DC Property Tax System Getting a Facelift for 2020

The District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) announced that it is implementing a new Modernized Real Property Tax System (MRPTS), which will be effective as of December 2020. The new DC property tax system will be in partnership with FAST Enterprises which will support property tax assessments, ownership and address changes, tax billing, collections, tax relief administration, tax sales, appeals, and the land recordation of real property.

Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey DeWitt said, “We will be one of the only jurisdictions in the United States that has fully integrated our new income tax, sales tax, and business tax systems with a new property tax system in MRPTS. The new customer service and operational capabilities will be substantial with all of our tax systems in the most modern technology.”

Some of the benefits of the new system will include:

• Integration of all real property tax systems and functions
• User-friendly and fewer clicks to process tax relief applications, such as the Homestead and Senior Deduction
• Online filing and management of first, second and third-level appeals
• Automated scheduling, rescheduling and confirmation of appeal appointments
• Real-time posting of all real property transactions
• Ability to update account information (i.e., mailing address, authorized users, etc.)
• Web feature which allows taxpayers to ask questions online and receive a quick response from customer service (two-way communication).

“This is an exciting time for the Office of Tax and Revenue,” said Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Tax and Revenue Keith J. Richardson. “MRPTS is an example of OTR’s continued focus on improving customer service, communication and technology as we move to a single, unified system.”

This new property tax system change comes on the heels of the October 2018 change for the OTR that saw them change to a Modernized Integrated Tax System in which 20 tax types and fees are housed.