You can pay your Council Tax in:

• one lump sum on 1 April;
• 10 monthly instalments from 1 April; or
• in half yearly instalments on 1 April  and 1 October.

Alternative ways to pay

Pay Online

You can pay your Council Tax online via our 24 hour secure internet payment service. You will need your reference/invoice number. We will send a receipt by email. You can make a variety of payments online by credit or debit card.

Direct Debit

There are no cheques to write, no paperwork or postage and there's no queuing. Direct Debit makes life easier for you. Payments are automatically paid by your bank or building society. You can choose your payment date (1, 5, 8, 15, 20, 25 or 28 of the month). You won't have to do a thing but you're still in control.

You can arrange to pay by Direct Debit by phoning free on 0800 97 55 333 or download a copy of the Direct Debit application form or set up a Direct Debit instruction online by clicking here.

Paying by Phone

To make a telephone payment, call 01206 282500 at any time of the day or night. You will need your reference/invoice number and your credit or debit card details.

Paying by Text (SMS)

You can now pay your Council Tax and rent by mobile SMS text message. You can also register for the Text Reminder Service in case you forget to pay your instalment when it becomes due. To find out more about text payments click here or phone 01206 282725.

Paying at a Bank

You can pay at your own bank or any branch of Barclays Bank. If you want to pay at your bank, click here to order payment slips or contact us on 01206 282300 and we will send you enough slips for your remaining payments. Some banks now make a charge.

Paying at the Post Office

You can pay regularly free at any Post Office if you have a payment card. Please contact us by phone or by clicking here request a card. You can also pay by cheque (please write your Council Tax reference/invoice number on the back of your cheque). To find your nearest Post Office please click here.

Pay by Payzone

You can pay regularly at any Payzone point (local shops and garages) if you have a payment card. Please contact us online or by phone to request a card. To find your nearest Payzone outlet please click here.

Telephone Banking

You can pay by phoning your bank. make sure you give your Council Tax reference, our bank sort code (20-22-67) and our bank account number (60018082).

Paying by Post

Please send cheques or postal orders only -do not send cash- made payable to Colchester Borough Council and send it to:

Revenues Services, PO Box 886, High Street, Colchester, CO1 1FP.

Please write your Council Tax reference on the back of your payments. We will not be responsible for payments lost in the post. Also, we will not accept post dated cheques. If you want a receipt, please send us your bill.