Frequent Tax Questions & Answers
Tax bills are mailed no later than November 1st every year. It is the only notice that a taxpayer will receive with three coupons for 1st half, 2nd half and full amounts due.
The First Half Tax payment is due November 10th and becomes delinquent if not paid by December 10th. The second Half is due April 10th and becomes delinquent after May 10th (each year.)
Yes. Delinquency charges for property taxes are:
- 1% of the base tax due per month for interest until paid.
- 1% of the base tax due per month for penalty. Maximum penalty is 5%, minimum penalty is $5.00.
- By phone: 1-877-727-3090 (English & Spanish)
- On Line Tax Payment: www.sandovalcountynm.gov/taxpayment
- By Mail: PO Box 40; Bernalillo NM 87004
- Checks should be made payable to the Sandoval County Treasurer; signed and have the property account number written on the check.
- Sandoval County Treasurer's Office: 1500 Idalia Rd; Building D; Bernalillo NM 87004
Your tax payment will be reversed and penalty and interest will accrue. An NSF fee of $25.00, or 5% of the check amount (whichever is greater), will be added to the unpaid balance.
Yes, every property owner in Sandoval County is mailed a property tax bill even if the property taxes are paid by the mortgage company.
The policy of this office is to apply the first payment received for taxes due. If two payments are received for 1st-half taxes, the first payment will be applied to the 1st-half amount due, while the second payment will be posted against the 2nd-half amount. Any subsequent payments will be returned to the party making the payment.
If we receive a payment from your mortgage company, and later return or refund that payment, you will have to contact your mortgage company for an adjustment.
The Treasurer’s Office will not reverse any tax payment unless a written request for refund is received within 60 days of payment. The request for refund must be submitted by the party who made the original payment, and refunds may not be assigned to another entity or individual. After 60 days, it is incumbent on the original payer to seek reimbursement from the property owner benefitting from the payment.
This occurs when the Notice of Value was sent to the former owner. The bill is mailed to the new owner, but shows the prior owner so we know who received the Notice of Value. Typically, you will see this when there is an ownership change between the mailing of the Notice of Value and the Tax Bill.
- The new owner has not contacted the Assessor’s Office of the ownership change.
- Although a recorded instrument has been filed with the Clerk’s Office, there may not be a mailing address on the legal document for the new owner. Therefore, the Assessor’s Office cannot change ownership.
- If a title company was involved in the closing but there was no mailing address for the new owner, the Assessor’s Office will change the ownership and put the mailing address c/o the title company.
- If property was sold after October 1st, the previous owners' name and address will still reflect on the bill.
New owners are encouraged to contact the Assessor’s Office, and provide a current mailing address, immediately after filing the appropriate legal instruments with the Clerk’s Office.
Yes. According to 7-38-36 NMSA 1978, a taxpayer is still liable for taxes and any other associated charges even though a tax bill was not received. New Mexico is a self-rendering state, which means the property owner is responsible for the timely payment of all property taxes, regardless as to whether or not a tax bill was received. It is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that property taxes are paid.
The 10-year collection rate is 99.33% on over $1.283 billion that the Treasurer is charged to collect. The 2023 Tax Roll comprised $157.9 million of that total.
Where you live in Sandoval County determines which agencies are included on your property tax bill.
- We may not have your current mailing address on record. Property tax bills are mailed to the owner and address on record with the Assessor’s Office. Your tax bill may not be forwarded to your current address, if it has been more than 6 months since you moved or changed your mailing address. To update your address, please submit a change of address with the Sandoval County Assessor’s Office. Please note that any request for change of address must be submitted in writing, and include the signature of the property owner on record with the County Assessor.
- The change of address may have been received after tax bills were printed. In this case, the tax bill will be sent using your previous address, and may or may not be forwarded to your current address.
- A data entry error may have occurred, and we have an erroneous address on file. If you have not received your tax bill, please contact the Assessor’s Office to verify your mailing address.
- Your tax bill, or change of address, may have been lost in the mail. The Treasurer’s Office receives large volumes of mail from property owners, and sends more than 100,000 tax bills to property owners all over the world. Invariably, some of this mail may not reach its intended destination, but we are always ready to assist you regardless of the cause.
If the business was in operation as of January 1st, you are responsible for taxes for the entire year. Contact the Assessor’s Office to have the business deleted from the tax roll.
No.
- The assessed value of your property may have increased. Check the assessed value on this year’s tax bill with the value given for prior years for a comparison.
- Your assessed value may have been adjusted between the mailing of the Notice of Value, and the mailing of the Tax Bill. If an adjustment was made, a corrected Notice of Value should have been mailed to the property owner. To verify this, compare the assessed values shown on the Tax Bill against the values shown on the last Notice of Value. If these values do not match, contact the Assessor’s Office for additional information.
- Your eligibility for exemptions or special district assessments may have changed. Check your tax bill to see if any exemptions or districts have been removed.
- The school district encompassing the property may have changed, resulting in a change in tax rate schedules used to compute taxes on your property.
- Increases in the tax rates (mil levy) used to compute your taxes. This is the most likely cause of tax increases, and if all the above items are the same, the only reason for an increase in taxes.
- Voter imposed taxes increase when bonds are approved by the majority of voters
A mobile home property tax release may be obtained from the County Assessor upon payment of all applicable property taxes. This release is required for the transfer of a mobile home title, and for obtaining a mobile home moving permit. Personal checks will not be accepted for the purpose of obtaining a Property Tax Release. These payments must be submitted to the County Treasurer by cash, cashier’s check, or money order. A Property Tax Release will be given by appointment only.