Tax billing and account changes
View our COVID-19 response page for procedures on how to visit Waterloo City Hall to pay a tax bill.
We recommend switching to online or telephone payment through your bank, and contacting 519-747-8718 or revenue@waterloo.ca for customer service.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) has postponed the 2020 Assessment Update
On this page
- Property tax deferral program
- Online billing
- Due dates
- Billing types
- Payment method
- Tax account changes and fees
Property tax deferral program
This program gives residents and business an extra 60 days to pay their final tax bills. The application deadline is June 30, 2021.
Who is eligible
To apply for a deferral you must:
- Be the property owner.
- Prove the pandemic has caused a loss of employment, pay reduction, loss of business revenue or closure.
- Have paid your property taxes in full up to and including the March 2020 interim installment.
- Have not previously used business interruption insurance to pay property taxes.
The property will be ineligible if false information is provided in the application.
When you have to pay
If you are eligible, you must pay your taxes in full by the revised due dates:
Residential properties:
Original due dates | Revised due dates |
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May 3, 2021 | July 2, 2021 |
July 2, 2021 | September 1, 2021 |
September 1, 2021 | November 1, 2021 |
Commercial, industrial, and multi-residential properties:
Original due dates | Revised due dates |
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May 3, 2021 | July 2, 2021 |
September 1, 2021 | November 1, 2021 |
October 1, 2021 | December 1, 2021 |
Penalties are charged at the regular rate for each month of deferral. They will only be reversed upon full payment by the revised due dates.
If payment is not received by the revised due date, a penalty will be charged at the regular rate for the entire period the amount is outstanding.
If you receive tax payments from tenants, the deferral must be passed on to them. It will be revoked if not.
Before you apply
You need the following information to apply:
- your property roll number – find this on your property tax bill or you can search for it on our Property Tax Calculator
- your name as it appears on your taxes
- an email address
- if you do not have an email address or would like to fill out a PDF copy, please reach out to 519-747-8718
Apply for a deferral
Approval and next steps
If your application is approved you will be notified through email.
If you currently pay your property taxes through a pre-authorized payment plan, you will be removed once your application is approved. You will have to submit a new pre-authorized payment plan application in November for the 2022 tax year if you wish to re-enroll.
If approved and your mortgage company pays your property taxes, you must tell your financial institution to delay payments.
An overall cap of $10 million per installment due date will be set to ensure the City of Waterloo is able to continue to meet its cash flow needs. Once this cap is exceeded, no further applications will be considered.
Online billing
Sign up for Canada Post’s epost service to receive your bill online.
Due dates
For property owners that don’t submit taxes through a mortgage company, the upcoming due dates apply. If you pay through your mortgage and receive a tax bill, please forward it to your mortgage company.
Payment type | Property Type | First installment | Second installment |
2021 interim | Residential/multi-residential/commercial | Monday March 1, 2021 | Monday May 3, 2021 |
2021 final | Residential | To be determined | To be determined |
2021 final | Multi-residential/commercial | To be determined | To be determined |
Billing types
Interim bills |
Interim bills cover taxes due for the first six months of a year, paid in two instalments. Bills are mailed out in February with payments due in March and May. Amounts are estimated based on 50 percent of the previous year's property taxes. |
Final bills |
Final bills cover taxes due for the last six months of a year, paid in two instalments. Bills are mailed out in June, with payments due in July and September. Final bills are calculated using the current year's assessment and tax rate, less your interim bill. |
Supplementary and omitted tax bills (for newly built or renovated homes) |
Supplementary and omitted tax bills are issued throughout the year to owners of newly built or significantly altered properties. To determine what property 'change events' may trigger new tax bills, visit the the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) website. Billing process
It is your responsibility to ensure that the City of Waterloo tax office has up to date mailing information. Paying your billIf your mortgage payment includes taxes, please forward the supplementary bill to your mortgage company. If you are currently enrolled for pre-authorized payments, supplementary and/or omitted tax bills will not be paid from your financial institution account. Payment for supplementary bills may be made by online or mobile banking, by mail, or in person and must be received by the due date. If you receive supplementary/omitted tax bills and you did not own the home during this time, please forward the bills to your lawyer to arrange for payment. |
Payment methods
Online or telephone banking |
When paying online or by phone through your bank, we recommend paying at least three business days before the due date. Most banks can schedule payments ahead of time. The payee name can vary depending on the bank. The most common are “City of Waterloo Taxes” and “Waterloo Ontario Taxes.” Use your 15-digit tax roll number as the account number. Do not leave any spaces or decimal points between the numbers (012345678910000, for example). Contact your bank if you need assistance. |
Pre-authorized payments |
Using this plan we automatically withdraw scheduled tax payments from your bank account. The deadline to apply for a current tax year is September 15. Full details are on the pre-authorized tax billing application form. Download application form (PDF) Completed form and void cheque can be submitted in person at the revenue counter or in the deposit boxes at city hall, by fax at 519-747-8760, by email to preauthorized@waterloo.ca, or by mail to: Revenue Services To cancel a pre-authorized payment or change your banking information, download and submit a cancellation/change form (PDF). |
In person |
During business hours visit the revenue counter at city hall or front desk at the Waterloo Service Centre. Cash, cheque and debit are accepted. Please bring your entire tax bill with you. You can also drop off a payment at any time in a secure box at the William Street entrance of city hall. Only cheques payable to the City of Waterloo are accepted. Please do not use cash. Other tips if paying by this method:
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By mail |
Write your tax roll number on the back of a cheque (payable to the City of Waterloo), include the bottom portion of your invoice and send to: Revenue Services Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like a receipt. Do not send cash. |
Tax account changes and fees
If a property owner moves, sells a property, or dies, account changes may be necessary.
Change of address |
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To have property tax bills sent to a different address, download a notice of mailing address change form (PDF). Completed forms can be submitted by fax at 519-747-8760, by email to revenue@waterloo.ca, or by mail to: Revenue Services |
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Change of ownership |
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To change ownership information on a property, please submit:
If you receive a tax bill for a property you no longer own, please return it immediately, indicating to whom (if known) the transfer of the title has been made. Alternatively, you can direct the bill to the new owner of the property. The information can be submitted in three ways:
Revenue Services |
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Deceased owner |
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For a change in ownership due to a listed owner passing away, please submit:
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Fees |
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The following fees are associated with property tax services:
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For questions about your account, call us Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 519-747-8718 or TTY 1-866-786-3941. You can also email us any time at revenue@waterloo.ca.