This section lets a taxing unit adopt split payment of taxes, allowing a taxpayer to pay half first and the rest later without penalty or interest if the timing rules are met.
Sec. 31.03. SPLIT PAYMENT OF TAXES. (a) The governing body of a taxing unit that collects its own taxes may provide, in the manner required by law for official action by the body, that a person who pays one-half of the taxing unit's taxes before December 1 or, if applicable, the date provided by Subsection (a-1) may pay the remaining one-half of the taxes without penalty or interest before July 1 of the following year. (a-1) If a taxing unit that has adopted the split-payment option provided by Subsection (a) mails its tax bills after November 30, the first one-half of the taxing unit's taxes must be paid before the first day of the next month following the first full calendar month following the date the tax bills are mailed. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the split-payment option, if adopted, applies to taxes for all units for which the adopting taxing unit collects taxes. (c) If one or more taxing units contract with the appraisal district for collection of taxes, the split-payment option provided by Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to taxes collected by the district unless approved by resolution adopted by a majority of the governing bodies of the taxing units whose taxes the district collects and filed with the secretary of the appraisal district board of directors. After an appraisal district provides for the split-payment option, the option applies to all taxes collected by the district until revoked. It may be revoked in the same manner as provided for adoption. (d) This subsection applies only to a taxing unit located in a county having a population of not less than 315,000 and not more than 351,000 that borders a county having a population of 3.3 million or more and the Gulf of Mexico. The governing body of a taxing unit that has its taxes collected by another taxing unit that has adopted the split-payment option under Subsection (a) may provide, in the manner required by law for official action by the body, that the split-payment option does not apply to the taxing unit's taxes collected by the other taxing unit. Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 2285, ch. 841, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982. Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., 1st C.S., p. 167, ch. 13, Sec. 123, eff. Jan. 1, 1982; Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 4827, ch. 851, Sec. 20, eff. Aug. 29, 1983; Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 4875, ch. 862, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1983. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 395 (S.B. 796), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1163 (H.B. 2702), Sec. 115, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 644 (H.B. 4559), Sec. 219, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 252 (H.B. 2742), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2026.