Monitor your mailbox or email inbox. Stearns County Auditor-Treasurer Randy Schreifels wants residents to know that property tax statements were mailed Thursday, March 13, 2025. For those who signed up for electronic statements, property tax statements were delivered electronically on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.
The first half of the 2025 property tax is due by May 15, 2025. Residents and business owners are encouraged to pay property taxes on time, as these funds are used and depended upon by your local schools, cities, or townships.
Below are the five options Stearns County residents have for making property tax payments. All payment options may be found on our website at stearnscountymn.gov/670.
• Online – Online payments may be completed with eCheck (free) or a credit card (2.5% service fee).
• New Feature – schedule future payments! Set up May and October payments today to ensure they’re on-time and avoid penalties. It is recommended to schedule a few days ahead of the due date to ensure no payment processing issues.
• ACH payments – Monthly or quarterly ACH payment plans can be set up for tax payment free of charge. These payments are automatically deducted from a checking or savings account once a quarter or over a 10-month period. This saves time as there are no checks to write and assures payments are made on-time, even when out of town. There are no lost or misplaced statements or payments, and it also saves on postage charges. It’s easy to sign up for, and easy to cancel.
• In-person – Treasurer’s office staff are available Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to take payments at both the Administration Center downtown and at the Service Center in Waite Park (the drive-through accepts payments with a payment stub).
• U.S. mail – Tax payments may be mailed. Payment must be postmarked by the post office on or before the due date to avoid late penalties. State law does not allow any exceptions. Penalty rate information is shown on the reverse side of the tax statements. To ensure proper credit, return the stub portion of the tax statement with the barcode, along with a check or money order made payable to Stearns County Auditor-Treasurer.
• Escrow – An escrow agent may be collecting the property taxes monthly and submitting payment on behalf of the property owner. However, the property owner is ultimately responsible for ensuring property taxes are paid on time. If uncertain, the owner should contact their mortgage or escrow company for verification.
To get Property Tax and Valuation Statements electronically, sign up at services.co.stearns.mn.us/electronic-notices.
For renters in Stearns County, beginning with the 2024 income tax year, renters will claim the Renter’s Credit on their MN Individual Income Tax Return (Form M1) instead of filing a Renter’s Property Tax Refund Return (Form M1PR). For details visit revenue.state.mn.us/renters-credit.
For additional information or questions, please contact the Stearns County Treasurer’s Office Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at (320) 656-3870.