It’s tax time in Tennessee. The Chester County Trustee’s Office is now collecting property tax payments for the 2026 tax year. Notices should be mailed out this week. Taxpayers can save 2% if they pay the taxes in full between now and October 31; or 1% if they wait until November. We started offering a discount a few years ago to encourage taxpayers to pay early. Everyone wins in this situation. The taxpayer saves money, it creates a revenue flow for the county sooner, and it helps to spread our workload over several months instead of collecting most of the taxes in February. With a minimal staff in the office during tax season, the volume of mail and walk-in traffic can be overwhelming. Because of the discount, approximately half of the tax roll is collected by Oct 31.
Although paying taxes is one of the least favorite responsibilities of property owners, here are a few suggestions to make the experience easier:
1. When you receive the tax notice, please verify that all information is correct, especially the map/parcel number, and property address. Please do not wait until February to check your bill!
2. If a mortgage company pays your taxes, you should always check with them to see if the taxes are paid. As in previous years, tax notices will be mailed to the property owner. Most mortgage companies have an electronic copy of your tax information. In fact, some mortgage companies have requested that we do not send them a paper copy of the tax notice. Also, if you own more than one parcel, make sure the mortgage company pays the taxes on the correct parcel.
3. If you purchased property between January 1 and August 1, 2026, please make sure you or the previous owner pays the 2026 taxes. “New Owner” notices will be mailed to those who have purchased property and recorded their deed within the above time frame. This is just to ensure that each party is aware of the taxes that are due on that property. The buyer and seller must be aware as to who is responsible for paying the taxes.
4.This tax notice format allows us to customize tax information and add other important information, enabling us to communicate with the tax payer more efficiently. Our format explains the breakdown of the property tax rate. Please read the front AND back of the tax notice for important information.
5.Please note, the tax notices we mail to property owners are just courtesy reminders that property taxes are owed. It is the responsibility of the property owner to pay taxes. If you OWN property, you OWE property taxes!
We are excited to announce that we will be opening a drive-thru window for your convenience. Working in conjunction with Henderson City Mayor, Terry Bell, the Henderson City Alderman and Chester County Mayor, Barry Hutcherson, we were able to secure the former First Bank drive-thru located at 132 N Washington Street, behind City Hall. Because we are still making repairs to our permanent location, as a result of Winter Storm Fern, there may be limited parking available at the Trustee’s permanent office building. A drive-thru will help alleviate the congestion, but more importantly, offer a safer and more convenient option for paying taxes. The drive-thru was available in February under emergency circumstances, and was a huge hit to those who utilized the drive-thru. Again, we would like to thank all of those involved in making this happen.
In 2020, Chester County implemented a new Solid Waste Fee solely for the operation of the Chester County Solid Waste Department. Since the process is constantly changing, the Trustee’s Office asks for your patience and understanding while we continue to update and make the necessary changes. Please note that we are only collecting the Solid Waste Fee based on the decisions that have been made by a previous Solid Waste Committee and Chester County Commission.
For our customers on the tax relief program, you must bring or mail your tax-relief voucher with your tax payment. Secondly, it must be signed by the tax-relief recipient and co-recipient if applicable. You must provide us with your total 2025 income for all recipients. Please keep this in mind before submitting your application through the mail. The tax relief program is designed for customers who are 65 years or older as of December 31, 2026; or if you are 100% disabled as rated by the Social Security Administration or other qualifying agency; if your total household income does not exceed $38,470; or if you are a 100% disabled veteran (or widow of a veteran). There may be other qualifying factors, but these are the major components for qualifying for the program. Tax Relief recipients are exempt from the Solid Waste Fee. More information can be found on the back of your property tax notice.
The Trustee’s Office is proud to offer partial payments again this year. I’d like to thank the Chester County Commission for passing the resolution a few years ago allowing us to accept partial payments, and to hopefully ease the burden on our taxpayers. Also, our taxpayers can now sign up for bank draft to allow the 2026 county property taxes to be drafted from their account on a monthly basis, or all at once. While there is no form to fill out for the partial payment program, the bank draft process does require the customer to complete a short form and provide a copy of a voided check.
Our software collection vendor, Local Government Corp, has developed an online payment portal that coincides with our tax collection software, making the entire process more user friendly for the taxpayer. LGC has offered a revolutionary concept to paying taxes in multiple counties. Although there are only a few counties near us that use this website, there will most likely be more in the future. We would like to encourage you to try it out and familiarize yourself with its features. Online payment options will include the usual MasterCard, Visa, Discover and e-check. You can view/print your tax bill or paid tax receipt and change your address. The website is https://chesterpropertytax.com; the toll-free phone number is 1-877-589-8970. Although fees will vary slightly, there is a 2.5% fee for paying on-line or by phone with a credit / debit card. Please note, the e-check feature is a flat $1.50; simply enter your bank routing number and account number.
We are including the QR Code on the tax notices again this year. With the help of Eddie Fuller, at Brother’s Printing who is also printing our tax statements, we have designed a Quick Response Code (QR Code) that, when scanned with a smartphone, will take you directly to the website where you can pay taxes or search for additional information.
Again, please remember you can save 2% if your property taxes are paid in full by October 31; 1% if paid in full by November 30. Please round the 2% and 1% discount to the nearest dollar. After November 30, the base amount will be due through February 28, 2027.
Our office hours are 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday – Friday. During the month of February, we extend our hours to 5 p.m. and from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturdays.
You can mail your payment to: Chester County Trustee, P.O. Box 386, Henderson, TN 38340. If you would like a receipt mailed to you, please ask for one.
There is a drop box available for payments after 4 p.m., in the lobby of the Chester County Executive Office Building, located at 159 East Main Street.
We look forward to working with our customers through another tax season. We are dedicated to serving the citizens and tax payers of Chester County.
Drive-Thru Service Details
• Drive-Thru Location: The former First Bank
Drive-Thru at 132 North Washington.
• Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday,
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Access: Only the window facing Hart Street is
available due to resource and staffing limitations.
