November 20, 2020
St. Charles County, Missouri – On Nov. 24, the first of nearly 350,000 real estate and personal property tax bills for 2020 will be mailed by Michelle McBride, St. Charles County Collector of Revenue. Bills are already available to view online at StCharlesMoCollector.org.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, taxpayers are strongly encouraged to pay using contactless methods: by mail, online, by phone, or by dropping off payment in the drive-through drop box in front of the County Administration Building at 201 N. Second Street in St. Charles.
Understanding Tax Bills and Tax Levies/Rates
For a better understanding of the distribution of tax dollars, tax bills include a detailed allocation of taxes to political subdivisions that receive taxes, such as the state, schools, cities, fire districts, library, ambulance and emergency communications. Each of the entities that receive a portion of the tax bill sets its own tax levy, also known as the tax rate. The Collector of Revenue is given the tax rates to collect and is responsible for distributing the taxes collected to the political subdivisions. The Assessor and Collector of Revenue are not responsible for setting budgets in political subdivisions, and are not responsible for establishing the tax rate of individual political subdivisions.
The amount of taxes owed will be impacted by certain bond issues or tax rate increases passed by voters in the political subdivisions listed, including measures passed by Oct. 31 in the same calendar year of the bill. For example, earlier in 2020, voters passed propositions that included a 63-cent per $100 of assessed valuation tax increase for the Orchard Farm School District and a 49-cent per $100 of assessed valuation tax increase for the Wentzville School District. Taxpayers who reside within these districts will see these changes reflected on their 2020 tax bill.
To compare 2019 and 2020 tax rates, click on “Tax Rates” at sccmo.org/Collector.
Ways to Pay
Tax payments are due by Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020. Technical difficulties with making phone or online payments do not extend the statutory deadline to pay without late payment penalties and interest. Receipts for payments by mail, online, phone, and drop boxes are mailed approximately five days after payment is received and processed by the Collector of Revenue’s office; receipts for payments made in-person at the Collector’s service windows are provided same-day.
Following are ways to pay:
- By mail using check, money order or cashier’s check. Make payable to Michelle D. McBride or St. Charles County Collector of Revenue. Mail to Michelle D. McBride, St. Charles County Collector of Revenue, 201 N. Second St., Room 134, St. Charles, MO 63301. Include remittance stub, if available, and write account number on the payment. Do not mail cash.
Mailed payments are accepted as of the postmark date. If there is no postmark, payment will be accepted on the date the Collector of Revenue’s office receives the envelope. If payment is placed in the mail on Dec. 31, it might not be postmarked until the next business day and could result in the addition of statutory late payment interest and penalty. - Online using e-check ($1.50 fee) or debit/credit card (fee of about 2.5 percent of the total amount due). Taxpayers can pay online at StCharlesMoCollector.com. Payments made on this site are posted based on the online payment transaction date/time. Early payment is highly recommended when paying online in case of technical difficulties.
Many taxpayers opt to use online payment systems through banks to pay taxes. The Collector of Revenue urges those who use these systems to initiate payment at least five working days prior to Dec. 31. The payment date in these transactions is registered as the date payment is received by the Collector of Revenue’s office, not the date a taxpayer initiates the transaction through their bank.
- By phone using e-check ($1.50 fee) or debit/credit card (fee of about 2.5 percent of the total amount due). Call the toll-free tax payment line at 1-855-227-7840 and follow the prompts. Taxpayers need the tax year and bill number located on the statement to use this system.
- By submitting check, money order or cashier’s check in the drive-through drop box in front of the County Administration Building at 201 N. Second Street in St. Charles. Include remittance stub, if available, and account number on payment in an envelope. Payments must be submitted in the blue-labeled "County" drop box. Do not place cash in the drop box. The box will be locked at midnight Dec. 31. A payment placed in the “City” drop box could result in late payment penalties if it is not received by the Collector of Revenue by the due date.
- In person: Again, taxpayers are strongly encouraged to pay through contactless methods due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taxpayers who have questions about their bill or need a receipt immediately may pay in person at the Collector of Revenue’s service windows at the County Administration Building, 201 N. Second Street in St. Charles, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday, excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Payment also may be submitted in the indoor drop box in the first floor lobby of the County Administration Building. Taxpayers will need to undergo a COVID-19 health screening upon entering the building. Those visiting the service windows will need to register for the Collector’s queue through the QLess kiosk in the lobby, through the QLess app on their mobile device, or through the QLess link available at sccmo.org/Collector or sccmo.org/QLess. Monitors in the lobby and a text notification on a mobile device will update those in the queue, and taxpayers will be alerted visually and audibly through the monitor or their mobile device when it is their turn to approach the windows. Staff at the security desk in the lobby will be available to assist taxpayers with QLess.
At the Collector’s service windows, payment is accepted by cash, debit/credit card, check, money order, or cashier’s check. For those submitting payment through the lobby drop box, check, money order or cashier’s check is accepted; include remittance stub, if available, and account number on payment in an envelope.
Project CARE
Taxpayers will notice an item on their bill for Project CARE, an opportunity to help the community by donating $1, $5, or $10 to support local nonprofit agencies. Project CARE (Community Assistance Relief Effort) was established through an effort led by County Council Member Joe Cronin, District 1. Administered by McBride and the County’s Community Assistance Board (CAB), the project helps support local nonprofit agencies that serve homeless and indigent residents and receive support from the County’s Community Assistance Fund. Organizations that have received funds include Bridgeway, Crider Center, Crisis Nursery and Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service. Donations are tax deductible.
Making a donation is easy: Taxpayers just need to check the $1, $5 or $10 donation box on the tax bill statement; include the amount in the tax payment check, money order or cashier’s check; and mail both to the Collector of Revenue’s office. Donations also can be made when paying tax bills in person. A donation box must be clearly checked on the tax bill for any funds over the bill amount to go to Project CARE. For more information, visit sccmo.org/ProjectCARE.
Additional Tax Bill and Deadline Information
For additional information about taxes, including partial and advance payments, visit sccmo.org/Collector or call 636-949-7470.