City of Barrie Property Tax Payment: Due Dates and Penalties

Barrie property tax due dates for 2026 fall on February 27, April 30, June 30, and September 29. The first two are the interim bill installments; the last two are the final bill installments. Miss any of them and the city adds 1.25 percent to the unpaid balance on the first day of the next month, and again every month after that until you pay.¹

The Four 2026 Installments

Barrie collects property taxes in two billing cycles, each split into two payments.

Interim bill, first installment: February 27, 2026
Interim bill, second installment: April 30, 2026
Final bill, first installment: June 30, 2026
Final bill, second installment: September 29, 2026

The interim bill is an estimate, calculated at up to 50 percent of last year’s total taxes, and goes out before the city has finalized the current year’s rates. The final bill, issued in May, uses the actual rates and credits whatever you already paid in February and April.¹ Each bill is mailed at least 21 days before its first installment date, so it should reach you with time to plan.

How to Pay and When to Send It

The city considers a payment received when the money arrives in its account, not when you initiate the payment on your end. That distinction matters, because the two most common payment methods take days to clear.

Online or telephone banking: Add the City of Barrie as a payee at your bank and enter your 19-digit roll number as the account number. Payments can take several business days to reach the city.
Credit card: Accepted, but if you pay on or near the due date, it may not arrive in time and a late charge can still apply.¹
Cheque by mail: Send to 70 Collier Street, P.O. Box 400, Barrie, ON, L4M 4T5. No cash.
In person: Drop a cheque in the secure box at City Hall.

A three-to-five business day buffer before each due date is the practical rule. Your roll number is the 19-digit identifier printed at the top of your tax bill and Property Assessment Notice; one wrong digit sends your payment to another owner’s account.²

What Happens If You Miss a Due Date

There is no grace period. The 1.25 percent charge lands on the first day of the month after you miss a payment and applies again each following month the balance remains unpaid.¹ On a $5,000 unpaid installment, that is $62.50 added every month. The city’s published information does not describe a waiver process.

Longer arrears carry a heavier consequence. Properties that fall two or more years behind become eligible for the tax sale process. Under section 373 of the Ontario Municipal Act, 2001, the treasurer can register a tax arrears certificate against the property title on January 1 of the second year after the taxes first became owing. You then have one year to pay the full cancellation price, which covers all arrears, current taxes, accumulated penalties, interest, and the city’s administrative costs. If the year passes without full payment, the city can sell the property at public auction.³

Pre-Authorized Payment Plans

If you’d rather not track four dates, the city offers three pre-authorized payment options that debit your chequing account at no extra cost.⁴

Monthly plan: Ten withdrawals from January to October, taken on the last business day of each month. The first five are based on the interim bill; the last five adjust for the final bill.
Due date plan: The exact installment amount comes out on each of the four regular due dates.
Arrears plan: Scheduled withdrawals for owners catching up on overdue taxes.

Enrollment requires the application form and a void cheque, and only chequing accounts qualify. If you change banks, send a change form and a new void cheque at least 15 days before the next withdrawal. Two failed withdrawals will remove you from the plan; anything still owing then falls back onto the regular installment dates and starts accruing late penalties if missed.⁴

Bills That Don’t Follow the Four-Date Schedule

Renovations, additions, and new construction can trigger a supplementary tax bill covering the current year, or an omitted bill reaching back up to two prior years. These bills arrive outside the regular billing cycles with their own due dates, and they are not covered by pre-authorized payment plans. Like regular bills, they are mailed at least 21 days before payment is due, and the added tax is retroactive to the date of occupancy or completion.¹

If Your Mortgage Lender Pays Your Taxes

When your lender pays your property taxes through escrow, the city sends bills directly to the lender and does not mail you an interim bill.¹ Don’t wait for one. The legal responsibility for payment still rests with the property owner, so if an arrears notice arrives despite the mortgage arrangement, contact the lender right away. Penalties don’t get waived because a bank missed a payment on your behalf.

1
City of Barrie. Property Taxes
2
About My Property. About My Property
3
Government of Ontario. Municipal Act 2001 SO 2001 c 25
4
City of Barrie. Property Tax Pre-Authorized Payment Plan Application