Great Lakes Wire

Michigan lawmakers are considering House Bill 4799, which would change how property tax payments are processed in the state. Currently, Michigan does not use the postmark date to determine when a property tax payment is made. Instead, payments are only considered received once they are physically removed from the mailbox and accounted for by local government employees.

This system has caused issues for taxpayers, particularly as some local governments have part-time hours or remote work policies. These factors, along with postal delivery delays in certain areas, have led to an increase in late fees assessed on property taxes that many residents believe were paid on time.

House Bill 4799 seeks to address these concerns by adopting the so-called "mailbox rule." If passed, it would protect taxpayers from additional fees and interest as long as their property tax payments are mailed at least five days before the due date, regardless of when they are processed by local authorities.

"The Michigan Chamber is actively advocating for the bill to advance through the legislative process, as part of our ongoing effort to modernize Michigan’s tax system," according to a statement from the organization.

If enacted, this change would bring Michigan's property tax payment system in line with most other states across the country.