According to the county, when it doesn’t have pennies available to provide the correct change for a transaction, cash transactions requiring change will be rounded up to the next nickel ($0.05).

What residents may notice at the counter

The change rule is described as applying to cash transactions requiring change at the county’s own office operations. If your payment amount requires pennies to make the exact cents change, the final cash total you receive could be slightly different.

The county’s update doesn’t list specific tax types or fees in detail, so if you’re paying a small-dollar amount or need exact cents, it’s reasonable to ask the counter how the rounding applies to your specific transaction.

Why this is happening

The county is pointing to penny shortages after the U.S. ended penny production. Texas Comptroller guidance says the end of penny production is already affecting taxpayers making cash payments and calculating sales tax.

How other agencies handle penny shortages

This is not the same approach everywhere. The Texas Comptroller says that, if necessary, it will round cash payments down to the nickel—and that rounding won’t apply to payments made using other methods such as electronic or check payments.

At the federal level, USPS says its penny-rounding policy applies only to cash transactions when the coin is unavailable. USPS also says the rounding rules do not apply to credit/debit card or check transactions.

Tips to avoid surprises

• Bring exact change when possible, especially for transactions where you’re counting on a specific cents amount.
• Plan for small differences on cash payments during the penny shortage period—especially if your payment would normally require penny-level adjustment.
• If you need certainty, ask before you pay so you know whether rounding would affect your transaction.

Sources

• El Paso County Tax Assessor-Collector — What's New (Penny Shortage impact on Cash Transactions effective July 1, 2026)
• Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts — End of Penny Production (cash-payment and sales-tax guidance)
• USPS Employee News — USPS begins penny-rounding policy