Tax Collection

861 Asbury Ave
Ocean City, NJ 08226

Office: 609-525-9379
Fax: 609-399-5047

Mailing Address:
Post Office Box 208
Ocean City, NJ 08226-0208

Office Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:45 AM to 4:30 PM

Quick Links:

Tax Collection Overview - Tax Due Dates - Interest Rates - Tax Sale Process - Programs

Click below to see your tax information and pay taxes now:

Payment options above include the following:

— Electronic payment from bank account (free)
— Credit/debit card payment (fees will apply)

Important Tax Update:

The 2025 1st quarter is due February 1, 2025 with a 10-day grace period.

Please be advised that postmarks are NOT accepted in accordance with the State of New Jersey tax laws, therefore the payment must be received by FEBRUARY 10, 2025.

Taxes can be paid online by visiting the Tax Collection web page @ www.ocnj.us/tax. If you are using the bill pay feature with your bank, please allow 7-10 days for your payment to reach us. The Tax Collection website is sent directly to our bank account whereas using the bill pay feature of your own bank will require a check to be sent to this office.

***Please enroll in our Tax Reminders & Information email service***

Payment Options:

Online Tax Payments

Mail: Remit applicable stub with check payable to City of Ocean City to P.O. Box 208, Ocean City, NJ 08226.

Drop Box: located outside of the 9th Street side of City Hall

In Person: 861 Asbury Ave

Special Improvement District (SID) - Online Payment System

Change Tax Bill Mailing Address:

Please complete the Request for Change of Mailing Address Form.

**Please be sure to visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for additional information**

Daniel's Law:

If you are an active or retired Judge, Prosecutor or Law Enforcement Officer, the State of New Jersey passed Daniel's Law in late 2020 to "prohibit persons, State and local agencies, and businesses from posting or publishing on the Internet the home addresses or unpublished home telephone numbers of judges, or State, county, or municipal prosecutors regardless of whether they are retired or in the workforce".

If you believe that your property located in the City of Ocean City meets the OPRA exclusions of disclosure of your home address under this law, please register here: Daniel's Law Portal https://danielslaw.nj.gov/

Tax Collection Staff Directory:

Terence Graff, Tax Collector

Priscilla Meyer, Supervising Cashier

Kathy Pretz, Principal Account Clerk

Kerry Alejandrino, Principal Account Clerk

Tax Collection Overview:

The Tax Collector is responsible for the billing, collection, reporting and enforcement of municipal taxes for the City of Ocean City. Tax bills are mailed annually in July. Property taxes are due on February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. Failure to receive a tax bill does not exempt you from paying taxes or the interest due on delinquent taxes. The City of Ocean City does permit a 10 day grace period. Please be advised that the State of New Jersey DOES NOT allow the Tax Collector to acknowledge postmarks, therefore, the taxes must be received in our office on or before the 10th. Should the 10th fall on a weekend or legal holiday, you will have until the next business day to make payment. Payments may be made by check, cash or money order. As a statutory officer of the State of New Jersey, the Tax Collector is obligated to follow all State Statutes regarding property tax collection including billing, due dates, charging interest on delinquent taxes and tax sale procedures. No one has the authority to forgive interest on delinquent taxes.

Tax Due Dates:
1^st Quarter due February 1^st; 2^nd Quarter due May 1^st; 3^rd Quarter due August 1^st^; 4^th Quarter due November 1^st. Each tax quarter has a 10 day grace period, after which interest will be assessed.

Interest Rate:

The City of Ocean City has adopted by resolution an interest rate of 8% for the first $1,500 of delinquency, and 18% for any delinquency over $1,500 as allowed per state statute N.J.S.A 54:4-67, as well as a 6% year-end penalty on any balance owing as of December 31^st in excess of $10,000.00.

Tax Sale:

Any unpaid delinquent taxes due from the prior year which are still owing may be subject to “TAX SALE”. Tax Sale is the enforcement of collections against a property by placing a lien against the property for all outstanding municipal charges due at the end of the Calendar year (December 31). Municipal charges include but are not limited to: Property Taxes, Special Improvement District Taxes (S.I.D), Added/Omitted Assessments, Property Maintenance liens.

**Tax Sale Process Explained.pdf **

New Jersey Property Tax Bill of Rights.pdf

STATE OF NEW JERSEY PROPERTY TAX RELIEF PROGRAMS:
The state maintains a variety of property tax relief programs available to New Jersey homeowners from the State.

OCEAN CITY TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM
Learn more about a five-year tax abatement program for qualified property owners: https://www.ocnj.us/TaxAbatements

ANNUAL DEDUCTION FOR VETERANS:

Annual deduction of up to $250 from taxes due on the real or personal property of qualified war veterans and their unmarried surviving spouses/surviving civil union partners/surviving domestic partners.***

ANNUAL PROPERTY TAX DEDUCTION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS, DISABLED PERSONS:

Annual deduction of up to $250 from property taxes for homeowners age 65 or older or disabled who meet certain income and residency requirements. ***

***These (2) benefits are administered by the local municipality. Eligibility Requirements, applications, and assistance with these deductions are available at the Tax Assessment Office.

PROPERTY TAX REIMBURSEMENT ("SENIOR FREEZE" PROGRAM):

The State funded PTR program reimburses qualified applicants for the property tax increases they may incur each year from the base year. The base year is the first year an applicant meets eligibility requirements. It is important to understand the taxpayer pays the taxes as they come due and then the increase is reimbursed the following year. The deadline to submit the 2023 PTR applications is October 31, 2024. For updated information on changes to the Senior Freeze Program for 2023, check the Division of Taxation's website @ http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/ptr/index.shtml.

ANCHOR PROGRAM: (AFFORDABLE NEW JERSEY COMMUNITIES FOR HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS)

ANCHOR replaces the Homestead Benefit program.

This program provides property tax relief to New Jersey residents who owned or rented their principle residence (main home) on October 1, 2020, and met the income limits.

Homeowners:

You are considered a homeowner if, on October 1, 2020, you:

Owned a house,
Owned a condominium and paid property taxes on your unit;
Were a resident shareholder of a cooperative housing complex;
Were a resident of a continuing care retirement community and your continuing care contract requires you to pay the proportionate share of property taxes attributable to your unit.

You do not qualify if your residence was completely exempt from paying property taxes or you made P.I.L.O.T. (Payments-in-Lieu-of-Tax) payments.

Tenants:

You are considered a tenant if, on October 1, 2020, you:

Rented an apartment, condominium, or house;
Rented or owned a mobile home located in a mobile home park.

You do not qualify if you lived in tax-exempt, subsidized, or campus housing. See "Qualified and Non-Qualified Rental Properties" under Tenants for more information.

For more info regarding the ANCHOR Program go to: https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/anchor/index.shtml