Property taxes in Madison: when they're due and how assessments work

When bills arrive and when they're due

Bills are mailed in December, based on your property's assessment as of January 1 of that year. You have two choices:

• Pay in full by January 31.
• Pay in four installments, due January 31, March 31, May 31 and July 31. The installments aren't simply your total divided by four, so pay the amounts printed on your bill.

All of these payments go to the City of Madison Treasurer. Only taxes still unpaid after July 31 move to Dane County for collection.

Don't miss an installment

If an installment is late, the whole remaining balance becomes due right away, with interest and penalties charged by the month. Paying slightly less than the installment amount, even by accident, counts as late too. Payments postmarked by the due date are on time, and the city allows a short grace period of a few working days, but it's not worth cutting it close.

How to pay

• Online: free from a checking or savings account; credit and debit cards carry a 2.45% fee.
• By phone: (877) 822-8418, any time.
• By mail: a check payable to City of Madison Treasury, P.O. Box 2999, Madison, WI 53701, with the stub from your bill.
• In person: City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 101 (cash, check or money order), or the check drop box out front.

If your lender pays your taxes from an escrow account, you usually don't need to do anything, but check that the payment went through. Questions? City Treasury is at 608-266-4771.

The lottery credit you might be missing

Wisconsin's lottery and gaming credit lowers the tax on your primary home. It isn't automatic: you qualify if you own the home and it was your primary residence on January 1, but someone has to apply for it.

Look for the credit on your bill. If it's missing, apply to the City Treasurer by January 31. Miss that, and you can still file a late claim with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (Form LC-315) by October 1. Applications sent to the city after January 31 count toward the next year's bill.

Lower-income homeowners and renters should also look at Wisconsin's homestead credit, claimed on Schedule H with or without your state income tax return. It has an income limit, which for 2025 claims was household income under $24,680.

Questioning your assessment

The City Assessor mails assessment notices each spring. In 2026 they went out on May 1. If you think yours is wrong, timing matters:

1. Open Book (early May, May 4 to 8 in 2026): talk to the assessor's office, especially if the details they have about your home are wrong, such as the square footage or number of bathrooms.
2. Objection to the Board of Assessors: if you still disagree with the value, file an objection by the deadline on your notice (in 2026 it was May 15 at 4:30 p.m.).
3. Board of Review: the final appeal at the city level, which meets from mid-summer to early fall.

Bring evidence: recent sales of similar homes nearby, or an independent appraisal. A real estate agent can pull comparable sales. The Assessor's Office is at 608-266-4531.

Getting help

Property tax questions often come up alongside bigger ones: buying or selling, rental property, or your own taxes. Madison-area accountants and tax preparers can help with credits and planning, and real estate lawyers handle assessment disputes on larger properties.