Franklin County moves first-half property tax deadline due to potential Statehouse violence

Franklin County Treasurer Cheryl Brooks Sullivan announced Friday that she has moved back the deadline for first-half real estate tax payments due to warnings of potential violence around the Statehouse next week.

The new deadline is Jan. 29, nine days after the originally scheduled due date of Jan. 20. Sullivan said property owners are not required to go to the county treasurer’s office Downtown to make their payments. 

“I cannot in good conscience ask anyone to come Downtown next week, and I could not in good conscience impose the late fee that would have been required by law for anyone who chose not to,” Sullivan said in a prepared statement. 

Here's how residents can make their payments: 

► Pay by mail

The treasurer's office accepts checks, money orders, cashier’s checks or certified checks made payable to the Franklin County Treasurer. Residents need to ensure their check includes their name, district parcel number of their property, phone number and the coupon they received in the mail.

Mail payments to: Franklin County Treasurer, 373 South High Street, 17th Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6306

► Pay online

Property owners can use the treasurer’s website to pay by credit card, debit card, electronic check, or ACH/electronic check.

Visit treasurer.frankincountyohio.gov and look for the box that says "Pay Taxes Online." Credit card payments have a processing fee of 2.3% per transaction with a $2.00 minimum fee, and debit cards have a flat fee of $3.50. These fees do not come back to the county in any way. There is no fee to pay by electronic check or ACH/electronic check.

► Pay by phone

Call 877-495-2729 to speak with a live agent who can take payments by electronic check, credit card or debit card. Callers should have their card or bank account info ready. A $5.00 fee will be applied in addition to any debit or credit card fees detailed above. This fee also does not come back to the county in any way.

► Pay with electronic banking

Property owners can schedule their payments through their bank’s bill-pay application.

► Pay at remote locations

Through a service called CheckFreePay, residents can pay in cash at participating Kroger stores and other retailers. To find a nearby location, visit treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/Payments/At-CheckFree-Locations.

For questions about tax bills or payment options, call 614-525-3438 to speak with a Franklin County Treasurer’s office customer service representative. 

– The Columbus Dispatch