Winston-Salem's 2026 combined property tax rate is $1.143 per $100 of value. Bills are due Sept. 1 and payable through Jan. 5, 2027. Tax office: 336-703-2300.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Updated each year when the new rates are set. Facts on this page come from Forsyth County Tax Administration.

Forsyth County Tax Administration lists, values and bills property for the county and for the city of Winston-Salem, so Winston-Salem owners get one bill covering both, according to the county’s reappraisal page. The office is on the first floor of the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut St., open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Who to call

  • Bills, payments, values and listing: Forsyth County Tax Administration, 336-703-2300
  • Look up or pay a bill: Tax Bill Online Services
  • Your property record and value: Tax Property Portal
  • Vehicle tax (paid with your tag renewal): N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles, 919-814-1779

The 2026 rates

North Carolina rates are set per $100 of assessed value. A home inside Winston-Salem pays the county rate and the city rate, according to the county’s 2026 tax rate table:

Rate Per $100 of value
Forsyth County $0.554
City of Winston-Salem $0.589
Total, Winston-Salem $1.143
Downtown business improvement district (added) $0.09
Total inside the district $1.233

On a home assessed at $250,000, that works out to about $2,858 a year: $250,000 divided by 100, times $1.143. Your bill may also carry fees the county lists separately.

Horizontal bar chart of 2026 combined property tax rates in Forsyth County per $100 of value: Winston-Salem $1.143, Kernersville $1.081, King $1.024, Rural Hall $0.834, Lewisville $0.8291, Clemmons $0.7991, Walkertown $0.714 and unincorporated areas $0.6491

Winston-Salem’s combined rate is the highest in the county’s table except for the small part of High Point inside Forsyth County, which pays $1.2889. Towns such as Clemmons, Lewisville and Walkertown pay a countywide fire district rate of $0.0951 on top of a lower town rate, because the city of Winston-Salem runs its own fire department.

When the bill is due

From the county’s collections page:

  • Bills for real estate and personal property are mailed in July. If you have not received yours by Sept. 15, call the tax office.
  • Taxes are due Sept. 1 and payable without interest through Jan. 5. For the 2026 bill, that is Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027. When Jan. 5 falls on a weekend, the deadline moves to the next business day.
  • A mailed payment must be postmarked by Jan. 5. The county asks taxpayers to mail at least five business days early.
  • Real estate accounts still unpaid are charged 2% interest for January and 0.75% more each month after that. From March 1 to June 30, unpaid accounts can be advertised in the newspaper, at the owner’s cost.

You are billed if you owned the property on Jan. 1, but unpaid taxes follow the property: the owner on the day taxes become past due is liable. Buyers and sellers usually split the bill at closing.

How to pay

Pay by mail, online, by phone or in person at 201 N. Chestnut St. A drop box next to the parking deck entrance takes payments at any hour. Card payments carry a processing fee, and e-checks a small one, according to the county’s tax FAQs. If your mortgage company pays your taxes, the payment can take up to a month to show as received.

Vehicle taxes are different: North Carolina’s Tag and Tax system collects them with your registration renewal through the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles, not the county.

How to appeal your value

Forsyth County reappraised every property for Jan. 1, 2025, its first reappraisal since 2021, according to the county’s reappraisal page. The county has generally reappraised every four years since 1988; state law requires it at least every eight.

If you disagree with your real estate value, appeal to the Board of Equalization and Review on a BER appeal form. Ask the tax office for one or print it from your property’s page on the county’s detailed property information site. The window to appeal is Jan. 1 to June 30, unless the county advertises other dates, according to the tax FAQs.

Owners of personal and business personal property have 30 days from their first notice or bill to appeal in writing, with the purchase price, a description and the item’s condition.

Tax relief for seniors, the disabled and veterans

North Carolina offers three programs, all with a June 1 application deadline, according to the county’s property tax relief page:

  • Elderly or disabled exclusion: homeowners 65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled, with income up to $38,800 can exclude $25,000 or 50% of their home’s value, whichever is greater.
  • Disabled veteran exclusion: $45,000 of the home’s value for an honorably discharged veteran with a 100% permanent, service-connected disability, or the veteran’s unmarried surviving spouse.
  • Circuit breaker deferment: for 2026, owners with income up to $38,800 pay no more than 4% of income in property tax, and owners with income up to $58,200 pay no more than 5%. The rest is deferred as a lien, and the last three years come due with interest when the home is sold or the owner dies or moves. This one needs a new application every year.

Apply on Form AV-9, available from the tax office at 336-703-2300.

What this means for you

  • Pay your 2026 bill by Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027, to avoid interest.
  • Inside Winston-Salem, you pay $1.143 per $100 of value; downtown, $1.233.
  • Appeal your value between Jan. 1 and June 30.
  • Seniors and disabled homeowners must apply for relief by June 1.

More: Winston-Salem home prices and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Winston-Salem?

For 2026 a Winston-Salem property pays the Forsyth County rate of $0.554 and the city rate of $0.589 per $100 of assessed value, $1.143 in all. Downtown’s business improvement district adds $0.09.

When are Forsyth County property taxes due?

Real estate and personal property taxes are due Sept. 1 and can be paid without interest through Jan. 5. For the 2026 bill, the last day is Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027.

What happens if I pay my Forsyth County taxes late?

Real estate accounts unpaid after Jan. 5 are charged 2% interest for January and 0.75% more each month after that, and the county can garnish wages and bank accounts or foreclose.

How do I appeal my property value in Forsyth County?

File a Board of Equalization and Review appeal form, available from the tax office or on your property’s detailed information page. The appeal window runs from Jan. 1 to June 30 unless the county advertises other dates.

Do seniors get a property tax break in Forsyth County?

Homeowners 65 and older or totally and permanently disabled with income up to $38,800 can exclude $25,000 or half of their home’s value, whichever is greater. Applications are due June 1.