Unless the context otherwise requires, wherever used in this section, “tax” includes each property tax and each installment and part thereof due to a municipality as it may have been increased by interest, fees and charges. If any tax due in a single installment or if any installment of any tax due in two or more installments is not paid in full (1) on or before the first day of the month next succeeding the month in which it became due and payable, or if not due and payable on the first day of the month, (2) on or before the same date of the next succeeding month corresponding to that of the month on which it became due and payable, the whole or such part of such installment as is unpaid shall thereupon be delinquent and shall be subject to interest from the due date of such delinquent installment. Except for unpaid real estate taxes the collection of which was, or is, deferred under the provisions of section 12-174, and any predecessor and successor thereto, which unpaid real estate taxes continue to be subject to the provisions of such deferred collection statutes, the delinquent portion of the principal of any tax shall be subject to interest at the rate of eighteen per cent per annum from the time when it became due and payable until the same is paid, subject to a minimum interest charge of two dollars per installment which any municipality, by vote of its legislative body, may elect not to impose, and provided, in any computation of such interest, under any provision of this section, each fractional part of a month in which any portion of the principal of such tax remains unpaid shall be considered to be equivalent to a whole month. Each addition of interest shall become, and shall be collectible as, a part of such tax. Interest shall accrue at said rate until payment of such taxes due notwithstanding the entry of any judgment in favor of the municipality against the taxpayer or the property of the taxpayer. The collector shall apply each partial payment to the wiping out of such interest before making any application thereof to the reduction of such principal. If any tax, at the time of assessment or because of a subsequent division, represents two or more items of property, the collector may receive payment in full of such part of the principal and interest of such tax as represents one or more of such items, even though interest in full on the entire amount of the principal of such tax has not been received up to the date of such payment; in which event, interest on the remaining portion of the principal of any such tax shall be computed, as the case may be, from the due date of such tax if no other payment after delinquency has been made or from the last date of payment of interest in full on the whole amount or unpaid balance of the principal of such delinquent tax if previous payment of interest has been made. Each collector shall keep a separate account of such interest and the time when the same has been received and shall pay over the same to the treasurer of the municipality of the collector as a part of such tax. No tax or installment thereof shall be construed to be delinquent under the provisions of this section if (A) such tax or installment was paid through a municipal electronic payment service within the time allowed by statute for payment of such tax or installment, or (B) the envelope containing the amount due as such tax or installment, as received by the tax collector of the municipality to which such tax is payable, bears a postmark showing a date within the time allowed by statute for the payment of such tax or installment. Any municipality may, by vote of its legislative body, require that any delinquent property taxes shall be paid only in cash or by certified check or money order. Any municipality adopting such requirement may provide that such requirement shall only be applicable to delinquency exceeding a certain period in duration as determined by such municipality. Any municipality shall waive all or a portion of the interest due and payable under this section on a delinquent tax with respect to a taxpayer who has received compensation under chapter 968 as a crime victim.

(1949 Rev., S. 1828; 1969, P.A. 54, S. 2; P.A. 73-494, S. 1, 2; 73-508; P.A. 74-247, S. 1, 2; P.A. 75-296, S. 1, 3; P.A. 80-468, S. 2, 3; P.A. 81-44, S. 2, 3; P.A. 82-141, S. 2, 4; P.A. 83-361, S. 1, 3; P.A. 84-257, S. 1, 2; 84-282, S. 3; P.A. 85-286, S. 1, 2; P.A. 99-128, S. 2; P.A. 00-200, S. 2; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 58; P.A. 04-126, S. 1; P.A. 13-276, S. 23; P.A. 15-156, S. 2.)

History: 1969 act increased interest rate from 6% to 9%; P.A. 73-494 set minimum interest charge of $2: P.A. 73-508 deleted “tax or” in phrase “tax or installment” and deleted provision that installments following first delinquent installment be considered delinquent and due as of date of first delinquent installment, thus each becomes delinquent if not paid on its own due date; P.A. 74-247 made imposition of $2 minimum interest charge dependent on vote of municipality's legislative body; P.A. 75-296 changed interest rate from 9% to 12%; P.A. 80-468 established three levels of interest: 12% for maximum liability of $3,000, 15% for liability over $3,000 and 18% for liability over $3,000 remaining unpaid on second anniversary of assessment list for which tax was levied; P.A. 81-44 established interest on delinquent taxes at 15% per annum for taxes due on or after July 1, 1981, replacing differential rates based on amount owed; P.A. 82-141 increased rate of interest from 15% to 18% per annum applicable to interest payable on or after July 1, 1982; P.A. 83-361 provided for (1) clarification that any fractional part of a calendar month is equivalent to a whole month in computing interest applicable to delinquent taxes and (2) deletion of provision allowing partial payments within 31 days to be considered as paid in the calendar month within such period, effective July 1, 1983, and applicable to any determination of interest on delinquent taxes on or after said date; P.A. 84-257 allowed municipalities to require that delinquent motor vehicle property taxes be paid only in cash or by certified check or money order; P.A. 84-282 added provision that interest shall accrue until payment of taxes due notwithstanding the entry of any judgment in favor of municipality against the taxpayer or his property; P.A. 85-286 added Subdiv. (1) for purposes of clarification as to when a tax due and payable on the first day of a month becomes delinquent, effective June 4, 1985, and applicable to the assessment year in any municipality commencing October 1, 1985, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 99-128 added provision permitting municipality to waive all or portion of interest due on delinquent tax of taxpayer who has received compensation as a crime victim; P.A. 00-200 made technical changes, deleted provision allowing municipality, by vote of its legislative body, to waive delinquent interest for taxpayer who was a crime victim or the family of a deceased victim and added provision making such waiver mandatory; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 added provision authorizing municipality to require a delinquent taxpayer pay a fee of $5, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-126 deleted provision re fee to be paid if town had reported delinquency to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 13-276 specified that minimum interest charge is “per installment”, eliminated provision re restriction on receipt of partial payment of less than total accrued interest on principal of delinquent tax, eliminated provision re calculation of interest on partial payment and eliminated “applicable with respect to a motor vehicle” re municipality's ability to require delinquent property taxes to be paid only in cash or by certified check or money order; P.A. 15-156 added Subpara. (A) re tax or installment paid through municipal electronic payment service and designated existing provision re postmarked envelope as Subpara. (B).

See Sec. 1-2a re construction of references to “United States mail”, “postmark” or “registered or certified mail”.

Taxes carry interest only by statute. 67 C. 162. Appeal does not suspend running of interest. 72 C. 599. Cited. 123 C. 548.

Rate of interest under section is compensatory and not punitive. 45 CS 283.