This section lets eligible property taxpayers pay in four equal installments, with no penalty or interest if the first payment and notice are timely. Missing a deadline triggers a 6% penalty plus interest. The comptroller must set and publish the inflation-adjusted gross-receipts limit, and collectors must use it.
Sec. 31.032. INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS OF TAXES ON PROPERTY IN DISASTER AREA OR EMERGENCY AREA THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF DISASTER OR EMERGENCY. (a) This section applies only to: (1) real property that: (A) is: (i) the residence homestead of the owner or consists of property that is used for residential purposes and that has fewer than five living units; or (ii) owned or leased by a business entity that had not more than the amount calculated as provided by Subsection (h) in gross receipts in the entity's most recent federal tax year or state franchise tax annual period, according to the applicable federal income tax return or state franchise tax report of the entity; (B) is located in a disaster area or emergency area; and (C) has been damaged as a direct result of the disaster or emergency; (2) tangible personal property that is owned or leased by a business entity described by Subdivision (1)(A)(ii); and (3) taxes that are imposed on the property by a taxing unit before the first anniversary of the disaster or emergency. (b) A person may pay a taxing unit's taxes imposed on property that the person owns in four equal installments without penalty or interest if the first installment is paid before the delinquency date and is accompanied by notice to the taxing unit that the person will pay the remaining taxes in three equal installments. If the delinquency date is February 1, the second installment must be paid before April 1, the third installment must be paid before June 1, and the fourth installment must be paid before August 1. If the delinquency date is a date other than February 1, the second installment must be paid before the first day of the second month after the delinquency date, the third installment must be paid before the first day of the fourth month after the delinquency date, and the fourth installment must be paid before the first day of the sixth month after the delinquency date. (b-1) Notwithstanding the deadline prescribed by Subsection (b) for payment of the first installment, a person to whom this section applies may pay the taxes in four equal installments as provided by Subsection (b) if the first installment is paid and the required notice is provided before the first day of the first month after the delinquency date. (c) If the person fails to make a payment before the applicable date provided by Subsection (b), the unpaid installment is delinquent and incurs a penalty of six percent and interest as provided by Section 33.01(c). (d) A person may pay more than the amount due for each installment and the amount in excess of the amount due shall be credited to the next installment. A person may not pay less than the total amount due for each installment unless the collector provides for the acceptance of partial payments under this section. If the collector accepts a partial payment, penalties and interest are incurred only by the amount of each installment that remains unpaid on the applicable date provided by Subsection (b). (e) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 226 , Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2015. (f) The comptroller shall adopt rules to implement this section. (g) In this section: (1) "Disaster" has the meaning assigned by Section 418.004, Government Code. (2) "Disaster area" has the meaning assigned by Section 151.350. (3) "Emergency" means a state of emergency proclaimed by the governor under Section 433.001, Government Code. (4) "Emergency area" means an area designated by the governor to be affected by an emergency under Section 433.001, Government Code. (h) For the 2009 tax year, the limit on gross receipts under Subsection (a)(1)(A)(ii) is $5 million. For each subsequent tax year, the comptroller shall adjust the limit to reflect inflation by using the index that the comptroller considers to most accurately report changes in the purchasing power of the dollar for consumers in this state and shall publicize the adjusted limit. Each collector shall use the adjusted limit as calculated by the comptroller under this subsection to determine whether property is owned or leased by a business entity described by Subsection (a)(1)(A)(ii). Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 1041, Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 359 (H.B. 1257), Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 2009. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 387 (S.B. 432), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 226 (H.B. 1933), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 226 (H.B. 1933), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 725 (S.B. 1047), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2018. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 371 (S.B. 742), Sec. 1, eff. June 7, 2021. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 371 (S.B. 742), Sec. 2, eff. June 7, 2021. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 371 (S.B. 742), Sec. 3, eff. June 7, 2021.