To get a property tax receipt, contact your county tax collector or treasurer, the office that processed your payment and keeps the payment record. Most counties let you download a receipt as a free PDF through an online portal, and you can also request one in person or by mail. If your taxes are paid through a mortgage escrow account, your lender’s annual escrow statement and IRS Form 1098 give you a second source of proof.
Who Issues the Receipt
Two county offices handle property taxes, and only one of them issues receipts. The assessor values your property and calculates what’s owed. The collector or treasurer takes the payment and produces the receipt. When you need proof of payment, the collector or treasurer is the office to contact.
Property tax collection sits at the county level in most of the country, though some cities run their own collection offices independently. The quickest way to identify the right office is to look at who sent your original tax bill. That same office keeps the payment records.
What to Have Ready Before You Search
County databases are organized by parcel number, not by name or street address. The parcel identification number, sometimes called the assessor’s parcel number, is the fastest way to pull up your account. You can find it on your deed, your most recent tax bill, or an older tax statement.
Without the parcel number, most portals also let you search by owner name or property address. If you search by address, include any unit, lot, or apartment number, because neighboring properties on the same street often have similar addresses. Confirm the owner name and legal description match before you download or print anything.
Three Ways to Request a Receipt From the County
Online
Nearly every county tax collector offers an online search tool where you can look up your account and generate a receipt as a downloadable PDF. These digital receipts usually carry a timestamp or confirmation number that satisfies mortgage lenders and tax preparers. The service is generally free and available around the clock. Search your county tax collector or treasurer website for a “tax search,” “payment history,” or “receipt” link.
In Person
Walking into the collector’s office gets you a printed receipt on the spot. Staff can also pull multiple years of payment history if you need records going back further than the online portal shows. Some offices charge a small fee for printed copies, and a certified copy with an official seal, the kind you might need for court or a legal proceeding, costs more. Fees for a standard copy typically run a few dollars, with certification somewhat higher, though the exact amount varies.
By Mail
Most collector offices accept written requests. Include your parcel number, the tax year you need, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow a couple of weeks for processing and return delivery.
If Your Lender Pays Through Escrow
When your mortgage includes an escrow account, your lender pays property taxes on your behalf out of the funds you deposit each month. You have two sources of proof beyond the county office.
The first is your lender’s annual escrow statement. Federal law requires mortgage servicers to send this statement each year, and it must separately identify amounts paid for taxes, insurance, and other charges, along with the date each disbursement was sent to the taxing authority.
The second is IRS Form 1098, which your lender sends if they collected at least $600 in mortgage interest during the year. Box 10 of the form can include real estate taxes paid from your escrow account, though lenders are not required to report it there. Check Box 10 first. If it’s blank, use the annual escrow statement or log into your servicer’s online portal to find the disbursement details.
One point that trips up filers: for federal tax purposes, the deductible figure is what your lender actually paid to the taxing authority out of escrow, not the total you deposited into escrow over the year.1Internal Revenue Service. Publication 530 – Tax Information for Homeowners The two numbers usually differ because escrow also funds homeowner’s insurance and sometimes other charges.
Check the Tax Year on the Receipt
Property tax billing cycles don’t always follow the calendar year. Many jurisdictions run on a fiscal year that starts in July, and some bill in arrears, meaning you pay this year for taxes assessed last year. When you request a receipt, make sure the tax year on the document matches the year you actually need. A receipt dated January 2026 might cover the 2025 tax year depending on the local billing cycle.
Common Reasons You Need the Receipt
Federal Tax Deduction
Property taxes on your primary residence, vacation home, or land are deductible on Schedule A if you itemize. Starting in 2025, the state and local tax deduction cap rose to $40,000 for most filers ($20,000 if married filing separately), up from the $10,000 cap in place since 2018.2Internal Revenue Service. How to Update Withholding to Account for Tax Law Changes for 2025
Only the portion of your bill based on your property’s assessed value qualifies. The IRS says to review your bill and exclude nondeductible items like fees for trash collection, water, or sewer service that sometimes appear on the same bill.3Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Schedule A (Form 1040) You deduct property taxes in the year they were paid, not the tax year the bill covers, so a receipt with a clear payment date matters. The IRS does not require you to attach the receipt to your return, but you need it in your files in case of an audit.
Buying, Selling, or Refinancing
At closing, property taxes are prorated between buyer and seller, and the settlement statement shows how they were split. That document effectively serves as a receipt for each side’s share. If you recently bought or sold and need a copy, your title company or closing attorney should have one on file.
When refinancing, expect your lender to ask for a recent receipt or verify payment directly with the county. Unpaid taxes create a lien that takes priority over the mortgage, so lenders confirm taxes are current before closing a new loan.
Vehicle Registration
Several states require proof that personal property taxes are current before you can register a vehicle or renew your plates. This applies to personal property tax assessed on the vehicle itself, not real estate tax, but the receipt comes from the same county collector’s office. If you live in one of these states, the DMV will not process your registration until you produce a receipt or a statement of non-assessment.
How Long to Keep the Receipt
The IRS generally requires records supporting a deduction to be kept for at least three years from the date you filed the return or two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later. For property, the IRS says to keep records until the statute of limitations expires for the year you sell or otherwise dispose of the property, because those records may be needed to calculate cost basis and any gain or loss.4Internal Revenue Service. How Long Should I Keep Records?
In practice, hold onto property tax receipts for as long as you own the home, plus three years after you file the return for the year you sell it. Digital copies are fine. If you need a receipt from an older year and didn’t save one, most county portals maintain several years of payment history, and the collector’s office can usually retrieve older records in person or by written request.