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TOWN TAX DEPARTMENT
Like any municipality, the taxes collected from property owners are integral revenue the town needs to operate, which means property owners pay town and county taxes. The tax rate for both town and county municipalities for the fiscal year are subject to change annually as determined by each governing board during budget preparation in the spring of each year. The budget should be approved by June 30th of each year (§ Chapter 159/Article 3).
The town of Wilkesboro does not assess the value of any property. This assessment is performed at the Wilkes County Tax Department. Once the county has completed the taxes each year, it sends Wilkesboro their tax information.
TAX RATE:
The town's tax rate is $0.48 cents per $100 valuation of the property.
TAX OFFICE LOCATION AND HOURS:
Wilkesboro Town Hall, 203 West Main Street, Wilkesboro
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
TAX PAYMENT METHODS:
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Payments CANNOT be taken over the telephone.
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Online payment (accepts checking account routing numbers, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & Amex. User fees will be applied by this website and the town does not see any of these fees.)
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Payment counter inside Town Hall
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Drive-thru Window
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Secure Night Payment DropBox (located beside the drive-thru window) - available 24/7
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Mailing Address: Town of Wilkesboro Tax Dept., PO Box 1056, Wilkesboro, NC 28697
PAYMENT METHODS:
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Cash Check / Cashier's Check
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Money Order
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Debit Cards
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Credit Cards
IMPORTANT DATES - INTEREST & PENALTIES:
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Date tax bills are mailed to customers - each summer, generally by the middle of August of each year.
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Due date - September 1st of each year.
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Must be paid before Monday, January 5th, 2026, close of business at 5:00 pm. Penalties and interest of 2% are imposed on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, on amounts unpaid.
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The interest of ¾% is added on any outstanding balance on the first day of each month until the balance is paid in full.
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Any delinquent property tax account is advertised in the local newspaper in the spring of each year. A list of the advertised parcels is located on the Town Hall bulletin board and further down this page.
BILLING DETAILS:
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All property in the Town of Wilkesboro is also in the County of Wilkes and the taxpayer will receive a tax bill from BOTH agencies. Be careful not to overlook either.
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Personal Property, Equipment, & Untagged Vehicles - Both agencies
VEHICLE TAXES AND GAP BILLING:
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TAGGED VEHICLE TAXES - In NC, vehicle registration fees and property taxes are combined and paid together through the Tag & Tax Together program at the NC DMV license plate agency.
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GAP TAX BILLS - Gap billing of taxes occurs when there is a gap or lapse in vehicle registration taxes between the expiration of a vehicle’s registration and the renewal of that registration or the issuance of a new registration. Even if it is by one day or more. The vehicle is an unregistered vehicle during the gap or lapse in registration. [read more]
SELLING YOUR PROPERTY / CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
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If you have an address change, please change as early as possible at the Wilkes County Tax Office.
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If you receive a tax bill on a property you have sold, please forward it to the new owner OR return it to the tax department with the contact information of the new owner as soon as possible.
COLLECTIONS:
The owner of any account past due can be collected upon by any legal means, including but not limited to wage garnishment, bank attachment, debt setoff or foreclosure.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS / DISABLED PERSONS:
The property owner should go to the Wilkes County Tax Office and inquire about special programs, qualifications, and forms.