Here’s what anyone requesting copies of your bill needs to bring
The Department of Revenue usually mails property or business tax bills several weeks before they are due. For example, we mail out Real Estate Tax bills in December, and they’re due March 31. But you can skip waiting for paper bill by creating a Philadelphia Tax Center account (if you don’t already have one). This way, you can view, pay, or print your bills for all your tax accounts in one place online.
If you prefer receiving printed bills, we’ll keep doing just that. So keep an eye on your mailbox. We mail your tax bills to the address listed on your account. If you lose your bill or don’t get it in the mail, you can still view and pay it online.
Can someone else request your bill?
A relative or property manager can access your property tax bill online or pick up a printed copy at one of our municipal service centers. Your property address is all they need to access your account. No need for the legal description or deed of the property.
Nevertheless, for a third-party tax professional to access your business tax bill, they’ll need to prove they have the authority to act on your behalf. They must provide these documents when requesting printed copies of your bill:
- A signed, notarized letter of consent (power of attorney), and
- A valid state-issued photo ID
The letter must include your full name and address, your authorized representative’s name and address, and their relationship to you. Please enclose a copy of their state-issued photo ID with your letter so we can verify their identity.
The consent letter and photo ID help us protect your right to privacy and against potential theft. The process is fast and easy, as long as your representative brings the right documents and knows your business tax account number.
There’s a different process for accessing your business tax bill online (see below).
Online access
The only way a third-party tax pro can see your tax documents online is if you give them access. For existing taxpayers who’ve gone through our verification process to access their accounts on the Philadelphia Tax Center, this should be easy. Your account lets you grant access to secondary logins or third-party users. They can access your accounts even if you haven’t set up a username and password. We’ll mail you a notification, and you can give them access using the Letter ID we send you. This blog post will walk you through the process.
Mailing in your payment?
Although paying bills online is safe, secure, and easy, we understand some taxpayers prefer mailing in payments. It’s easy to print a payment voucher online, fill it out, and mail it back.
You can even do this without signing into an account, and it’s free. You just need your tax account details (depending on tax type). It can be your Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), Social Security Number (SSN), or Philadelphia Tax ID Number.
You can pay by mail by going to https://tax-services.phila.gov and selecting “Make a payment ” under the “Payments” panel. Enter your tax information and follow the prompts to print your voucher. Be sure to read the voucher carefully because it has instructions for mailing your payment to us.
What if you don’t pay on time?
Not getting your bill in the mail doesn’t mean you are excused from paying. Unpaid tax bills accrue extra charges, like interest, which can increase your debt. Even if you don’t get a bill in the mail, you can still pay it on time.
