Travis County Tax OfficeProperty tax payments must be received or postmarked by the delinquency date to avoid penalties. Postage that is postmarked is evidence of the date mailed. If a payment is received after the delinquency date with no postmark, the payment shall be considered late and in accordance with Texas Tax Code Section 33.011, penalties will be imposed.
Postmarks are imprints on envelopes, flats and parcels that show the name of the United States Postal Service (USPS) office that accepted custody of the mail, along with the state, zip code, and the date of mailing. The postmark is generally applied, either by machine or by hand, with cancellation bars to indicate that the postage cannot be reused.
Taxpayers who send their payments by mail should know that the USPS only postmarks certain mail depending on the type of postage used. Payments sent with the following types of postage are not postmarked and may be subject to penalty and interest if received after the deadline:
- Metered mail: Mail on which postage is printed directly on an envelope or label by a postage machine licensed by the USPS.
- Pre-canceled stamp: Stamps sold through a private vendor, such as stamps.com®.
- Forever stamps: First class stamps that remain valid for 1 ounce letter mailing regardless of postage changes.
- Automated postal center (APC) stamps: Stamps, with or without a date, purchased from machines located within USPS.
- Permit imprint: Pre-sorted mail used by bill pay services, such as online home banking.
Other Options:
Purchase and complete a certificate of mailing from the USPS, which is a receipt that provides evidence of the date that your mail was presented to the USPS for mailing. It can only be purchased at the time of mailing through the USPS. The USPS charges a small fee for this service.
Purchase a postage validated imprint (PVI) label from a USPS retail counter or window. The PVI is applied to a piece of mail by personnel at the retail counter or window when postage has been paid to mail that item. The item is retained in USPS custody and is not handed back to the customer. The date printed on the PVI label is the date of mailing.