Orange County, California homeowner deadlines 2026-27
Updated . By Landen Chu, Co-founder of OakTend. How we research
These are the dates that matter for an Orange County home from fall 2026 to spring 2027, each with the office that sets it. This is general information, not tax or legal advice; the linked offices have the final word.
| When | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|
| October to March | Santa Ana wind season. Fire risk is highest when the winds come during or soon after the dry summer. | Source: National Weather Service climate bulletin |
| October and November | Get ready for the rainy season. Make sure gutters are clear of leaves and debris and roof repairs are done before the rainy season. | Source: OC Public Works, Be Flood Ready |
| Sunday, November 1, 2026 | Clocks fall back: test your smoke alarms. A handy day to press the test button. USFA says test monthly and change a replaceable battery at least once a year. | Source: U.S. Fire Administration and NIST |
| November 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 | Check Before You Burn season. On a no-burn day, burning wood at home is banned. Check aqmd.gov or call 866-966-3293. | Source: South Coast AQMD |
| November 1, 2026 (a Sunday, so Monday, November 2) | First installment due. Your 2026-27 Orange County secured property tax, first half. It is late after December 10, 2026, with a 10 percent penalty. | Source: Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector |
| Monday, November 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. | Last day to file a property tax appeal. The filing window for a regular appeal of your assessed value opens July 2 each year. The county charges no filing fee. | Source: OC Clerk of the Board |
| Thursday, December 10, 2026 | Last day to pay the first installment. Late after this day, with a 10 percent penalty. A payment is on time if postmarked, received or paid online by midnight. | Source: Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector |
| Late December and January | Christmas tree pickup: see your city. Most cities pick up a bare tree at the curb for a few weeks after Christmas, but the dates and rules differ by city. | Source: Tree pickup by city |
| Monday, February 1, 2027 | Second installment due. Your 2026-27 Orange County secured property tax, second half. It is late after April 12, 2027. | Source: Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector |
| February 15, 2027 (a holiday, so Tuesday, February 16) | Homeowners' exemption deadline. 5:00 p.m. File early. If you have not claimed it yet, this is the deadline for the full $7,000 exemption. | Source: Orange County Assessor |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Clocks spring forward: test your smoke alarms. Test each alarm, and replace any smoke alarm more than 10 years old. | Source: U.S. Fire Administration and NIST |
| April 10, 2027 (a Saturday, so Monday, April 12) | Last day to pay the second installment. Late after this day, with a 10 percent penalty plus a $23.00 collection fee. | Source: Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector |
Dates were checked October 23 to 31, 2026. A tax due date or exemption filing deadline that falls on a weekend or holiday moves to the next business day. This sheet is from OakTend.com.
Put the tax dates on your phone
The property tax guide has an "Add to calendar" file with the five tax and exemption dates above. One tap puts them on your phone.
More on each date
- How to file a property tax appeal
- How to claim the homeowners' exemption
- Santa Ana wind and wildfire prep and the fire zone table for every city
- No-burn days: what is banned and how to check
- Christmas tree pickup dates and rules for every city
- Free sandbags by city, and king tide dates
- Fall home maintenance before the first rain
- The month-by-month Orange County maintenance checklist
Sources
- Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector: important dates
First installment due November 1, last day December 10; second due February 1, last day April 10; a due date on a weekend or holiday is the next business day, so November 1, 2026 (a Sunday) becomes November 2 and April 10, 2027 (a Saturday) becomes April 12. - Orange County Assessor: Homeowners' Exemption
The deadline for the full $7,000 exemption is February 15 at 5:00 p.m. - Orange County Assessor: Dates To Remember
February 15 is the last day to file a timely claim for most exemptions, or the next business day if the date falls on a holiday or weekend. - South Coast AQMD: Check Before You Burn
The season runs November through the end of February; a No-Burn Alert is a 24-hour ban on wood burning in residential fireplaces, stoves and outdoor fire pits; the phone line is 866-966-3293; gas fireplaces are exempt. - National Weather Service climate bulletin: Santa Ana Events in California (Murphree, Szasz and Jones, 2018)
Santa Ana events are most common in October through March, and raise wildfire risk most during or soon after the summer dry season. - OC Public Works: Be Flood Ready
Make sure gutters are clear of leaves and debris and roof repairs are complete before the rainy season. - NIST: Daylight Saving Time
Daylight saving time begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November; in 2026 it ends November 1. - U.S. Fire Administration: smoke alarms
Test the alarm monthly; replace a replaceable battery at least once every year; get new smoke alarms every 10 years.