Property Tax Deadline: Third Installment Due August 14

The third property tax installment for 2026 falls due on August 14, and starting the very next day, unpaid amounts start accruing late payment interest at 15.75% annually. The deadline applies even to owners who are still waiting for their new annual decision.

Individuals who do not keep business records pay property tax quarterly, within 45 days of the start of each quarter. The third quarter began on July 1, which makes Friday, August 14, the final day to pay. The installments fall due on this schedule through the year:

• first in February
• second in May
• third on August 14
• fourth in November 2026

Who pays even without a new decision

An owner whose annual decision for 2026 has not yet been delivered still has to pay an advance before the decision arrives. That advance equals the amount assessed for the last quarter of 2025, under Article 39 of the Law on Property Taxes. What matters is the assessed obligation for the fourth quarter of the previous year; how much the owner actually paid last time is irrelevant.

If the 2026 decision has already arrived, the owner pays the amount listed for the third quarter. Advance payments continue until the obligation from the new decision falls due, after which the installments align with the assessed annual tax.

The rule is different for a buyer whose obligation on a property first arose during 2026. Since there is no prior year obligation on that property to base an advance on, the tax is calculated proportionally from the date the obligation arose. If the decision has not been delivered, or fewer than 15 days remain between delivery and the deadline, the owner pays within 15 days of the decision being delivered. For that kind of owner, August 14 is not an automatic deadline.

How is the 15.75% rate calculated?

Late payment interest on public revenue equals the reference interest rate set by the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) plus ten percentage points. The NBS held its reference rate at 5.75% in July 2026, which puts interest on overdue property tax at 15.75% annually. The clock starts running the day after the deadline, so from August 15. The interest is not a penalty for a late decision; it accrues because a due obligation was not settled within the legal deadline.

How to check what you owe before August 14

Property tax is paid to the local tax administration of the city or municipality where the property is located, and a record of assessed amounts and registered payments is available through the Local Tax Administrations Portal. Before paying, owners should check their tax card: an overpayment recorded from earlier advances can cover part or all of the amount due. If a property does not appear on a user’s account, the obligation still exists regardless, so the owner should contact their local tax administration directly.

Property tax collection in Pirot reaches 69%

Local numbers show how well owners are keeping up with deadlines. Ivana Malinovic, head of the Department for Economy and Finance at the Pirot City Administration, said collection from individuals has reached 69% of planned revenue, and 51% from businesses. The city issued 25,197 decisions to individuals, 7,684 of them delivered through the eSanduce electronic system and the rest by mail, and reminder notices for debtors are now being prepared.

Once the annual decision arrives, one of two things happens. If it sets a higher amount than the sum of advances already paid for quarters whose deadlines have passed, the difference falls due within 15 days of the first instance decision being delivered, and subsequent installments follow the amounts stated in the decision. If the advances add up to more than the assessed amount, the overpayment is recorded on the owner’s tax account, and the owner can apply it toward future obligations or file for a refund. The next deadline is the fourth installment, in November.