Delaware County homeowners just got a little breathing room on their property taxes. Treasurer Ken O’Brien announced Wednesday that the county is officially moving the due date for the second‑half of 2025 real property tax bills to Aug. 17, 2026, bumping it back from the previously set July 10 deadline. The county says the one‑time delay gives staff room to redo the math after a new state law changed how certain school taxes are calculated. Officials say they expect the regular February and July schedule to snap back into place the following year.
O’Brien’s office says the pause is all about the new Inflation Cap Credit created under House Bill 186, which forces counties to re‑run school‑tax calculations before they can issue corrected bills, according to Delaware County. The county notes that auditors, software vendors, and the Ohio Department of Taxation are still finalizing the updated formulas, and that qualifying parcels will include a separate “Inflation Cap Credit” line on second‑half bills. For taxpayers who have already paid the full year, the treasurer’s office says any overpayment will automatically roll forward as a credit on next year’s bill.
What the state law does
State lawmakers approved a late‑2025 package of property‑tax changes that includes House Bill 186, which limits growth in certain school‑district taxes and sets up an Inflation Cap Credit for eligible parcels, according to Journal‑News. The same legislation boosts owner‑occupied rollbacks while phasing out a long‑standing 10% nonbusiness credit, changes that state and county summaries say will not necessarily cut total bills, but will reshuffle how tax relief appears on individual statements. The timing and rollout of the new credits, and Delaware County’s decision to push back the deadline, were also covered by The Columbus Dispatch.
Who benefits and who does not
According to the county, most residential and agricultural parcels in Delaware County will see the Inflation Cap Credit show up on their second‑half bill. There are key exceptions: properties in the Dublin, Westerville, and Olentangy school districts are not expected to receive the credit under the current rules, per the county announcement. “The implementation of House Bill 186 requires significant coordination,” Treasurer O’Brien said in the county statement, adding praise for Delaware County Auditor George Kaitsa and his staff for working through parcel‑by‑parcel recalculations. County leaders are repeating that this is a one‑year detour. The extension applies only to today's collections, and normal due dates are projected to return in 2027.
What taxpayers should do now
For now, residents are being told to keep an eye on their numbers rather than panic about the shifting deadline. The county is urging property owners to review their updated amounts online through the tax‑bill and property‑search tools and to watch their mailboxes for revised paper bills later this summer. If you are unsure whether your parcel qualifies for the Inflation Cap Credit or if you need clarity on payment plans, the Delaware County Treasurer’s Office is the place to start. Other counties that have issued similar alerts suggest talking with your local treasurer rather than guessing at the new totals, according to Marion County. For anyone who already paid ahead, county officials say the system will simply carry any overpayment into the following tax year.
