15-16-102. Time for payment -- penalty for delinquency. Unless suspended or canceled under the provisions of Title 15, chapter 24, part 17, all taxes levied and assessed in the state of Montana, except assessments made for special improvements in cities and towns payable under 15-16-103, are payable as follows:
     (1) One-half of the taxes are payable on or before 5 p.m. on November 30 of each year or within 30 days after the tax notice is postmarked, whichever is later, and one-half are payable on or before 5 p.m. on May 31 of each year.
     (2) Unless one-half of the taxes are paid on or before 5 p.m. on November 30 of each year or within 30 days after the tax notice is postmarked, whichever is later, the amount payable is delinquent and draws interest at the rate of 5/6 of 1% a month from and after the delinquency until paid and 2% must be added to the delinquent taxes as a penalty.
     (3) All taxes due and not paid on or before 5 p.m. on May 31 of each year are delinquent and draw interest at the rate of 5/6 of 1% a month from and after the delinquency until paid, and 2% must be added to the delinquent taxes as a penalty.
     (4) If the date on which taxes are due falls on a holiday or Saturday, taxes may be paid without penalty or interest on or before 5 p.m. of the next business day in accordance with 1-1-307.
     (5) A taxpayer may pay current year taxes without paying delinquent taxes. The county treasurer shall accept a partial payment equal to the delinquent taxes, including penalty and interest, for one or more full taxable years, provided that taxes for both halves of the current tax year have been paid. Payment of taxes for delinquent taxes must be applied to the taxes that have been delinquent the longest. The payment of taxes for the current tax year is not a redemption of the property tax lien for any delinquent tax year.
     (6) The penalty and interest on delinquent assessment payments for specific parcels of land may be waived by resolution of the city council. A copy of the resolution must be certified to the county treasurer.

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 96, L. 1923; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 79, L. 1929; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 67, L. 1931; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 158, L. 1933; Sec. 1(a) amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 1, Ex. L. 1933; re-en. Sec. 2169.2, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 84-4103; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 165, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 527, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 576, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 6, Sp. L. 1981; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 695, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 69, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 30, Ch. 587, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 655, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 449, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 631, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 699, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 704, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 33, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 29, Ch. 451, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 59, Ch. 42, L. 1997.