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1. TAX CERTIFICATE REQUESTS

A tax certificate provides the roll number, legal description, levy, current balance, utility account balance and monthly tax payment plan amount. You can order a tax certificate by filling out a Tax Certificate Request Form and submitting it the Red Deer County office along with required $25.00 per certificate payment; payment is required before the request can be processed. To pay online by credit card, click here. 

Discover More:

• Corporate Services Forms – Tax Certificate Request

2. HOW PROPERTY TAXES ARE DETERMINED

Under the Municipal Government Act, municipalities are responsible for collecting taxes for municipal and educational purposes. Property taxes are levied based on the value of the property as determined from the property assessment process. Property taxes are not a fee for service, but a way of distributing the cost for local government services and programs fairly throughout a municipality. Local government services and programs include: garbage facilities, water and sewer services, road construction and maintenance, parks and leisure facilities, police and fire protection, seniors' lodges, and education.

The province notifies municipalities of the amount of education taxes they are required to collect, while the municipal and special requisition portion of taxes are determined by Council. The tax rates are determined based on the total taxable assessment and budget requirements of the municipality, and in Red Deer County are generally approved by Council in early to mid-May of each year.

The tax rate is applied to each individual property assessment using the following formula:

Property Assessment x Tax Rate = Taxes Payable

This formula means that the assessed value of the property in dollars is multiplied by the tax rate set by the County. Each municipality is responsible for ensuring that each property owner pays their share of taxes.

If you have any questions related to the taxes on your property, please call the County Office at 403.350.2150.

Discover More:

• Guide to Property Assessment and Taxation in Alberta

3. TAX PAYMENT OPTIONS

Terms of Payment: 
The due date for property tax payment is June 30 to avoid all penalties. Taxes levied are deemed to have been imposed for the period from January 1 to December 31 of that year.

A 6% penalty will be applied to any unpaid balance on July 1 and November 1. A 6% penalty will be applied to any unpaid balance on March 1. Refunds for overpayments (i.e.: duplicate tax payments) will be subject to a $20 administration fee as per Red Deer County Fee Bylaw.

For complete details on tax payment deadlines and to avoid late penalties, please see the reverse of your property tax notice or call the County at 403-350-2150.

Pre-Authorized Payment Plan:
Red Deer County’s Pre-Authorized Payment Plan (PAPP) is a simple, secure and convenient way for property owners to pay their annual property taxes. This plan allows property owners to have 12 months to pay their current year’s taxes. The monthly payment is based on the previous year’s tax amount divided into 12 equal monthly payments. This amount may be adjusted annually in June, based on Council approved tax rates.

An owner may join the monthly payment plan for the following year at any time from January until the April payment deadline (March 20 cut off), and they can start again for the August 1 payment (July 20 cut-off) as long as they bring their payments from January to July to current. Owners cannot join PAPP during tax time from May to July. 

Property owners can join the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan by contacting the Red Deer County office, filling out the Pre-Authored Tax Payment Agreement and submitting the paperwork to County office by the appropriate cut-off date, and making the appropriate payments to bring their balance to current.

Property owners enrolled in the PAPP still receive a tax notice with an amount due, but no payments, outside the arranged monthly tax payment, are necessary.

For more information on the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan, including enrollment requirements, please contact Corporate Services at 403-350-2150.

Financial Institutions:
Most banks and credit unions will accept property tax payments. You will require your tax notice(s), which will need to be stamped by the bank. Ensure your tax payment is processed within one banking day of June 30 (or earlier) to avoid penalties.

Online - through your financial institution:
Property owners can make an online payment through their financial institution. Enter "Red Deer County Tax" as the payee, and your "Roll Number" as the account.  If you own multiple properties, enter each roll number separately. Failure to do so will result in an administration fee of $10 per roll number to reallocate funds.

Ensure you know your banks policy regarding effective date of processing when June 30 falls on a weekend. Any payment made online with a date processed after June 30 is subject to a penalty (allow 5 days for processing).

Online - through Option Pay: 
Property owners can make an online payment with select credit cards through Option Pay. Read more about this payment option here. Any payment made online with a date processed after June 30 is subject to a penalty.

By Mail:
Send payment to: 38106 Range Rd 275, Red Deer County, AB  T4S 2L9

Make cheques payable to Red Deer County, please include remittances for all roll numbers. Please do not send cash in the mail.

Any payment for property tax forwarded by mail shall be deemed to have been received on the same date as the Canada Post Postmark stamped on the envelope in which the said payment was received as this indicates the date and point of arrival at the post office.  Payments submitted by mail must be clearly postmarked by Canada Post on or before June 30 to avoid penalties. Postage marked by a privately owned machine does not indicate the date it was received by Canada Post.

In Person:
Property owners can make payment in person at the Red Deer County Centre. Office Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Please bring your entire tax notice with you when paying in person. Red Deer County accepts payment by Interac, personalized cheques and cash; credit card payments are not accepted.

Drop-Off Box:
Cheque payments may be deposited after 4:30 PM in the after-hours envelope depository at the Main Entrance to the Red Deer County Centre. Please include all remittances if you own multiple properties.

Discover More:

• Corporate Services Forms – Pre-Authorized Utility & Tax Payment Agreement
• Red Deer County Fee Bylaw
• Red Deer County Centre