Property Taxes

Address, Name and Title Changes

Change Address

To change an address, contact the BC Assessment Authority at 1-866-825-8322 or write:

BC Assessment

300 - 1631 Dickson Ave

Kelowna, BC V1Y 0B5

Website

Be sure to include the roll (folio) number of the property, the previous mailing address, the new mailing address, your printed name and a signature.

Or complete the BC Assessment Authority's Change of Address Notification Form online.

Change Name or Title

Any changes related to title requires notifying the Kamloops Land Titles Office. You may contact a land title corrections officer or have these changes made by a notary or lawyer acting on your behalf.

Talk to a Land Title Corrections Officer at:

Kamloops Land Title Office

114-455 Columbia Street

Kamloops, BC V2C 6K4

Website

Tel: 1-877-577-5872

Fax: 1-250-371-3717

Deferments - Province of British Columbia Program

New as of 2020: The Province of BC offers two tax deferment programs and now fully administers them. City of West Kelowna staff are unable to assist with this program. Please direct all new and renewal applications and inquiries through the provincial government's website. To learn more, please go to:

Regular Program

You may qualify for the Regular Program if you are: 

• 55 or older during the current year
• a surviving spouse of any age, or
• a person with disabilities

Find out more about the Regular Tax Deferment Program.

Families with Children Program

You may qualify for the Families with Children Program if you are a parent, stepparent or financially supporting a child.

Find out more about the Families with Children Program.

Home Owner Grants

Please note: Home Owner Grants not claimed by September 30, 2020, will be subject to a 10 per cent penalty effective October 1. 

Registered owners, who are eligible, are responsible for claiming the Home Owner Grant before the due date:

• even if a mortgage company is paying their taxes, homeowners must claim the grant (if eligible)
• Those who make prepayments towards their taxes are also responsible for claiming the Home Owner Grant, if they are eligible, before the due date.
• Homeowner grants must be claimed directly with the City of West Kelowna either
  • online (follow this how-to document for assistance if required),
  • by scanning to email taxes@westkelownacity.ca,
  • fax 778 797-8851,
  • or mailed/dropped off at City Hall (please use the drop box next to the main doors)

To find out more about the Home Owner Grant program, please visit the Province of BC Homeowner Grant website.

Property Tax Notices

Notices are sent by mail in late May for the period of January 1 to December 31 of the current year.

• If you haven't received a tax notice by June 15, please contact the Property Tax Department at taxes@westkelownacity.ca or by phone at 778-797-8860 you can also view your account online (follow this how-to document for assistance if required). 
  • Not receiving a tax notice may occur due to a recent property purchase, if the notice was sent to the previous owner or mailed to an old address. If a property sale occurs during the year, taxes are adjusted by a notary or lawyer. The City of West Kelowna does not adjust taxes due to property sales.
• Notices will include the municipal property tax portion, and, in some cases parcel taxes. Email taxes@westkelownacity.ca or call 778-797-8860 for questions regarding parcel taxes.
• The notice will also include general taxes collected for other levels of government. For questions regarding other charges, please contact the corresponding organization below:
  • BC Assessment Authority: 1-866-825-8322
  • Municipal Finance Authority (MFA): 250-383-1181
  • Regional District of Central Okanagan (Hospital, RDCO, and 911): 250-763-4918
  • School (Province of BC): 1-888-355-2700
  • Sterile Insect Release Program (RDCO): 250-469-6187

Property Tax Penalties

We are delaying the 2020 property tax penalty from July 3 to October 1 for residents and businesses who need relief as an additional measure to help people financially during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The property tax due date for both residents and businesses remains July 2, 2020, but the 10 per cent late penalty for both residents and businesses starts on October 1, 2020 giving those who need it more time to pay.

Please pay what you can by the usual July 2 deadline. Any outstanding balance at the end of day September 30, 2020 will be subject to the 10 per cent penalty.

Home Owner Grants not claimed by September 30, 2020 deadline will also be subject to the 10 per cent penalty.

For more information, please read our April 28 news release.

Penalties are mandated under The Community Charter.

If after December 31, taxes are still not paid, further interest penalties are applied to the outstanding balances. Interest on outstanding balances is calculated at rates set three times per year by the Province of British Columbia. 

Tax Rates - Municipal Portion of Taxes

A tax rate is established by taking the total budget of the municipality that must be covered through taxation and dividing it by the total assessed value of all properties in their jurisdiction.

For example, if a municipality requires $30 million from taxation to cover its budget and the total assessed value of all properties within their jurisdiction is $8.9 billion, the tax rate is 0.00337.

Budget Need ÷ Assessed Value = Tax Rate

$30 million ÷ $8.9 billion = 0.00337

This rate is then used to calculate property taxes.

Tax Rate x Assessed Value = Property Taxes

0.0037 x $530,000 = $1,786.10

To find out specific tax rates, please visit the Province of BC Local Government Tax Rates website.

See the current year's Tax Rates Bylaw on the Bylaws page.