San Mateo property tax: where it goes
A San Mateo house pays 1.12% of its taxable value in property tax, plus flat charges on the same bill. For a house at $1,618,700 of market value with the homeowners' exemption, that's about $18,577 a year.
Tax is levied on assessed value less exemptions: the 1% general tax plus the bond rates listed for San Mateo tax rate area 012-001.
The San Mateo County Controller has not yet posted its 2026-27 tax rate book (the latest online is 2025-2026), so the rates are the 2025-26 ones.
Who taxes this house
| Taxing agency | Rate | On $1,618,700 |
|---|---|---|
| Countywide 1% general tax (Prop 13) | 1% | $16,117 |
| San Mateo County library bonds | 0.003% | $48 |
| San Mateo-Foster City School District bonds (schools) | 0.0571% | $920 |
| San Mateo Union High School District bonds (schools) | 0.042% | $677 |
| San Mateo County Community College District bonds (schools) | 0.018% | $290 |
| San Mateo-Foster City SD parcel tax (Measure B) | flat | $144 |
| San Mateo-Foster City SD parcel tax (Measure V) | flat | $369 |
| SF Bay Restoration Authority parcel tax (Measure AA) | flat | $12 |
| Total | 1.12% | $18,577 |
2025-26 tax rates, San Mateo County (San Mateo tax rate area 012-001); parcel taxes are the 2027-28 amounts, the latest the district lists. Exemptions applied: Homeowners' exemption ($7,000).
Ways to pay less
- 100% disabled veterans: property tax exemption. Veterans with 100% disability, or partially disabled and unemployable, or their unmarried surviving spouses, can get a basic exemption of up to $180,671 for lien date 2026. How: See the San Mateo County Assessor's Disabled Veterans' Exemption page.
- Seniors 65+ in San Mateo or Foster City: school parcel tax exemption. Owners 65 or older whose main residence is in San Mateo or Foster City can apply for an exemption from the San Mateo-Foster City School District parcel taxes; the district lists the exemption amounts for Measures B and V as $143.67 and $368.52. How: Email smfcexemptions@financedta.com or call 1-800-969-4382.
Dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Nov 30 (in 38 days) | Last day to file an appeal of an annual assessment with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors (the filing period is July 2 to November 30). |
| Dec 10 (in 48 days) | Last day to pay the first installment of secured property taxes. |
| Feb 15 | Deadline for first-time homeowners' exemption claims to get the full exemption for the year. |
| Apr 10 | Last day to pay the second installment of secured property taxes. |
Pay or manage it
Sources
Checked October 22, 2026. Every number here comes from the public sources listed, matched by our checker.
Rates change every year; this page shows when it was last checked. Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.