French property tax notices began arriving in mailboxes and online accounts this week, bringing minimal rate increases for the vast majority of homeowners in 2026.
Paper notices were first delivered on Monday, while property owners who opted for digital statements will be able to view their assessments online starting Thursday. Taxpayers must complete their payments by October 15 if paying by cheque, bank transfer or cash, while online payment portals will remain open until October 20.
French property tax calculations consist of two distinct elements: a national baseline set by the central government and a local rate determined by municipal councils. The state component is revalued each year in line with inflation, calculated in November using the European Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices. For 2026, the state adjustment was fixed at just 0.8 percent, adding an average of 9 euros to annual bills. That figure represents a sharp decline compared to state increases of 1.7 percent in 2025, 3.9 percent in 2024 and 7.1 percent in 2023.
Town halls have also shown restraint in setting local tax rates this year. Sylvain Grataloup, president of the National Union of Property Owners (UNPI), told TF1 that local councils rarely raise property taxes immediately before or after municipal elections. He noted that property tax has increasingly become a key electoral issue across France.
Municipal rate changes across French towns
Data from local financial consultancy FSL shows that only a small number of French municipalities with more than 40,000 inhabitants have voted to increase property taxes this year. Steep municipal tax hikes remain an exception limited to roughly ten towns across the country. Among larger cities, notable rate increases include Ajaccio in Corse-du-Sud at 19 percent, Fréjus in Var at 22.4 percent and Montrouge in Hauts-de-Seine at 25 percent.
Other municipalities have chosen to hold rates steady or lower them. Property tax rates in Corbeil-Essonnes in Essonne remain unchanged this year, prompting one local resident to tell TF1 cameras that the freeze was great news that would make year-end budgeting easier. Meanwhile, Castelnau-Le-Nez in Haute-Garonne reduced its local property tax rate by 8 percent.
Since the complete elimination of the residential housing tax, property tax has become the primary source of direct local tax revenue for French municipalities to fund municipal services and public infrastructure.
Sharp tax hikes in Merkwiller-Pechelbronn
While most French property owners face minimal changes, residents in some smaller communities are confronting severe rate hikes. Homeowners in the commune of Merkwiller-Pechelbronn in Bas-Rhin learned on Monday that local property tax will surge by more than 60 percent this year following a municipal decision to balance the local budget.
One local resident speaking to TF1 expressed concern for elderly neighbours who were not yet aware of the impending tax rise. Carole, a local resident who has owned her home for five years, calculated that her annual tax bill would jump from 1,345 euros to more than 2,000 euros, bringing her monthly payment close to 200 euros. She told reporters that the steep increase made saving for family holidays, Christmas or birthdays impossible as household budgets were stretched.
Property tax notices will continue to reach households throughout the week as local authorities prepare for the October payment deadlines.
