San Diego County Resends 44,000 Property Tax Bills Over Trash Fee Error

Did you overpay on your San Diego property tax bill because of the city’s trash fee error, and how do you get your money back?

Yes, roughly 44,000 San Diego property owners were overcharged on their 2026-27 tax bills due to a city trash fee data error. Corrected bills are being mailed now, and refunds will arrive by check automatically.

Why This San Diego Property Tax Error Matters Right Now

If you own property in San Diego, you need to check your 2026-27 property tax bill before you pay it. The City of San Diego sent bad data to the County, and the error landed on the 2026-27 tax bills, according to reporting from CBS 8 and NBC San Diego. The billing data glitch involving the new trash fees resulted in incorrect charges on roughly 87,000 property tax statements, with some customers charged too much and others charged too little.

With the first installment due November 1 and not considered late until after December 10, you still have time to verify your bill and pay only what you actually owe. No property owner will be required to pay more than the correct fee for their selected trash and recycling service level, per the City of San Diego’s official FAQ.

Having helped buyers and sellers navigate San Diego real estate for 18 years, I can tell you that property tax surprises during a transaction can create real headaches. A cloudy mind can’t make decisions, so let me walk you through exactly what happened, who’s affected, and what you need to do.

What Happened With San Diego’s Trash Fee Billing Error

The Background on How Trash Fees Ended Up on Your Tax Bill

This is the first time the City of San Diego has charged a trash fee on property tax statements. The fee itself dates back to 2025, made possible after a 2022 ballot measure, Measure B, which allowed the city to charge for trash pickup for the first time in over a century. The City Council voted on June 24, 2025, to collect the trash fee through the County property tax bill, per city records.

San Diego chose this method specifically to avoid spending millions of dollars standing up a dedicated city trash billing department. The baseline monthly rates that took effect were $43.60 for standard 95-gallon bins, $38.94 for 65-gallon bins, and $32.82 for 35-gallon bins.

How the San Diego Data Error Occurred

The error happened while city staff formatted the billing file for the county, according to internal city memos reported by local media. Manual changes were made outside the City’s billing system, and the final file was not independently checked against the approved data. The City accepts responsibility for the process failures.

So how big is the actual impact? Of the approximately 87,000 affected accounts, about 44,000 showed an amount higher than the correct trash fee, while the remaining affected accounts showed an amount lower than the correct fee. District 3 saw the largest share of impacted accounts, which covers much of the urban core including North Park and Hillcrest.

The overcharges were not small, either. Some customers were billed between $1,101 and $2,700 more than the correct amount, affecting approximately 640 accounts. A common billing error pattern charged some customers $1,590 instead of $534, roughly triple the correct amount, per NBC San Diego reporting.

How to Check If Your San Diego Property Was Affected

Here is your step-by-step action plan. I walk my clients through this exact process because clarity on property taxes matters whether you are buying, selling, or staying put.

• Step 1: Verify your trash fee. Property owners can verify their trash and recycling service level and see their correct fee in the City’s Residential Waste Collection Services Portal at WastePortal.sandiego.gov. You can also reach the city’s Environmental Services Department at 858-694-7000.
• Step 2: Compare against your tax bill. Log into the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s website, where corrected bills became available online as of September 26, 2026.
• Step 3: Watch your mailbox. If you were overcharged, corrected bills are being sent out. The corrected bill says “Corrected Bill” under the address.
• Step 4: Call if your corrected bill does not arrive. If your corrected bill has not shown up by early November, call the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector at 877-829-4732.

The affected accounts were distributed throughout San Diego and were not concentrated in any particular community or trash and recycling service level, per the City’s official statement. So even if you live in Rancho Bernardo, Scripps Ranch, or Carmel Valley, it is worth checking.

What San Diego Homeowners Need to Do About Refunds and Underpayments

If You Were Overcharged in San Diego

You do not need to take any additional action to get your refund. If you already paid the incorrect amount, the County will automatically issue a refund once the corrected amount is reflected in its system. Refunds will come as a check in the mail, not as a credit on a property tax bill.

What I tell my clients is this: do not wait on a refund to figure out your correct amount. Look it up now. Pay only the corrected total, and you will not owe anything extra or risk a late penalty.

If You Were Undercharged in San Diego

If your bill shows an amount lower than your correct trash fee, pay the amount currently shown on your County property tax bill. The city plans to send a separate bill for the remaining balance by January. It will be due April 12, 2027, when the second installment of property tax is due. The city mailed postcards to underbilled customers in October and says it will try to waive fees for payment methods, such as credit cards and e-checks, wherever possible.

The December 10 Deadline You Cannot Miss

Your first installment of property tax is due November 1, but it is not late until after December 10. After that date, a 10 percent penalty kicks in. With 275 transactions closed across San Diego County and a 5 out of 5 star average across 275 client reviews, I have seen how property tax confusion can snowball during a sale. Whether you are buying or selling, do not let this deadline slip.

How This Trash Fee Error Affects San Diego Buyers and Sellers in Escrow

This is the part that most news coverage misses, and it is where having an experienced real estate broker in San Diego really matters.

For San Diego Sellers Closing This Fall

If you are selling your home right now, your escrow officer splits the property tax bill between you and your buyer at closing. That proration needs to use the corrected San Diego trash fee, not the original bill amount. If escrow uses the wrong figure, you could end up overpaying at closing and waiting months for a refund check. What I tell my seller clients is to flag this issue with your escrow officer right away and confirm they are working from the corrected data that became available on September 26, 2026.

For San Diego Buyers Closing This Fall

As a buyer, you should verify that the property tax bill your lender uses to estimate your monthly escrow or impound payment reflects the corrected trash fee. Mortgage companies may require full payment of an incorrect tax bill regardless of the underlying error, which could leave you fronting inflated sums while you wait for a refund. Ask your loan officer and escrow company to confirm the corrected figures before you sign closing documents.

Impound Account Considerations

If your mortgage is on an impound account, lenders typically divide the annual property tax bill into 12 equal installments folded into the monthly mortgage payment. An inflated bill could mean higher monthly payments for the rest of the year until the refund processes through. Homeowners who pay through an escrow or impound account do not need to reach out to the county directly, since the bank makes the payment, but you should verify your lender has the correct tax amount on file.

What This Means for San Diego Property Taxes Going Forward

The City of San Diego says it will automate the billing file before next year’s tax roll is submitted in August 2027. That is a welcome step, but it does not erase the confusion this year’s error has caused.

For context, the County of San Diego is mailing 1,022,131 property tax bills this year, per the County Treasurer-Tax Collector. According to census data for San Diego County and the City of San Diego, the region continues to grow and evolve. With the median single-family home price at $1,099,500 as of July 2026 (per the California Association of Realtors), even a small percentage error in assessed fees adds up quickly.

Mayor Todd Gloria stated: “I have directed the Environmental Services Department to work urgently with the county to identify every affected property, correct the underlying data, and ensure property owners receive accurate bills.”

Frequently Asked Questions About San Diego’s Trash Fee Billing Error

How many San Diego property tax bills were affected by the trash fee error?

Roughly 87,000 accounts were affected by the data transfer error. Of those, approximately 44,000 showed an amount higher than the correct trash fee, while the remaining accounts showed a lower amount. The County is resending corrected bills to overcharged property owners, according to CBS 8 reporting on the 2026-27 tax year.

How do I know if my San Diego property tax bill is wrong?

You can verify your trash and recycling service level and see your correct fee in the City’s Residential Waste Collection Services Portal at WastePortal.sandiego.gov. Compare that amount against the solid waste line item on your county tax bill. The City’s Environmental Services Department can also be reached at 858-694-7000.

Will I get a refund if I already paid the wrong amount in San Diego?

Yes. If you already paid the incorrect amount, the County will automatically issue a refund once the corrected amount is reflected in its system. Refunds will come as a check in the mail, not as a credit on a property tax bill, per the City of San Diego’s official FAQ.

What is the deadline to pay my San Diego property tax without a penalty?

The first installment of property tax is due November 1, but it is not considered late until after December 10. After December 10, a 10 percent penalty applies, according to the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector.

Which San Diego neighborhoods were most affected by the billing error?

District 3 saw the largest share of impacted accounts, covering much of the urban core including North Park and Hillcrest. However, the affected accounts were distributed throughout San Diego and were not concentrated in any particular community or service level.

How much were San Diego homeowners overcharged on trash fees?

The overcharges varied widely. For about 13,850 properties, the incorrect amount was less than $100 higher than the correct amount. Approximately 640 customers were billed between $1,101 and $2,700 more than the correct amount, according to NBC San Diego’s reporting on the 2026-27 tax year.

What should I do if I was undercharged on my San Diego trash fee?

Pay the amount currently shown on your County property tax bill. The city plans to send a separate bill for the remaining balance by January 2027. That balance will be due April 12, 2027, when the second installment of property tax is due.

How does this error affect San Diego home sellers currently in escrow?

Escrow officers prorate property taxes between buyer and seller at closing. Sellers should confirm that escrow is using the corrected trash fee data (available since September 26, 2026) to avoid overpaying at the closing table and waiting for a refund check.

What if my corrected San Diego property tax bill has not arrived?

If your corrected bill has not shown up by early November, call the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector at 877-829-4732. Corrected bills say “Corrected Bill” under the address, so you will know when the right one arrives.

Will this trash fee error happen again next year in San Diego?

The City of San Diego says it will automate the billing file before next year’s tax roll is submitted in August 2027. This is the first year trash fees appeared on property tax statements, and the city has acknowledged the process failures that led to the error.

The Bottom Line for San Diego Property Owners

Check your 2026-27 property tax bill before you pay it. If you were overcharged, corrected bills are already arriving, and refunds will come automatically by check. If you were undercharged, pay what is on your current bill and wait for the city’s separate invoice, due by April 2027. Either way, do not miss the December 10 deadline for your first installment.

If you are buying or selling a home in San Diego right now, this billing error adds one more detail your team needs to handle correctly. With 18 years of experience helping buyers and sellers across San Diego County, from Mira Mesa and Rancho Bernardo to Scripps Ranch and North Park, I make sure details like this do not fall through the cracks. If you have questions about how this affects your transaction, or you just want someone to look at your numbers, give me a call at 858-405-0002. I am Scott Cheng, Broker Associate with REAL Brokerage, and I am here to help you move forward with confidence.