Why Should Delaware Care?
New Castle County property tax bills are out after months of delays. But residents have taken to social media to voice their frustrations and ask questions about how exactly to interpret the bills. With a looming Dec. 31 deadline, Spotlight Delaware has compiled answers to some of residents’ most common questions.
As New Castle County homeowners began receiving their long-awaited property tax bills last week, many took to social media to voice their confusion, questions and frustrations.
The bills, delayed for months because of state law changes and lawsuits stemming from Delaware’s first-in-40-year property reassessment, have created a buzz among residents about how to interpret the document and what they need to do to ensure bills get paid on time.
With New Castle County’s Dec. 31 tax bill payment deadline looming, Spotlight Delaware has compiled answers to help residents and property owners navigate the process:
Is this an additional property tax bill?
No. The recent bills are revised versions of the ones originally sent out to New Castle County property owners in July, not an additional tax.
Natalie Criscenzo, a spokesperson for New Castle County, wrote in an email to Spotlight Delaware that the tax bills show the amounts property owners currently owe.
When the General Assembly convened in August for a special legislative session, it passed House Bill 242. The law allowed school districts in New Castle County to tax residential and commercial properties at different rates.
This split tax rate was meant to provide immediate relief to homeowners experiencing sticker shock after last year’s property reassessment caused tax bills to skyrocket. But it also meant that New Castle County had to recalculate tax bills for each property.
If HB 242 passed in August, why did my bill not come until the end of November?
While property tax bills were first delayed by the implementation of HB 242, a subsequent lawsuit filed by a coalition of New Castle County landlords and hotel owners sought to stop that law from taking effect. The commercial property owners argued that lawmakers’ move to shift more of the property tax burden to commercial properties was unconstitutional.
A Chancery Court judge ruled in October that HB 242 was legal, after hearing the case on an expedited timeline. But the landlord coalition appealed that decision to the Delaware Supreme Court.
A panel of three Supreme Court Justices heard that appeal in early November, choosing to affirm the Chancery Court’s decision and allow property tax bills based on a split tax rate to move forward.
County leaders said at the time of the Supreme Court decision that bills would be ready around Nov. 20.
Because bills went out so late, state lawmakers voted to push back the bill due date to Dec. 31.
I pay my property taxes through a mortgage escrow. What do I need to do?
The short answer, according to New Castle County’s Facebook page, is nothing.
The longer answer, and one that may provide a bit more peace of mind, is to check with your mortgage lender.
Angela Cason, a mortgage broker at Delaware Financial Mortgage, wrote on Facebook that residents should log into their online mortgage portal between Dec. 15 and Dec. 20 to check if their lender has paid the bill.
If there is no outgoing payment, Cason suggested calling the lender to ensure they received a copy of the updated bill.
If your tax bill increased from last year, Cason said in her post, your mortgage company will run an escrow analysis and recalculate your monthly payment in case of an escrow shortfall.
Criscenzo said mortgage companies should be aware of the new bill due date, as the county has been in “constant communication” with them.
She also encouraged residents to reach out directly to their mortgage lenders if they have questions about when or how their payment will be processed.
I do not have a mortgage. How do I pay my bill?
If you do not pay your property taxes through an escrow account, you should pay your bill directly to New Castle County as you have in years past. Bills are due to the county by Dec. 31.
According to New Castle County’s website, All bills should be made payable to:
New Castle County
P.O. Box 782888
Philadelphia, PA 19178-2888
My revised tax bill went down, but I already paid the higher amount.
Residents who overpaid, and paid their bills directly to New Castle County, have a few different options available, according to the county’s residential FAQ sheet:
- You may request a refund if your credit is more than $50.
- A refund of less than $50 will be automatically applied to your account.
- You may have your credit offset against your 2026 sewer bill.
If you do nothing, your overpayment will remain as a credit on your county account and offset future tax bills.
These refund options are only available for residents who directly pay their taxes to the county, according to the FAQ sheet. If your mortgage company pays your taxes and is owed a refund, the county will refund the mortgage company directly.
I don’t see any exemptions listed on my bill, but I have received them in the past. What should I do?
Although they are not listed on the revised tax bills, Criscenzo said no property owner should have lost their tax exemptions from previous years.
“As long as they’ve been paying their bills, if they had an exemption last year, they still have their exemption this year,” she said.
To ensure you have not lost your exemption, Criscenzo encouraged residents to check the July version of their tax bill, where they should still be listed. Exemptions for each property also are listed on the county’s online parcel search portal.
Get Involved
If you have questions about your bill that are not answered here, you can contact New Castle County by phone at 302-395-5340, or via email at treasury@newcastlede.gov.