Central Elgin offer residents, realtors and law firms a Property Tax Portal to review property tax accounts anytime. Residents can now also choose to receive their property tax bills by email.

Central Elgin issues an interim property tax bill and final property tax bill each year. There are four property tax installments due dates.

Please note the 2026 due dates are:

February 25, 2026
May 27, 2026
August 27, 2026
November 26, 2026

The interim property tax bill is issued in January and is estimated at 50% of your prior year's property taxes. The final property tax bill is issued in July, and reflects the current year's property taxes less the interim billing.

Payments

Payment Options

Pre-Authorized Payment Plan

Submit a PAP Application

Cancel Your PAP

Change Your PAP

Pre-Authorized Payment Plans will not withdraw supplemental or omitted tax bills automatically unless you contact the Municipality with authorization.

Mail

Send to the Municipal office at 450 Sunset Drive, St. Thomas (cheques only)

In Person

In person at the main office during operating hours (Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm) by cash, cheque and debit.

If this timeframe does not work for you, please email the coordinator to make arrangements.

At Your Bank

Telebanking (requires 19-digit roll number with no spaces or periods)
Internet banking (requires 19-digit roll number with no spaces or periods)
Direct payment (provide your tax bill)

Mortgage Companies

If arrangements have been through a mortgage provider, tax amounts are sent directly to the property owner's mortgage company for payment. A bill is mailed to the owner at the end of the year after all payments have been received.

Overdue Property Taxes

Property Tax Bill Not Received/Charges/Penalty/Fees

Penalty/interest of 1.25% is charged on taxes due and unpaid and will be added to your account on the first day of each month following the due date. A $5.75 past due notice fee will be applied when the Municipality issues a past due property tax notice.

If another party is responsible for paying your taxes, it is your responsibility to ensure your tax bill is forwarded to the appropriate party (mortgage company, etc.) Failure to receive a tax notice does not relieve the ratepayer from payment of taxes nor from the liability for penalty for late payment.

Did not receive your property tax bill?

Penalty, interest and fees incurred due to late or non-payment because you did not receive your property tax bill cannot be waived. Here are some tips to remember when expecting to receive your property tax bill:

Interim and final property tax bills are issued and due at the same time every year (unless otherwise stated).
Advance notice of the issuance and mailing of tax bills is advertised on the Municipality’s website.
It is the property owner's responsibility to ensure that they receive the property tax bill and that they use the Property Tax Portal or call 519-631-4860 x 280 if your tax bill is not received.
If your property tax bill is returned by Canada Post as "undeliverable", Finance staff will review each bill returned and attempt to locate a mailing address or update the property ownership information whenever possible and issue a duplicate tax bill.

Account Information

Change of Ownership

All legal ownership changes are processed through the Land Registry Office (519-631-3015).

Process

The purchaser’s lawyer will notify the property tax office of the ownership change on closing. Once the ownership change has been processed, a current property tax bill, pre-authorized payment application and access instructions for our online portal will be mailed to the new property owner. The purchaser’s lawyer will provide the address for service for the new owner.

The Municipality also receives bi-weekly Municipal Sales Listings from MPAC with all legal ownership changes from the Land Registry Office.

Fees

The following fees are associated with property tax services:

Item	Cost
Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF)	$51.75
Tax Certificates	$60.75
New Account Setup	$29.00
Past Due Notice Fee	$5.75
Tax Sale Registration Process	Cost Recovery + 25%
Tax Bill Reprints	$5.75
Addition to the Roll	Cost Recovery + 25%
Mortgage Billing Fee	$ 11.75/Roll/Billing

Property Tax Portal

Visit your tax portal for account details.

View Portal

Tax Rates

Central Elgin calculates your tax bill by multiplying your property assessment value by the tax rate, and adding your garbage cart fee. If you don't agree with the value of your property assessment, contact MPAC at 1-866-296-6722 or visit MPAC online.

How Your Property Tax is Calculated

Property taxes are based on your home’s value. What you might not know is that an increase in your home’s value doesn’t necessarily mean your taxes will go up. This video explains how your property taxes are calculated based on the assessed value of your home.

Supplemental and Omitted Tax Bills

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) provides the Municipality with supplementary and omitted assessments for the current year and up to two years prior. You may receive a Property Assessment Change Notice for a supplementary or omitted assessment. You'll receive one of these notices when your property's assessed value or classification changes because improvements to the property or a change in its use. Supplemental and Omitted Assessments are billed in addition to the regular billing cycle and are issued throughout the year.

New Build / Improvement to Property

If you have built a new home and your property is not yet assessed, you can contact MPAC at 1-866-296-6722 to obtain comparable assessments in your area. Remember, property taxes are calculated by taking the assessed value of the property and multiplying it by the tax rate.

Once MPAC assesses your new home, you will receive a Property Assessment Change Notice from them. You will then receive a Supplemental property tax bill from the Municipality which will be back-dated to your date of occupancy.

Please visit MPAC's website which has some helpful information regarding New Built Home Property Assessments.

Tax Adjustment

If the status of your property changes due to fire, demolition, or otherwise, please inform us in writing by completing a Form 357/358, so the necessary adjustments to the assessed value and/or tax class can be processed.

Application under Section 357

A property owner may make application under Section 357 of the Municipal Act for a refund of property taxes for the following reasons:

Ceased to be liable to be taxed at rate it is taxed
Became exempt
Fire/Demolition
Mobile unit removed

The property tax refund application can be made for a period during the year or for the entire year. This application must be made to the Municipality no later than February 28 of the year following the taxation year to which the application relates.

Application under Section 358 – Gross or Manifest Clerical Error

A property owner may make application under Section 358 for one or both of the two years preceding the year in which application is made for an overcharge caused by a gross or manifest error in the preparation of the assessment roll that is clerical or factual in nature but not an error in judgement in assessing the property.

This application must be made to the Municipality of Central Elgin between March 1 and December 31 of a year. A separate application is required per year.

Tax Assessment Appeal

If you disagree with your property tax assessment, file a Request for Reconsideration (RFR) with MPAC or appeal to the Assessment Review Board (ARB) by their deadlines.

How MPAC Assesses Your Property Video

Tax Certificates

Tax certificates are available upon completing and submitting the Tax Certificate Request Form and payment of $60.75. Central Elgin will email and mail out completed tax certificates.

Tax Certificate Request Form

Property Taxes - your tax bill includes taxes collected for 3 levels of government: County, Municipality and Education. Below is an illustration showing the breakdown.

Designated Heritage Properties

Central Elgin has a vibrant history with features and properties that reflect our natural and cultural heritage.

If you're interested in designating your property, please refer to the Designated Heritage section.