Nitrogen emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations are of increasing concern to regulatory agencies. As such, we evaluated the effect of top-dressing a finishing diet (14.4% CP) for beef cattle with a commercially available condensed tannin extract (CT) at 3 levels (0, 0.5, and 1.0% of diet, DM basis). British-cross steers (n = 27; initial BW = 350 ± 32 kg) were fed individually via a Calan gate system for 126 d. Diet digestibility and N balance were estimated approximately 30 d after the experiment began (EARLY) and 30 d before the animals were harvested (LATE), using TiO₂ as a marker of fecal output and creatinine:BW ratio as a marker for urine output, respectively. Inclusion of CT in the diet did not affect (P ≥ 0.21) ADG or DMI over the entire finishing period. Hot carcass weight was not different (P = 0.83) among treatments, but fat thickness and LM area tended to decrease (P ≤ 0.08) when CT was included in the diet. Organic matter intake tended (P = 0.10) to increase when CT was fed during EARLY. Apparent total-tract starch digestibility during EARLY was lesser (P = 0.03) for 1% CT than either 0 or 0.5% CT. Intakes of OM and starch were similar (P ≥ 0.31) among treatments during LATE; similarly, apparent total-tract digestibility of OM and starch were similar (P ≥ 0.31) during LATE. Nitrogen intake did not differ (P ≥ 0.11) among treatments during EARLY and LATE, but fecal N excretion was greater (P = 0.05) for 1.0% CT than 0% CT during EARLY. Urinary N excretion was not different (P ≥ 0.43) among treatments during EARLY and LATE, but urine N:total N excretion decreased when CT was included in the diet during EARLY. Retention of N was not different (P = 0.40) among treatments during EARLY, but tended to decrease (P = 0.07) when CT was included in the diet during LATE. Under the conditions of this experiment, supplementation of a finishing diet with condensed tannins had minor effects on performance and nutrient digestibility of beef steers fed a finishing diet, but did alter the site of N excretion.