Tax and Tag Office

The Swain County Tax Office includes the assessing of property values, the collection of taxes and the Swain County License Plate Agency for the State of North Carolina.

Taxes and Services

The Swain County Board of Commissioners determines the tax rate which generates the revenue necessary to meet the costs of services for you, the citizen.  You may come to the Assessor’s office for more specific questions or call 828-488-9273.

Information about the following is available by a visit to our office or by telephone:

• Property taxes

• Property tax exemptions

• Elderly/disabled exemption

• Present use value

• Property tax law

• Motor vehicle tax

• Personal and Business Personal listings

Listing forms are mailed by January 1 each year.  Personal listing forms are for single wide mobile homes, double wide mobile homes not listed as real, vehicles not tagged, boats, houseboats, etc. Business personal forms are for anyone owning a business to list taxable property with the county.

The primary purpose of a reappraisal is to provide equalization of the tax burden among all classes of property. North Carolina law requires each county to complete a reappraisal.  Swain County, by resolution, reappraises every four years.

Tax bills for real estate, business personal and personal property are mailed in July of each year and are due September 1 with interest accruing in January of the following year. Motor vehicles are billed monthly. Taxes can be paid with a credit card by calling 800-272-9829 with a reference code of 4377. A processing fee will be charged at the time of the transaction. (We do not accept credit cards in the tax office.)

Online Mapping

Swain County parcel maps and property appraisal cards are available at www.qpublic.net/nc/swain.

Tag Office

The North Carolina License Plate Agency for Swain County is located in the Swain County Tax Office.  North Carolina has a web site with answers to questions on tags and you can also renew your tag at: www.ncdot.org/dmv. Registered Vehicle Q&A (pdf).

Pay your taxes online or by phone

You may call 1-800-2paytax (1-800-272-9829) or go to www.officialpayments.com. The county or jurisdiction code is 4377.