Paying Your Property Taxes

The Different Ways to Pay Your Property Taxes

• Accepted Methods of Payment and Credit Balances

  Cheques & Bank Drafts

  Please make Cheques and Bank Drafts payable to The City of Nanaimo. Either may be postdated to the Property Tax due date. Incomplete items will not be processed. An administration fee will be charged for returned or dishonored payments. Cash is not accepted at this time.

  Debit Cards

  Confirm with your financial institution that your daily transaction limit and balance are sufficient before you make your payment. Credit cards are not accepted for Property Tax payments.

  Account Credit Balances

  If you are on the Property Tax Pre-Payment Plan and have a credit balance, it will be applied to next year’s pre-payments. If you are not on the Property Tax Pre-Payment Plan and have a credit balance, it can remain on your account and be applied to future Property Taxes. Alternatively, a refund can be issued upon request. Please complete a refund request in writing and submit to the Revenue Services Department (email is acceptable).

• Home Owner Grants

  Starting May 2021, you will apply for your home owner online with the Province.

  Municipalities are no longer accepting applications. Program eligibility is unchanged.

  In order to avoid penalties and interest, apply before the tax due date, starting May 2021.

  Learn more http://www.gov.bc.ca/homeownergrant or phone 1 888 355 2700 to speak with a live agent.
  

  
  

  
  

• Pay Online

  On your financial institution’s online banking website search for “Nanaimo” and select the “Taxes” payee option.

  Use the 8-digit folio number on the front of the Property Tax Notice as the account number. 

  Note:  Some institutions require the decimal point after the 5th digit and some do not, you may have to try both.

• Telephone Banking

  Use the 8-digit folio number on the front of the Property Tax Notice as the account number.

  Contact your financial institution for instructions.

• In Person at Your Canadian Financial Institution

  To pay at your bank, please take your property tax notice with you prior to the Property Tax due date.

  All Home Owner Grants are now handled through the Province of B.C. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/homeownergrant for more information.

• Mail via Canada Post or Courier

  If you are mailing in your payment, please detach the payment remittance slip from the bottom of your tax notice and send in the envelope with your cheque. We have included a pre-paid envelope with your 2021 tax notice. No postage is required.

  Please address mail to 455 Wallace Street, Nanaimo BC, V9R 5J6. Cheques may be post-dated to the Property Tax due date.

  Please have all payments mailed to the City of Nanaimo before the tax due date. The postmark will not be accepted as the date of payment. Mail lost or delayed by the Post Office will be subject to penalty. 

  Please note that your Home Owner Grant still needs to be claimed every year that you are eligible before the tax due date to avoid penalty. This can be completed on the Province's website: http://www.gov.bc.ca/homeownergrant

   

• Drop Off Payment

  The Service and Resource Centre located 411 Dunsmuir Street is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. There is a drop off slot located at the front of the building and is accessible 24 hours a day. There will be disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer at the drop box.

• Paying in Person

  Tax payments can be made at the Service & Resource Centre, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.

  Accepted methods of payment for property tax:

  • Cheque (made payable to the City of Nanaimo)
  • Debit Card (ensure your daily transaction limits allow for full payment)

  Please Note:  CASH AND CREDIT CARDS ARE NOT ACCEPTED

  Effective 2021, residents in municipalities no longer apply for the home owner grant through their municipal office. Home Owner Grants are now claimed directly with the Province by phone or online. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/homeownergrant for more information.

  Please be prepared to possibly wait in line if paying in person. COVID-19 regulations will apply.

• Mortgage Company

  Your mortgage company may also pay your property taxes on your behalf.  If this is the case for your property, it will be stated on your property tax notice near the top on the right hand side.  Do not not pay your property taxes if your mortgage company is paying on your behalf.

  If you are unsure, please contact your mortgage company.  It is their responsibility to inform the City of Nanaimo of their obligations to pay your property taxes.

  It is also the mortgage company's responsibility to know if you are claiming a Home Owner Grant or not.  To avoid over or under payments, please ensure that your mortgage company knows if you are claiming a Home Owner Grant or not. 

  If you are turning 65 at any point in the current taxation year and are eligible to claim the Senior's Home Owner Grant (the grant amount is greater than the regular Home Owner Grant).  Ensure that your mortgage company is aware and takes this into account when they are calculating your property tax payments that they collect from you.