How to find out how much you owe

You will not receive a paper bill for the impuesto predial (property tax). The exception is El Dorado Ranch, where a paper bill will eventually be sent by Concord Servicing, offering no discount, a poor exchange rate, and a service fee. At El Dorado, avoid paying this through the Ranch if you possibly can, it's much cheaper to pay direct.

You can find out the amounts by going online to the Mexicali impuesto predial web page.

On that page, click on "English Version". Select "14 San Felipe" from the pull-down list, then enter the remaining 8 digits of your clave catastral in the boxes. So for a clave catastral like 14-02-606-506, you select 14, then enter 02, 606, and 506 respectively in the three boxes.

The "Subtotal amount" shown is the base amount of the tax. A 15% sports facility surcharge is then added. A discount (20% of the base amount only) is then deducted, giving you a total payable.

How to Pay

You can pay online on that site with a credit card. See the articles for 2010 and 2011 (including the comments from Darryl of Baja Sun Real Estate) for why you shouldn't really do this unless you have no other choice. In short, it'll probably cost more, getting a receipt is unreliable, and the payment may never reach your account.

The best way to pay is at the Mexicali city office in downtown San Felipe. This is on Mar Blanco between the park and the Fire Station, across from the Post Office.

When you go to the building, take your clave catastral, and go to the cash window directly to the right as you enter. The person at the cash window will take your clave catastral, and bring up a computer screen that shows the property address, your name, and the grand total owing. The amount owing will normally be 2 pesos more than the amount shown on the online system, as there is a mandatory minimum 2 pesos contribution to the Red Cross added.

If you have a property in the "Master Trust" at El Dorado, the system will show the owner as "Rancho Epoca de Ora", rather than your own name, even if it is "privatised".

When you pay, wait for the receipt! If your property is in El Dorado, make a copy of the receipt, write your lot number on it, and give it to the admin office at the El Dorado main gate (mountainside), so that they can see you have paid it. This may stop bills and reminders being sent to you from Concord Servicing.

Hang on to the receipt for ever. It will be useful if/when you sell your property. It's also another proof of residence, not as widely used as the electric bill for that purpose but it's another option.

Check the online system again after a week (or two, or more). Eventually it will show that there is no money owing for 2012 on your property, this will confirm the payment has been recorded correctly.