Barnard Property Taxes
Each year, residents vote on property tax due dates, deadlines, interest, and penalty fees at the Annual Town Meeting.
WAYS TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES
PAY IN-PERSON
Payments by cash, check, or money order are accepted by the Tax Collector during open office hours.
PAY BY MAIL
Payments by check or money order made payable to the Town of Barnard can be mailed to PO Box 155, Barnard, Vermont, 05031. To receive a receipt, property owners must send their payment with the installment coupon from their tax bill and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT
Automatic debit payments from a checking or savings account can be scheduled by property owners by submitting a direct debit authorization agreement to the Treasurer no later than 15 days prior to the installment date. CLICK HERE for a Direct Debit Authorization form.
PAY BY CREDIT CARD/DEBIT CARD/ELECTRONIC BANK CHECK
Payments can be made by credit card, debit card, or electronic bank check on the Barnard Town Website. Additional convenience fees are applied by the card company. As of July 2025, the credit card fee is 2.50% with a $1.95 minimum, the debit card fee is $3.95, and the eCheck fee is tiered starting at $1.75. Payments must be paid/processed on or before the due date. The Town of Barnard will not retain any credit card information. CLICK HERE to pay your bill online.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR PROPERTY OWNERS
PROPERTY TAX BILLS: One tax bill is mailed to each property after the tax rate is set by the Selectboard, typically in July or August. The tax bill is mailed to who owned the property as of April 1st of that year. This is the only bill property owners receive. Failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve the taxpayer of the responsibility to pay the taxes when due, nor does it relieve the addition of penalties and interest. CLICK HERE for a change of address form.
If a property is sold after April 1st, it is the property owner's responsibility to forward the tax bill to the new owner and the new owner’s responsibility to take notice of the due dates.
If a property is subdivided after April 1st, the tax bill contains taxes due on the entire parcel. It is the property owner's responsibility to make sure the entire tax bill is paid in full for the year.
If taxes are held in escrow by a mortgage company, it is the property owner's responsibility to provide the current tax bill to the escrow company or to inform the escrow company if the tax bill is revised for any reason.
If a property owner qualifies and timely files an annual Homestead Declaration with the Vermont Dept. of Taxes, property owners may see a tax adjustment in the form of a credit on their tax bill. The town is required to apply the credit equally to each installment for the current year and the credit cannot be used to pay delinquent taxes. Any late filings of the Homestead Declaration are subject to an 8% penalty.
If there is a dispute related to property tax payments, property owners must submit a letter by mail to the Barnard Board of Abatement at PO Box 274, Barnard, Vermont, 05031.
PROPERTY TAX DUE DATES: The tax bill includes two installment coupons. Property owners may pay the bill in full or pay in two installments, due and payable on or before the due dates. There will be no reminder of payment due for the second installment. For FY26, payment #1 is due August 26, 2025, and payment #2 is due February 17, 2026. Property taxes can be paid more frequently than the two scheduled installments. Property owners can send payments on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis as long as the taxes are paid in full on or before the due dates. Any and all payments not received by due dates will be subject to interest and/or penalty. No post-dated checks will be accepted. Payments in U.S. funds must be payable and, if mailed, legibly postmarked on or before the due dates. A $25.00 fee will be charged for any payment returned and/or not fully credited by the bank.
PROPERTY TAX INTEREST & PENALTY FEES: If payment is not received in full on or before the due date, a one-time 8% penalty on the unpaid principal balance will be charged. In addition, interest will be added at the rate of 1% per month for the first three months and 1.5% each month thereafter. See 32 V.S.A. § 4873 and 32 V.S.A. § 1674. Payments received will be applied to any penalties and interest first, and then to current taxes.
PROPERTY TAX OVERPAYMENTS: Any amount of overpayment on the first installment will be applied to the second installment unless a refund is requested IN WRITING by the property owner or the source of the original funds (bank or mortgage company). An overpayment amount of $10.00 or less will be credited towards the first installment of the next tax year. An overpayment amount of $10.01 or more can be returned to the property owner upon written request.