General Tax Questions

Property taxes pay for services such as: law enforcement, fire department, and animal control. You also use services paid for by property taxes when you send your children to public schools, check out a book from the library, carry your trash to the convenience site, and even when you eat at an inspected restaurant. Your taxes also pay for services to help protect children and senior citizens from abuse or neglect, help move people from welfare to work, and much more.

Property taxes are levied on real property, manufactured homes, motor vehicles, boats, trailers, and income-producing personal property.

The amount of property taxes you pay is based on the assessed value of your property and the tax rate. The Tax Assessor determines the value of all taxable property as of January 1. The County Commissioners meet during the spring of the year to determine the current year’s tax rate. The amount of taxes can be determined by multiplying the tax rate by each $100 of assessed value. For example, with a tax rate of .0094 and a assessed value of $100,000 the amount of taxes will be $940. Keep in mind that all municipalities and most fire districts have their own tax rate, which will be in addition to the County’s rate. All fire district taxes and taxes from the towns of Conetoe, Princeville, Sharpsburg, and Speed are billed and collected by the County. For other cities and towns, you will receive a seperate bill for your municipal taxes.

Property tax payments (except registered motor vehicles) are due September 1 of each year and must be paid by January 5 of the following year. If mailed, payments may be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service on or before January 5th to avoid interest charges.

Currently, there are two ways to pay your County tax bills.
• In person: 201 St. Andrew Street, Tarboro, Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
• By mail: Edgecombe County Tax Collector, P.O. Box 10, Tarboro, NC 27886-0010

You may use your credit or debit card to pay taxes in person only. There is a convenience fee for using this service.

Every individual, guardian, trustee, estate, unincorporated association, corporation or partnership owning tangible personal property or real estate that has been improved or has had additions and is subject to taxation under North Carolina Law. All property owned on January 1 is taxable for the entire year and the owner as of January 1 is responsible for the tax bill for the entire year.

Tangible personal property consists of mobile homes, untagged motor vehicles, campers, trailers, motorcycles, air & watercraft and engines for watercraft. Business equipment, furniture and fixtures, computers etc., including free standing appliances used in connection with rental property must also be listed.

Listing begins on the first business day of each January and ends on the last day of January. All froms must be in our office or postmarked by January 31st or they will be considered late. If that day falls on Saturday or Sunday, the listing period ends on the next business day. There is a 10% per year penalty for not filing the listing form on time.

Motor vehicles should be listed by the owner only when they are not licensed or tagged. If your motor vehicle is licensed through the N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles, it will automatically be billed.

Listing forms (abstracts) are mailed in late December of each year to those who have previously listed. Otherwise, they may be obtained by contacting the Listing Division.

Yes. All businesses, whether maintaining an office or operating out of the home, must list using the business listing form. Businesses are also required to list property in their possession that is owned by others.

Real Estate includes: land and all buildings, structures and improvements attached to the land.

No. Edgecombe County operates on a permanent listing system. It is the property owner’s duty to make sure that his/her property is listed correctly. Real Estate must be listed in January only when a structure has been added, changed or removed. A building permit does not fulfill this notification requirement.

Real Estate is valued based on the County’s current schedule of values. The schedule of values is generated prior to the County-wide revaluation, which occurs every 8 years. North Carolina law requires that each county conduct a revaluation at least once every eight years. The last revaluation in Edgecombe County was effective January 1, 2001. The primary purpose of the revaluation is to provide equalization among all property owners, as well as among all classes of property. Since property taxes are based on value, it is important to have all property valued periodically on a uniform basis.

You should submit your request for appeal during the listing period. Appeal forms are available in the Tax Assessor's Office. Also, appeal forms may be requested from the Tax Department by writing or calling (252) 641-7860.

Any and all documentation that will support your opinion of the market value, such as a recent appraisal and/or sales of similar properties. Simply stating that the property value is too high is not sufficient evidence.

All records regarding listing and valuation are public record. The public may view these records at anytime during normal business hours, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Any records that contain any financial information are kept confidential.