Property tax in Kamloops for 2026 runs about $6.85 per $1,000 of assessed residential value, is due Thursday, July 2, 2026, and can be reduced by up to $770 through the provincial Home Owner Grant (or up to $1,045 if you’re 65 or older, a person with a disability, or a qualifying veteran or surviving spouse). The grant is claimed separately through the province, not the city, and missing that step is the single most common way homeowners lose money on their tax bill.
How Your Bill Is Calculated
BC Assessment, a provincial authority independent of the city, sets the market value of every Kamloops property as of July 1 of the previous year.1BC Assessment. Understanding the Assessment Process So your 2026 bill reflects what your home was worth on July 1, 2025. The city then applies a tax rate, expressed per $1,000 of assessed value, that Council adopts through its Five-Year Financial Plan Bylaw. For 2026 that plan is Bylaw No. 16-331.2City of Kamloops. City of Kamloops Financial Plan Bylaw No. 16-331
For a residential property (Class 1) in 2026, the combined rate per $1,000 of assessed value breaks down like this:3City of Kamloops. Property Taxes
- Municipal: 4.6500
- School: 1.5977
- Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD): 0.2537
- Thompson Regional Hospital District (TRHD): 0.3138
- BC Assessment Authority: 0.0381
- Municipal Finance Authority: 0.0002
- Total: 6.8535
For a home assessed at $600,000, the math is $600 × 6.8535 = $4,112 before any grants. The municipal portion alone is roughly two-thirds of that, driven mostly by police and fire services. Residential properties as a class generate about 65.5% of the city’s total property tax revenue.2City of Kamloops. City of Kamloops Financial Plan Bylaw No. 16-331
If you think your assessed value is wrong, act on the notice that arrives in January. Complaints go through BC Assessment to the Property Assessment Review Panel and must be filed by January 31.4Province of British Columbia. Property Assessment Review Panel For the 2026 assessment year, the deadline shifted to February 2, 2026, because January 31 fell on a weekend.5BC Assessment. Appeals Miss it and you’re locked into that value for the full tax year.
The Home Owner Grant
The Home Owner Grant is a provincial program that directly reduces what you owe. It is not automatic, and you apply for it every year through the province rather than the city.
Who Qualifies
You must be the registered owner, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, live in British Columbia, and occupy the home as your principal residence.6Province of British Columbia. Home Owner Grant Investment properties, vacation homes, and rentals you don’t live in don’t qualify.
How Much You Can Claim
Kamloops sits outside the Capital Regional District, Metro Vancouver, and the Fraser Valley, so homeowners here receive the higher tier. The basic grant is up to $770. Seniors 65 and older, persons with a permanent disability, and certain veterans or surviving spouses can add to that, for up to $1,045 total.6Province of British Columbia. Home Owner Grant
There’s a high-value threshold that catches some people out. If your property is assessed above $2,075,000, the grant is reduced by $5 for every $1,000 over that threshold. In Kamloops, the basic grant disappears entirely at $2,229,000, and the additional grant at $2,284,000.6Province of British Columbia. Home Owner Grant
How to Apply
Apply through the province’s online portal at etax.gov.bc.ca. You’ll need the jurisdiction number and roll number from your property tax notice or BC Assessment notice, plus your social insurance number.7Province of British Columbia. Apply for the Home Owner Grant The best time is after your tax notice arrives in late May and before the July 2 deadline.
Because the application goes to the province, some homeowners assume paying their city tax bill covers it. It does not. If you pay in full but forget to submit the grant application before the deadline, you forfeit the grant for the year, and the city adds a 10% penalty on the amount the grant would have covered.
How to Pay
Property tax notices are mailed to registered owners in the last week of May.3City of Kamloops. Property Taxes If your notice doesn’t arrive, or you’ve moved, look up your account through the Kamloops online property information tool. Updating your mailing address with BC Assessment through their Change of Address Notification e-Form keeps both your assessment notice and tax notice going to the right place.8BC Assessment. Mailing Address Changes
The city accepts several payment methods:9City of Kamloops. Payment Options
- Online banking. Add the City of Kamloops as a payee and use your 10-digit folio number (without dashes) as the account number. Confirm it matches your current notice.
- Credit card (Visa or Mastercard), online or in person, with a non-refundable 2.75% service fee. On a $4,000 bill, that’s $110.
- In person at City Hall, 7 Victoria Street West (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), or the Tournament Capital Centre, 910 McGill Road (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday. City Hall extends hours ahead of the deadline.
- Drop boxes (cheques only) at City Hall, the North Shore Community Policing Office, the Tournament Capital Centre, and Westsyde Pool and Fitness Centre.
- Mail to the Revenue Division, 7 Victoria Street West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A2. Cheque, money order, or bank draft payable to the City of Kamloops.
- Through most financial institutions in person, with your original tax notice.
- Through your mortgage company, if your lender handles taxes. Confirm the amount with them each year.
Payments sent by mail must arrive at the Finance Department by the deadline. Postmarks do not count.
Paying Monthly Through TIPS
The city’s Tax Installment Plan Services program spreads the cost across the year. Under Bylaw No. 63-1, enrolled homeowners authorize automatic monthly debits from a bank account between July 15 of the prior year and May 15 of the tax year.10City of Kamloops. City of Kamloops Bylaw No. 63-1 Each payment must be at least $10, and the total cannot exceed forecasted net taxes for the coming year.
Prepaid balances earn simple interest at four percentage points below the Bank of Canada prime rate, capped at 1.5%, credited against your tax bill. To enroll, your current year’s taxes and any special charges must be fully paid. Two consecutive bounced payments can cancel your enrollment, and you can withdraw from the plan at any time. Any balance still outstanding after May 15 appears on your July tax notice as amount due.10City of Kamloops. City of Kamloops Bylaw No. 63-1
Deferring Your Taxes
If you qualify for the Home Owner Grant but still can’t manage a lump sum, the province runs a separate deferment program that lets you postpone payment. Deferred taxes aren’t forgiven. They become a lien registered against your property and accrue interest until paid, typically when the home sells.
Regular Program
Open to homeowners who are 55 or older during the current tax year, surviving spouses of any age, or persons with disabilities. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, have lived in BC at least a year, and have all previous years’ taxes fully paid.11Province of British Columbia. Property Tax Deferment Program Eligibility
Families With Children Program
Open to parents or stepparents financially supporting a child under 18, an adult child in post-secondary, or an adult child with a qualifying disability. Same residency and tax-history requirements apply.11Province of British Columbia. Property Tax Deferment Program Eligibility
Interest
For taxes deferred in 2026 and later, both programs charge compound interest at 2% above the prime rate of the government’s principal banker. The rate adjusts quarterly on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1, with interest calculated daily and compounded monthly.12Province of British Columbia. Interest and Fees for Property Tax Deferment Over long deferral periods, compounding takes a meaningful bite of home equity, so this tends to work best as a bridge rather than a long-term strategy.
What Happens If You Pay Late
A 10% penalty applies to any amount unpaid after the July 2 deadline. The penalty isn’t discretionary. City staff and elected officials cannot waive it. It applies to the full outstanding balance, including the value of any Home Owner Grant you qualified for but didn’t claim. So if you were eligible for the $770 grant and didn’t apply on time, the penalty is calculated on that $770 as well.
Once December 31 passes, current-year unpaid taxes become taxes in arrears and start accruing interest. If they remain unpaid through a second December 31, they become delinquent and continue bearing interest at a rate tied to the provincial government’s prime lending rate plus 3%.13Province of British Columbia. Municipal Property Tax Sales: An Introduction and Best Practices
Delinquent taxes that stay unpaid put the property up for tax sale on the last Monday in September. The city must send notice to the owner at least 30 days before the sale. The timeline works like this:
- Year 0 (tax year): Taxes billed. Due July 2. Penalty applied if unpaid.
- January 1, Year 1: Unpaid taxes become taxes in arrears and begin accruing interest.
- January 1, Year 2: Still-unpaid taxes become delinquent.
- Last Monday in September, Year 2: Tax sale, if delinquent taxes have not been paid.
A tax sale isn’t final. The original owner has a one-year redemption period from the sale date. To reclaim the property, you must pay the full upset price plus any costs the purchaser incurred for maintenance, plus any taxes the purchaser advanced, plus interest to the date of redemption.14Province of British Columbia. Municipal Property Tax Sale If you don’t redeem within the year, ownership transfers permanently. The window from missed deadline to auction is shorter than most people realize, so if you’re struggling to pay, the deferment programs above are a much better option than letting the balance slide.