Chatham-Kent Property Tax: Due Dates, Payment, and Rebates

Property taxes in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent are billed twice a year and fund local services like fire and police, roads, and bridges. For 2026, interim installments are due March 2 and May 1, and final installments are due August 4 and November 2. What you owe is your property’s assessed value multiplied by the combined municipal and education tax rates set for your property class.1Chatham-Kent. Tax Calculator, Rates and Due Dates

2026 Due Dates

Chatham-Kent sends two tax bills each year. The interim bill goes out in early spring and is based on 50% of the total taxes you paid the previous year, which keeps municipal cash flowing while council finalizes the budget. The final bill uses the actual rates approved for the current year and subtracts what you already paid on the interim bill.

How Your Bill Is Calculated

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) sets a current value on every property in Ontario, meaning the price the property would likely sell for on the open market. Properties are grouped into classes such as residential, commercial, industrial, multi-residential, farmland, and managed forests, and each class is taxed differently.2Government of Ontario. Assessment Act, RSO 1990, c A.31

Your bill has two components. The municipal portion is set each year by Chatham-Kent Council through a budget bylaw. The education portion is set by the province and collected by the municipality on behalf of school boards. For 2026, the provincial education tax rate on residential property is 0.153% of assessed value.3Government of Ontario. O Reg 400/98 – Tax Matters, Rates for School Purposes The full rate schedule for every class is published by Chatham-Kent each year.1Chatham-Kent. Tax Calculator, Rates and Due Dates

One quirk worth knowing: MPAC assessments across Ontario are still based on a January 1, 2016 valuation date. The province postponed the reassessment scheduled for 2020 due to the pandemic, and as of early 2026 no new reassessment date has been announced. Your assessed value may not reflect recent movement in your local market.

How to Pay

You need your 15-digit roll number, printed at the top of your tax statement, to make a payment.4Chatham-Kent. Pay Property Taxes Chatham-Kent accepts payment through:

  • Online banking, by adding Chatham-Kent property taxes as a payee and using your roll number as the account identifier
  • Cheque or money order mailed to the Civic Centre
  • Secure 24-hour drop boxes at municipal service centres
  • A pre-authorized payment plan, set up by submitting a signed authorization form and a void cheque to the tax department

Lost your bill? You can request a duplicate statement by emailing ck311@chatham-kent.ca or calling 519-360-1998. There is a fee.4Chatham-Kent. Pay Property Taxes

What Happens If You Pay Late

Missing a due date costs 1.25% of the outstanding balance, added the day after the deadline. The same 1.25% is charged again on the first of every following month you remain in arrears. Over a full year that is 15% in penalty charges.1Chatham-Kent. Tax Calculator, Rates and Due Dates

Anything you pay is applied to penalties and interest first, then to the tax balance. Not receiving a bill does not excuse you from penalties, so if a bill has not shown up, call the municipality before the due date instead of waiting.

If arrears continue, the consequences escalate. Under Ontario’s Municipal Act, the municipality can register a tax arrears certificate against your property’s title on January 1 of the second year after the taxes became owing. Once that certificate is registered, you have one year to pay the full cancellation price. If you do not, the municipality can sell the property at public auction.5Government of Ontario. Municipal Act, 2001 SO 2001 c 25 – Section 373

Supplementary Bills After Renovations

Build an addition, renovate significantly, or construct a new building, and MPAC can issue a supplementary assessment reflecting the increased value. That assessment can cover the year the work was completed and the following year, so you may receive an extra tax bill partway through the year.6Government of Ontario. Assessment Act, RSO 1990, c A.31 – Section 34

If a property was left off the assessment roll entirely, MPAC can go back and assess it for the current year plus the two previous years, and the municipality then levies taxes at whatever rates applied in each of those years.7Government of Ontario. Assessment Act, RSO 1990, c A.31 – Section 33 Retroactive bills like this can arrive with no warning in your budget.

Disagreeing With Your Assessment

If you think MPAC overvalued your property or put it in the wrong class, the first step is a free Request for Reconsideration (RfR) filed directly with MPAC. For residential, farm, and managed forest properties, an RfR is mandatory before you can escalate.8Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. How to File a Request for Reconsideration

The deadline is printed on your Property Assessment Notice. Supporting evidence usually includes recent sale prices for comparable properties, photos of the property’s condition, or repair estimates. MPAC generally responds within 180 days and can take up to 60 additional days.

If the RfR result does not resolve the dispute, you can appeal to the Assessment Review Board (ARB) within 90 days of receiving MPAC’s response. ARB filing fees are $132.50 per roll number for residential, farm, and managed forest properties, or $318 for commercial, industrial, and multi-residential properties. Filing online gets a $10 discount.9Tribunals Ontario. ARB Fee Chart

Rebates and Relief

Chatham-Kent runs a few programs that reduce the tax burden for qualifying owners and organizations.10Chatham-Kent. Tax Rebate and Relief Programs

Registered Charities

A registered charity occupying space in a commercial or industrial property can apply for a rebate equal to 40% of the taxes levied on the space it occupies. The charity must hold a valid CRA registration number. Applications are due by February 28 of the year following the tax year, and you have to reapply annually.11Municipality of Chatham-Kent. Application for Property Tax Rebate by Registered Charities

Low-Income Seniors and Persons With Disabilities

Low-income seniors and low-income persons with disabilities may qualify for a partial deferral of their property taxes. Eligibility criteria and application forms are on the municipality’s tax rebate and relief programs page. These programs typically require annual renewal, so qualifying last year does not carry you over automatically.