Hollingsworth: Pay your taxes by e-check

As tax notices are delivered this month, now is the perfect time for Historic City News readers to get familiar – or reacquainted – with the St. Johns County Tax Collector’s website, www.sjctax.us

St. Johns County Tax Collector Dennis W. Hollingsworth, CFC, embraces technology as a means to serve you, and the website is an increasingly popular tool that saves customers time, energy and money.

Back in the day, a resident would receive the tax notice by mail, get in the car and drive down to pay the taxes in person at the physical office location, during regular business hours. This has become increasingly inconvenient as people’s schedules have myriad demands placed upon them.

Today, residents can pay their taxes from their computers or smart phones anytime, anywhere. Simply visit www.sjctax.us, select “Need to make a payment?” at the top left of the home page. To pay by E-check, customers should have available a blank check with account and routing numbers on it, as well as the parcel ID, which is the number at the top left corner of the tax notice consisting of six digits, a dash and four more digits. This is the fastest, most convenient and economical means to pay your taxes. The fee for paying online with E-check is just $1.30.

Payment by credit card is also an option online. Please note, though, that a convenience fee of 2.5 percent applies to all credit card transactions. This fee is passed through to the credit card companies and other entities that process the transactions. No portion of the fee is retained by this office.

If you prefer, you can submit payment by mail, utilizing the return envelope included with your tax notice. Our office posts payment the same day they are received by mail.

Utilize our online chat service to communicate with one of our Customer Service staff, if you have difficulty navigating the website or payment system.

Payment may also be made in person by visiting any of the five office locations throughout St. Johns County during regular business hours. All locations will be closed Thursday Nov. 27 and Friday Nov. 28 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The main office in St. Augustine at 4030 Lewis Speedway will be open 8:30 a.m. till 12 noon Saturday, Nov. 29.

For your added convenience, we have a drop box for payment by check only on the east side of our main office located on Lewis Speedway.