We process all payments as quickly as possible, usually the same day. You may verify payment by checking the Land Records portal Select the Accept and Sign In box under Guest Sign In to get to the search page. In the Property # box, put in the parcel # (no spaces or dashes) and click Search. This will populate the Search Results area. Choose the corresponding tax year line which will take you to your parcel page. Choose the Taxes tab to see up to date payment information. This web site is updated in real time as payments are processed.

YES, Credit or debit card or E-check payments can be made online. Please see the Pay Your Taxes by Credit/Debit Card & E-Check section of the website for instructions. Payments made online will reflect the actual date the payment was made. Fees apply.

Yes, if all the following criteria are met: 1) it is mailed in a properly addressed envelope, 2) postmarked before midnight of the prescribed due date for making the payment, with postage prepaid, and 3) is received by the proper official, regardless of when it is received. December 31st is not a due date and; therefore, to ensure a receipt dated in December, payments by mail must be received in our office on or before December 30. Payments postmarked by December 31st and received within 5 business days after December 31st will be receipted as January; however, the reference note will reflect a December Postmark.

No, we only send tax bills to the owner on record. We provide tax payment information to mortgage companies as requested, but no tax bills will be sent to them. The City does use a service that works with mortgage companies and third-party tax services that allow for bulk payment processing.

If you are eligible for the Lottery Credit and did not receive it, the link for the Lottery Credit application form is available on the Treasurer’s Office page on the city website. We must receive the completed form by January 31, 2026 in order to apply the credit to your 2025 property tax bill. Check out our Lottery and Gaming Credit page for more information.

If you are a new owner, you may not have received a tax bill because our information is based on what Milwaukee County Register of Deeds sends to our Assessor’s office. We generally have all recorded changes from the County through October. To find out how much you owe – you may check our web site, contact the seller of the property to determine if they received the tax bill, or contact City Hall.

Those who qualify are owners of a home in Wisconsin who use the home as their primary residence on January 1st (Certification Date) of the year in which property taxes are levied. Primary residence is defined as the home where an individual lives more than six months of the year. If you did not previously complete a Lottery and Gaming Credit Application, no Lottery Credit was applied to your 2025 property tax bill. If you are eligible for the Lottery Credit and did not receive it, the link is available here for the Lottery Credit application form. We must receive the completed form by January 31, 2026 in order to apply the credit to your 2025 property tax bill. For more information, check out the Lottery and Gaming Credit page.

If you cannot pay your tax bill in full it is best to pay as much as you can and as soon as you can. All delinquent tax accumulates interest and penalty charges from February 1st at 1.5% per month on the entire unpaid principal balance. Therefore, any payments made will help reduce the amount of interest and penalty accrued. We will only be able to accept payments through July 31st; at which time all delinquent real estate tax will be turned over to Milwaukee County for collection.

If your payment was not received by the Utility department by November 15, it was placed on the tax roll. In this case, you are responsible to pay that amount to prevent your property tax bill from becoming delinquent. If you made the utility payment by November 15, please call the Utility department at (414) 766-6600 to verify if your payment was received and applied as a credit to your account.

If by January 31st, you have paid equal to or more than the total of your January and March installment, you do have the option of paying the remaining balance by May 31st.

The property tax bills are based on what is on the property as of January 1. In many cases, on January 1st your property was land only and part of one large parcel. The builder may be responsible for payment depending upon what your sales contract states. Please check your paperwork to see what agreement was made with the builder.

The owner of the property is responsible for the taxes. If you purchased a home a few months ago and that property was in existence as of January 1, you are responsible for the taxes for the full year. Please check your closing papers to find out how the taxes were handled. (Usually taxes are pro-rated at the time of closing. They may have been deducted from the sale price as a credit to you.)

We process payments as quickly as possible. Please allow one week for your check to clear your account. If more than one week has passed and your check has not cleared your account, please contact City Hall. You can always verify online if we received and processed your payment.

The installment dates are: January 31st, March 31st, and May 31st. The amounts listed on your tax bill are the minimums due by those dates; you may pay more or earlier than the dates listed, but those minimums must be paid by those dates. Any payment not made by its due date will result in delinquency of the entire unpaid principal balance and forfeiture of the installment option. All delinquent tax will accumulate interest and penalty charges from February 1st at 1.5% per month until paid in full, regardless of when it becomes delinquent.

We process all payments as quickly as possible, generally the same day. When payment by mail or in our depository box is processed, receipts will NOT be mailed but are available online. To obtain a copy of your payment receipt, go to our Land Records Portal. Select the Accept and Sign In box under Guest Sign In to get to the search page. In the Property # box, put in the 10-digit parcel number with no spaces or dashes, and click Search. This will populate the Search Results area. Choose the corresponding tax year line which will take you to your parcel page. Choose the Taxes tab to see up-to-date payment information. Click on the Print Tax Summary button in the middle of the screen. When paying your taxes by mail or in the depository box, if you include a self-addressed stamped envelope, a receipt will be mailed to you. If you pay your tax bill at Tri City Bank, the payment information is recorded on your tax coupon and will be returned to you as your receipt. A file is exported by the City within 3 business days; payments are entered using the actual date of your payment. Payments on the internet by credit/debit card or E-Check will receive an onscreen confirmation number and a printable digital receipt.

No, you must follow the installment amounts listed on your tax bill. The amounts listed are the minimums due by those dates, you may pay more or earlier than the dates listed, but those minimums must be paid by those dates. Any payment not made by its due date will result in delinquency of the entire unpaid principal balance and forfeiture of the installment option. All delinquent tax will accumulate interest and penalty charges from February 1st at 1.5% per month until paid in full, regardless of when it becomes delinquent.

No. An escrow check must be applied in full to your tax bill. If the escrow check exceeds the full amount due, an overpayment refund check will be issued in four to five weeks.

To receive an immediate refund, make your payment at one of the Tri City Bank locations and with proper identification, they will issue you a cashier’s check immediately. If you make your tax payment at City Hall, the refund will be processed through our Finance department and a check will be issued in four to five weeks.

Yes, in order to process your payment the check must be endorsed by all payees. Please avoid delays in processing, and possibly falling delinquent, by remembering to sign the back of your check.

Some mortgage companies send escrow checks to a third-party tax service before sending them to the City. We process checks as quickly as possible; generally the same day we receive them, so please call your bank to verify timely payments. Your receipt will reflect the date that the payment was received by the Treasurer’s Office, not the date on the check. Payments postmarked by December 31st and received within 5 business days after December 31st will be receipted as January; however, the reference note will reflect a December Postmark.

Every taxable parcel in the state of Wisconsin qualifies for the First Dollar Credit provided that parcel contains a real property improvement. This includes business, commercial and private property. This credit should be automatically applied to all qualifying properties. If the property tax bill has an amount shown in the “Ass’d Value Improvements” boxes, then that property should receive the credit. Unlike the Lottery and Gaming Credit, the property does not need to be the primary residence of the owner and an owner may receive the credit on more than one property. A personal property improvement is not a qualifier for this credit.

The City adopted the storm water management system user charge ordinance in 2003. The Common Council approved the charge to remain at $70.00 per ERU for 2025. For more information, please visit the Stormwater User Charge information webpage.

The ratio is determined by the Dept. of Revenue based on “total values” not “individual values” and is based on the difference between what the City Assessor determines as the “Total Assessed Value” of the entire City in comparison to what the State Dept. of Revenue determines to be the “Total Value” of the City. The Dept. of Revenue then gives the City the “Ratio” figure in which is used to calculate individual Fair Market Values. Please bear in mind that if the ratio were lower the tax rate would be higher, and if the ratio were higher the tax rate would be lower, in order to collect the same amount that has been levied by all the taxing districts, and your tax amount would have been the same.

Tax bills are mailed out on or before the 3^rd Monday in December. 

Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Payment information can be found on the City Website , in the Acorn, and in the brochure enclosed with your property tax bill.

The middle section of your tax bill lists the Net Property Tax for 2024 and 2025. The amount of your Lottery and Gaming credit is shown above the 2025 Net Property Tax column. If no amount is shown you did not receive the lottery credit. The Lottery and Gaming credit amount for 2025 is $186.74.

There are five different taxing districts: Milwaukee County, Oak Creek/Franklin School District, Milwaukee Metro Sewerage District, Milwaukee Area Technical College and City of Oak Creek. The City only maintains authority over the City tax rate, which is established by the City levy. Check out a detailed breakdown on our Mill Rate Information page, with in-depth information regarding City spending in our annual budget.

No, reminder notices will not be sent by the Treasurer's office.