Welcome to the Tax Office of the Clear Creek Independent School District.
This office collects property taxes for residents and businesses located within the Clear Creek ISD service area which includes portions of Harris County and Galveston County.
It is the responsibility of the property owner to make sure all ownership and mailing address information is correctly recorded with the county appraisal office.
If you have moved, changed your mailing address, changed your name or buy/sell property it is your responsibility to contact the county appraisal district promptly. Tax offices are required to mail tax bills to the address of record provided by the appraisal district.
It is also the taxpayer’s responsibility to apply for any exemptions, protest value and update records by the due dates outlined by the appraisal district. A post office “change of address” is not acceptable notification.
Tax bills are usually mailed around the same time each year (October or November). If you have not received a tax bill by December, you can print a bill from our website or call the tax office to get the amount & account number. CCISD school taxes are billed and collected separately from the county tax.
Please note that tax offices are required to mail tax bills to the "address of record" maintained by the property's county appraisal office. If you are the new owner of a property, or there is an ownership error including misspellings, or you need to change a mailing address you must contact the county appraisal district office of the property.
The appraisal district is the only authority to change property tax records, not the individual tax offices. Please note that a post office change of address is not acceptable. They often have time limits and may expire before appraisal notices or tax bills are mailed.
Contact the county appraisal office: Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District (409) 935-1980.
Taxes are always due on or before January 31, therefore never wait for a tax bill to pay taxes. Section 31.01, Texas Tax Code states that failure to receive a tax bill is not grounds for waiver of penalty and interest and will not affect validity of the due date. Taxes are due on or before January 31, even if there is a discrepancy on your bill. Taxes become delinquent on February 1. Many taxpayers pay by December 31 for income tax purposes. Should the last day of month fall on a weekend or holiday, payments will be accepted the next business day.
If you have made recent changes and/or had a recent protest please note that it may take some time for these changes to get to the tax office anywhere from 4-12 weeks depending on the time of year. Taxes are due by January 31 even if you are waiting on a change to your tax account. If the account is paid and we get a reduction in value or an exemption is added, the taxpayer will be automatically refunded the value of the change.
In the State of Texas all mortgage companies or tax service providers are required to request the tax bill(s) annually, even if they have requested them in the past.
If the mortgage company requests the tax bill, the tax bill will be sent to the mortgage company not to the property owner.
If the mortgage company did not request the bill by September 30, the tax bill will be mailed to the property owner.
If you have received a tax bill that is to be paid by the mortgage company, write your loan number on the bill and forward it to your mortgage company’s loan escrow department. If yours is a new account or a refinance, the mortgage company may not have had your account information in time to request a bill before the deadline. All mortgage companies have 24/7 access to our website.
We do not contact mortgage companies about delinquent taxes. We do have a website that any mortgage company can use to print a statement or check the paid status of an account.
If the mortgage company will not be paying your tax, call all of your tax offices and have them remove the “mortgage company code”. This allows all bills and notices to be mailed to the taxpayer and not to the mortgage company.
How do I get an Over 65 Homestead, Disability, 100% Veteran Homestead or any other exemption?
Exemptions are granted through the county appraisal district where the property is located. Harris County property owners will contact Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 and Galveston County property owners will contact Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277-4725.
I want to transfer my Over 65 Exemption from another house in Texas to one in your school district, what should I do?
Begin by applying for the Over 65 Homestead Exemption with the county appraisal district where you will be living. Ask them where you need to submit your original “Tax Ceiling Transfer Certificate” or "Port". You can get this certificate from the county appraisal district you are moving from.
I have elected to use the Over 65 or Disabled Persons Payment Option, but my mortgage company sent me a letter that I have unpaid taxes, what is going on?
Texas school districts offer taxpayers Over 65 or Disabled an option of paying their taxes in four installments. Some mortgage companies outside of Texas may not realize that many of our Over 65 or Disabled Persons use this payment option. This office does not contact any mortgage company regarding unpaid taxes. The mortgage company may have looked online and saw there was a balance still due on the account and assumed the taxes were unpaid. A letter should have been mailed to you outlining the payment plan. Send the mortgage company a copy of this letter. This should be sufficient documentation of your payment schedule. The mortgage company can follow-up to verify that you have a declining balance and/or that payments have been made.
I was told that when you turn 65 you do not have to pay school taxes, is this true?
No. When you turn 65 you receive an additional exemption that helps lower and freeze the amount of tax that you pay, but it does not eliminate the tax. The county may offer a larger Over 65 exemption amount. In some cases, if the exemption amount is greater than the property value there may not be a tax for that office.
Q: I was told that if I get a tax deferral, I do not have to pay taxes, is this true?
A: No. Taxes are postponed (deferred) to a later date, but it does not eliminate the tax.
Why is your homestead exemption different from the county’s exemption?
Each taxing authority can offer a different exemption amount. Some county tax offices offer a 20% exemption. CCISD homestead exemption has two parts: the local option which has a value of 5% or $5000 whichever is greater; and the state mandate which has a straight dollar value of $ 40,000 regardless of the value (5%+ $40,000).
My tax bill does not show my exemption(s), what should I do?
Contact the county appraisal district to get the exemption added to the property. You will qualify for a homestead exemption if you own and live in your home during the tax year. Taxes are always due on or before January 31. We will never suggest that a property owner wait for an exemption to pay the taxes. You do not want any savings from the exemption to be used towards penalty and interest due to late payment. When we are notified of the exemption, our office will issue a refund if the tax has already been paid or re-bill the unpaid tax with the exemption and any penalty or interest, if applicable.
How do I get the name and address changed on my property?
The only authority to change ownership records and or mailing addresses (this includes misspellings) is the county appraisal district. Contact the county appraisal office: Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277-4725.
The tax bill is still not in my name, should I pay the bill?
It takes time for the ownership information to filter to and from the appraisal district. If you are the current owner of the property, you or your mortgage company should pay the taxes by January 31.
How was the appraised value on my property determined and how do I get this changed?
Property is appraised by a certified appraiser from the county appraisal district, not the tax office. If there is an error in the appraisal, square footage or property description, contact the county appraisal office: Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277-4725.
Q: I need proof my taxes are paid (a tax receipt).
If you are having difficulties check that pop-up blockers are turned off or contact Governmental Data Services at 1 817-431-6176.
Q: When are tax bills mailed and when are payments due?
A: Tax bills are usually mailed in October. If you have not received a tax bill by Thanksgiving, you can print one from this site. All taxes are due on or before January 31 without penalty and interest. Taxes become delinquent on February 1. Many taxpayers pay their taxes on or before December 31 for income tax purposes (You may postmark mail, pay by credit card, visit tax office or use night drop anytime in December to record payment as being paid in December). Tax offices must mail tax bills to the address provided by the county appraisal district. It is the responsibility of the property owner to promptly notify the appraisal district of any changes in ownership or mailing address.
Q: What if I mail my taxes and they get there after the due date?
A: The Tax Office honors the postmarks of the US Postal Service. Metered mail dates will not be considered. Our office is required to collect the amount due based on the postmarked date. If your check is dated January 31, but your mail is postmarked February 12, our office is required to document the payment as received on February 12. May we suggest that you mail your payment in advance to ensure proper postmarks or walk your payment into the post office.
Q: I never received a tax bill, why do I have to pay penalty and interest?
A: It is the responsibility of the property owner to know which taxing authorities tax their property and when taxes are due. Tax bills are mailed and the taxes are due at the same time each year. If you have not received a tax bill by December, print one from this website or call our office. It is not necessary to have a tax bill to make a payment as long as you have your account number and know the correct amount. You can mail (postmark) a payment, pay in person, pay by credit, debit card, eCheck or may we suggest that you set up an online payment with your bank . Sec 31.01 Texas Tax Code: Failure to receive a tax bill is not grounds for waiver of penalty and interest and does not affect the validity of the due date.
Q: My mortgage company pays my taxes, why did I get a tax bill?
A: If your mortgage company did not request the tax bill before we printed and mailed the original bill, the tax bill will be mailed to the property owner. If you have received a tax bill that is to be paid by your mortgage company, write your mortgage loan number on the tax bill and forward it to your mortgage company’s escrow department. Any mortgage company can print a tax bill from this website.
Q: What address do I use for Online "Bill Pay"?
A: Payments made via online or "Bill Pay" from your bank can be setup using the address below. Remember if you have more than one account you will need to set up a vendor for each account number.
CCISD Tax Office
P.O. Box 799
League City, TX 77574
When setting up online payments:
*Verify the payment amount.
*Verify account number is same as on it is on the tax bill.
*Verify the date the payment will be delivered to the tax office.
*Verify the payment is going to CCISD Tax Office.
*Verify that each tax account is set up separately.
Please schedule your payment in advance of the due date to ensure it is received timely. In some cases, a financial institution may request that its account holder not use "Bill Pay" at month end to pay taxes because of stringent due date requirements. We strongly suggest that you verify the delivery date of your payment before submitting the payment. Payments may take 3 to 7 business days to process. We are required to collect all amounts due for the month the payment is received not date the payment scheduled. Please set up a separate vendor for each tax account, otherwise the bill pay system may believe you are issuing duplicate payments. Each bank has its own policies and procedures for processing online payments.
We are not responsible for payments submitted incorrectly or received after the required due date.
Q: Why do you have two different payment mailing addresses?
A: The Tax Office uses a lock box service to process payments during the peak of tax season. The Dallas address is the address of our bank’s payment processing center. Do not use Dallas address after January 31 or if you do not have your payment coupon. This will delay your payment being posted.
Q: Why does your payment address change?
A: As a school district we are required to go out for bids on financial services every few years. Therefore, we will use the selected bank's lockbox address for payment processing. Please update your online payment address to the mailing address on the tax bill (home & office computers, too).
Q: I have not received all of my tax bills, how do I get a missing tax bill?
A: Click on the Find or Pay Tax Bill link. You can search by account number, name, street address of property or CAD or Pidn Number.
Search Tips:
Instead of searching for "Brown, Thomas G", try "Brown T" or "Brown, T" or just enter "Brown" and scroll through the accounts. If you are a new owner, you may want to try the previous owner’s name. If you have the county account number, plug this number into the "Search by County CAD number". If you are unable to locate the account call our office at(281) 284-0218.
Q: This is not my property, or I no longer own the property, what should I do?
A: The tax office cannot change any ownership records. The current owner or owner’s agent is responsible for making sure the ownership and mailing information is recorded with the county appraisal district shortly after acquiring the property. If you are concerned that this may not have been done, you can contact the county appraisal office: Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277-4725.
Q: If I did not own the property for the entire year, why am I being billed for the entire year?
A: The Tax Office does not take partial payments. Our office is required to collect the total amount of taxes owed on or before the due date. Please refer to your closing papers or call the title company for more information on how taxes were settled. Funds may have been allocated during closing to settle these taxes.
Q: Why am I getting a delinquent tax bill on a property I just purchased?
A: Tax laws require that tax offices mail delinquent tax bills to the current owner of the real estate. If a tax lien exists, it is the property owner's responsibility to be aware of that lien. Please check with your title company as to the disposition of unpaid taxes due at the time of your closing. There may have been funds allocated during closing to settle these taxes.
Q: I am renting property for my business. Why did I receive a tax bill?
A: All businesses are taxed on their personal property such as furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, inventory, and vehicles used to generate income. Most likely, the tax bill that you received is for your business personal property and not for the real estate itself. The real estate owner will receive the property tax bill. Questions about personal property should be directed to the county appraisal office: Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277-4725.
Q: I am still receiving tax bills on my closed business. How do I get this corrected?
A: If you operated your business on January 1 of a tax year you will still owe business personal property tax for the entire year. Business personal property taxes are not prorated. It is important that you notify the county appraisal district to close your tax records when you close your business. If you fail to notify them, your business may remain on future tax rolls. The county appraisal office is the only authority to remove an account from the tax roll not the tax offices. Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277-4725.
Q: The value you show for my business property is too high or you have property on my bill that I do not own, how do I get this corrected?
A: Tax Offices use the value and property descriptions provided to them by the county appraisal district to bill the taxpayer. You must contact the county appraisal district to have a correction made to the account or set up a protest hearing. If a correction is made, the appraisal office will certify the change and notify each tax office of the change. The tax office in turn will rebill the account reflecting these changes. This notification process can take anywhere between 4-12 weeks. If the account is paid when we receive a correction, a refund will automatically be issued for overpayment. If the tax is unpaid on February 1, we will make the correction and rebill you for the tax, penalty, and interest if applicable. Please remember that taxes are due January 31 even if you are waiting for a change. Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277-4725.
Q: I was charged a Late Rendition penalty, what is this?
A: Chapter 22, Texas Tax Code, requires owners of business personal property to file a rendition describing the property with the chief appraiser by April 1 of each year and prescribes the penalty for failure to comply. The rendition penalty is a penalty created by the Texas Legislature on those businesses failing to file their business personal property rendition, or filing their rendition late, to their County Appraisal District. The rendition penalty is generally equal to 10% of the amount of property taxes ultimately imposed on the property.
Q: How do I get this Late Rendition Penalty removed?
A: You must contact your county appraisal district. Our office does not have any authority over this matter. Please contact the Business Personal Property Department of your county appraisal district: Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277-4725.
Q: If I do not pay the Late Rendition Penalty, what happens?
A: You will be subject to civil action for collection in the courts.
Q: How do I get a tax certificate and is there a fee?
A: You can get a tax certificate from our office for a fee of $10.00. We do not prepare tax certificates in advance. Our system requires a payment source before we can generate a tax certificate. Once we receive the fee, we will prepare the certificate while you wait. The wait time for a tax certificate is usually 5-10 minutes per certificate. Please allow additional wait time during December and January. We will need either the CCISD account number or the county account number.
Q: Do you have property maps that we can use to locate a property.
A: This office does not keep maps of any kind. Your best bet would be to contact the mapping department of your county appraisal district. They can tell you which school district or taxing entity that a property is located in. Harris Central Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District 1-866-277- 4725.
Location:
Education Support Center
2425 E. Main St.
League City, TX 77573
Phone:
(281) 284-0218
Please allow 1-3 business days for a response, longer response times at month end. Waiting on an email response does not extend payment due date.