, assessment number, fee parcel, installment, due date, penalty, bill type and payment fee.
Independent guide notice: This page is informational only and is not the Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Butte County Assessor, Butte County government or legal advice.