Fairfax County to collect real estate taxes for Town of Herndon residents, businesses

Town of Herndon residents will no longer have to pay town and county taxes separately.

“We are excited to partner with the Town of Herndon on this important initiative and strengthen government efficiency,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said. “Our strong partnership reinforces a culture that is focused on customer service, is collaborative and is adaptable to the needs of our community.”

Through an agreement with Herndon, the county’s Department of Tax Administration will collect real property taxes owed to the town — a move that simplifies the tax collection process. The DTA will keep 0.25% of the real estate taxes it collects on behalf of the town through the agreement.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the agreement with no discussion at a meeting on Tuesday (March 8).

Town of Herndon Mayor Sheila Olem said the new system is more efficient for the town and the county.

“With just one payment, real estate taxes are paid to both jurisdictions,” she said. “We are grateful to our partners at the county for working with us on behalf of our residents and business owners.”

The agreement goes into effect on June 1. All delinquent taxes from that day will go directly to the county. The Herndon Town Council approved the agreement in early February.

The due date for town real estate taxes — July 28 for the first half of the year and Dec. 5 for the second half — remains unchanged.

The town says it is communicating the change to major mortgage companies that service property owners in Herndon.

The change will require roughly $5,500 in implementation costs, and programming is not expected to take more than a month with existing resources.

The county currently bills and collects local vehicle registration fees on behalf of the town.