Today marks the statewide deadline for Arkansas property owners to pay their property taxes. Residents in all 75 counties must complete payments by 11:59 p.m. to avoid a 10% penalty.
Property taxes are levied on all items with titles, such as homes, vehicles, and recreational vehicles like four-wheelers. Payments can be made in person, online at www.countryservice.net, through a drop box, or by mail.
For those mailing payments, Craighead County Tax Collector Wes Eddington advised ensuring the postmark is dated today to avoid late penalties. "If you’re going to mail in a tax payment, you need to take it to the postmaster and have them hand-cancel it on the 15th," he explained.
In Craighead County, property owners can pay their taxes in person at the Jonesboro Annex at 511 Union Street in Jonesboro or at the Lake City office at 113 Cobean Boulevard. The Lake City location also has a drop box for added convenience. Online payments can be made using a debit/credit card or e-check, though these options include a 4% convenience fee.
Failure to pay property taxes for two consecutive years can result in loss of the property. "If you don’t pay your taxes two years in a row, that means that that property will be transferred over to the Commissioner of State Lands. And then, from there, it will be sold at auction," Eddington noted.
Property owners statewide are encouraged to meet today’s deadline to prevent penalties and retain ownership of their assets. Questions about local tax collection procedures can be directed to the Craighead County Tax Collector’s Office at (870) 933-4560.