The property tax in North Carolina is a locally assessed tax, collected by the counties. The N.C. Department of Revenue does not send property tax bills or collect property taxes. For almost all the segments of the property tax, January 1 is the tax lien date. A property tax is a municipal tax levied by counties, cities, or special tax districts on most types of real estate - including homes, businesses, and parcels of land. The amount of property tax owed depends on the appraised fair market value of the property, as determined by the property tax assessor.