Q. I just moved here and need to license my vehicle. What do I do?
A. from Out of State – you will need to go to the Assessor’s Office and they will probably issue you a non-assessment/waiver.
A. from Out of County – you will need to get a receipt from the county in which you lived in January 1 of the tax year. But be sure to stop at our Assessor to get on the tax rolls for this/next year.

Q. What is Personal Property Tax?
A. Personal Property tax is a tax based upon the value of taxable personal property. Taxable
Personal Property consists of motor vehicles, trailers, mobile homes, watercraft, boat motors, aircraft, livestock, farm machinery and equipment, agricultural crops, and any other Personal Property not exempted by law. The Market Value of an item is established by the County Assessor using a standard rate book provided by the Missouri State Tax Commission. The Assessed Value is a percentage of the Market Value. The Assessed Value of an item multiplied by the tax rate (levy) for your district determines the amount of Personal Property tax you pay.

The percentage of Market Value that determines Assessed Value is as follows:

All personal property except those listed below: 33 1/3%
Mobile Homes used as dwellings 19 %
Grain and other Agricultural Crops .05 %
Livestock and Poultry 12 %
Farm Machinery 12 %
Historic motor vehicles und 201.131 RSMO 5 %
Certain aircraft-see section 137.115 RSMO 5 %
Certain business tools & equipment (see laws)

All taxable personal property shall be assessed in the county in which the owner resides
the first day of January each year.

Q. How do I know if I am eligible for a Waiver?
A. A waiver may be issued for the reasons listed below:
1) You have moved to Missouri from another state, and would not have been subject to Personal Property tax for the previous year.
2) You are a current resident, but did not own taxable personal property January 1st of the previous tax year.
3) You are a tax exempt organization licensing a vehicle in the organization’s name.
4) This is the first vehicle you have ever owned

Q. How do I get a Personal Property Tax Bill?
A. Each year, you are required to fill out an Assessment Form with the County Assessor’s Office listing the taxable personal property you own January 1st of the tax year. Generally these forms are mailed out to the taxpayer in January, and are due back to the Assessor no later than March 1st. If you do not get a form to fill out in the mail, please contact the Assessor’s Office @ xxx-xxx-xxxx. Substantial late filing fees are assigned by the Assessor if you do not return your form by the deadline.
If you have recently moved into the county, it is your responsibility to contact the Assessor’s Office to obtain an assessment form and be added to the county tax rolls. It is also your responsibility to keep us informed of your current address.

Q. I sold my car in March, why do I have to pay for the full year?
A. Personal property is based on ownership as of January 1, each year. If you purchase a vehicle January 2nd you do not pay on it until the following year, but if it’s owned on the first day you pay for the full year regardless of when it is sold. Unfortunately, the law has no provisions for pro-rating taxes due.

Q. What form of Payments are accepted & where can the bills be paid?
A. Payments may be paid in the form of cash, cashier’s check, money order, personal check, any major credit card, debit card or by E-check. Please check with your county collector’s office to verify payment types and options. Convenience Fees could apply.

Q. Can I make a partial payment on my tax bill?
A. NO – -we cannot accept partial payments. We can take one year at a time starting with the oldest year due, if multiple years are owed.

Q. Why am I being charged Interest & penalties?
A. As a taxpayer, please be aware that interest & penalty start accruing January 1st of each year. If you do not receive your bill by the end of November, it is your responsibility to contact the Collector’s Office to find out why. The Collector’s Office does not have the authority to remove or reduce interest & penalties per state statute #139.100.3. (The Attorney General for the State of Missouri has issued a legal opinion #80-2004 that the Collector of Revenue does not have “the authority to waive penalties or interest on delinquent real or personal property taxes.)

Q. May I pay personal property and Real Estate taxes with a single check?
A. Yes. Please be sure to add them correctly and send the exact amount due.

Q. I am no longer a Missouri resident, do I still owe this tax?
A. Yes. By state law, your tax obligation is established on January 1st. Even if you move to a different state after January 1st, you are still taxable for the year. Unfortunately, the law has no provisions for pro-rating taxes due.

Q: Why isn’t my ‘new’ or ‘different’ car on my bill, I bought it this year?
A: It should not be included on this bill if you did not own it on January 1 of the tax year. You will still use your paid receipt to get your new license on it. The DMV can see your purchase date and know that it was during this year.

Q. I don’t own this vehicle anymore; why am I getting a bill on it?
A. Taxes are assessed on property owned on January 1 each year. Even if you no longer own the vehicle, own a different vehicle, or no longer own any vehicle, the tax is based on what was owned on January 1. The tax amount is not prorated. The total tax amount is due upon receipt of the statement, but no later than December 31 or late payment charges will be assessed.

Q. Why did I get a tax bill, I moved out of county or state during the tax year?
A. The tax bill is based on what you owned and where you lived on January 1 of the tax year.

Q. I shouldn’t have to pay for the whole year, should I?
A. I am sorry, but personal property taxes are not pro-rated. The tax bill is based on what you owned and where you lived on January 1 of the tax year.

Q. I never got a bill, why should I pay interest and penalties?
A. It is your responsibility to contact us if you did not receive a bill, so yes you must pay interest and penalties – if it is after December 31 when they were due.

Q. Why do I have to pay school tax, I don’t have any kids or my kids go to a private school?
A. Everyone has to pay to the entities listed on the tax bill, which are based on where you live.

Q. Why did I get two bills and why do they both have school taxes on them?
A. Is one bill for Real Estate and one for Personal Property? In Missouri, you pay personal property tax based on the vehicles, boats, animals, planes, etc. each year. You must tell the Assessor each year before March 1 what items you own. Then the tax bill is mailed in November and due by December 31. If you pay late, interest and penalties are accrued. The other is for real estate – your home or land that you own. Since they are two distinctly different bills, you pay to the same entities on each – depending on your location.

Q. How long do I have to obtain Missouri license plates and a Missouri driver’s license?
A. You have 30 days to obtain Missouri license plates and a Missouri driver’s license.

Q. What is needed to obtain Missouri plates?
A. You will need the title or registration to the vehicle, proof of insurance, a Missouri State Inspection Certificate, and a validated tax receipt from the Missouri County Collector’s office or a non-assessment clearance from the Missouri County Assessor’s office.

Q. Where can I pay sales tax on my new vehicle?
A. You can pay sales tax at any license bureau in the state of Missouri.

Q. What is required to license my vehicles in a Missouri County?
A. You will need the title or registration to the vehicle, proof of insurance, a Missouri State Inspection Certificate, and a copy of the tax receipt showing paid taxes from the county where you were a resident on January 1 of the previous year.

Q. What is required to be placed on the tax rolls of Missouri County?
A. If you are a new resident, or have moved, you need to contact the Missouri County Assessor’s office so that an assessment sheet may be mailed to you. You must request this sheet before March 1 to avoid a penalty

Q. My address has changed. Do I need to do anything?
A. Yes, please submit a change of address to the collector’s or assessor’s office.

Q. When are tax statements mailed?
A. The collector’s office mails tax statements in November. If a tax statement is not received by December 1, contact your county collector’s office. Failure To Receive A Tax Statement Does Not Relieve The Obligation To Pay Taxes And Applicable Late Fees.

Q. How do I change the name and address on my Real Estate Bill?
A. Addresses can be changed by contacting either the Assessor’s or Collector’s offices. If you are changing the address after you received your bill, you would need to contact the Collector’s office. If you are changing your address prior to bills being mailed, please contact the Assessor’s office.
The name on Real Estate bills can only be changed by recording a new deed. To have a new deed prepared you may want to contact a Title Company or Real Estate Attorney.

Q. I bought my property during the year, when will it be assessed in my name and who is responsible for the taxes?
A. As soon as the new deed is recorded in the Recorder of Deed’s office, the Assessor’s file will reflect the change. In most instances, the seller’s portion of taxes is credited at the closing, and the buyer is responsible for the full year of taxes. Refer to your settlement statement or contact the Title Company that you closed through if you have further questions.

Q. Why is the old owner’s name still on my real estate tax bill?
A. There was a delay in getting the transfer completed, the tax bills were already printed before you purchased the property or there may have been a problem with the deed.

Q. I recently purchased real estate; will I receive a bill this year?
A. When real estate is bought or sold, during the year, the tax bill may be generated in the previous owner’s (seller) name and mailed to the address on file prior to October 1 unless the new owner (purchaser) notifies the collector’s or assessor’s office of a change in property ownership. The new owner is responsible for the taxes on the property regardless if a tax bill is received. If you are a new owner and have not received a tax bill by December 10, please contact the collector’s office immediately.

Q. I did not receive a tax bill, why do I have to pay a late fee?
A. As an owner of Real Estate it is your responsibility to make sure the taxes are paid each year by December 31st. If you do not receive your tax bill by the end of November, please call the office so that we may mail you a duplicate statement. Tax bills are mailed as a courtesy and failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve you of the obligation to pay by December 31st each year. State statute requires us to collect Interest and Penalty on any payment received with a postmark after December 31st. Please be aware of the last pickup time at your post office if you are mailing on the last day of the year.

Q. What are Escrow Taxes?
A. Escrow taxes are funds which have been collected by a bank, loan, mortgage or service company from the property owner for the payment of taxes. These funds are usually collected monthly as part of the regular payment and held in escrow until the taxes are due. The lien holder will request the billing be sent to the lien holder’s address and should remit payment to the collector’s office on behalf of the owner.

Q. I received my tax bill and my loan company is supposed to pay this for me, what should I do with it?
A. If you received your tax bill, then your Mortgage Company did not submit a request for it. Mortgage Companies are required to send us a written request for all tax bills they intend to pay. You should call your mortgage company to find out what address they want you to forward your bill to.

Q. What will happen if my mortgage company does not pay my taxes by December 31?
A. You are responsible for the payment of your real estate property taxes whether or not you have escrowed with your lien holder. Real estate property tax bills that are not paid before January 1 will accrue late penalties and fees.

Q. Is there any tax relief available?
A. Senior Citizen / Disabled Citizen Property Tax Relief
Currently, there is one program in place to assist senior citizens with real estate property taxes. The state of Missouri administers this program.
“CIRCUIT BREAKER PROGRAM”
For information on this program you can call the Missouri Department of Revenue at: 573-751-3505 or Mid-East Area Agency on Aging 1-800-243-6060. Information can also be obtained on the following website http://dor.mo.gov/pdf/proptax.pdf.

Q. What are the procedures for paying my taxes under protest?
A. If the assessed value on your property is raised, the County Assessor’s office will send you a change of value notice in the Spring.
If you believe that your property has been assessed incorrectly, you should first contact the County Assessor’s office prior to June 15th to determine how they assessed your property. If you are still not satisfied with the assessment, then you can appeal to the Board of Equalization.
This board meets in July, and you should contact the County Clerk by 5:00 pm on the third Monday in June to schedule an appointment before this group. There are specific forms provided by the County Clerk’s office that must be completed to properly secure your appeal.
If you are still not satisfied you can then appeal to the Missouri State Tax Commission. This group operates out of Jefferson City, but they will schedule appointments here in County to hear your appeal.
If you have an appeal pending with the State Tax Commission, you must still pay the full amount of your taxes before December 31st, and this payment should be accompanied with a letter stating that you are paying your taxes in protest and that you have an appeal pending with the State Tax Commission. When we receive your tax payment, the Collector’s office will hold these funds in an escrow account until a ruling is made on your appeal.
The payment of taxes in protest is a very specific legal remedy that is available to taxpayers that believe that they have been assessed incorrectly. Simply writing “protest” on your check when making your payment will not preserve your rights to appeal.
For more information you can refer to the Missouri Revised Statutes section 139.031.
When protesting …you are actually protesting the assessed value. You should start this process in the spring with the Board of Equalization…if you get no relief you can appeal to the state tax commission.
If you still get no relief, you must pay your tax bill by December 31st , write “protest” on your check. Then you have 90 days to file in circuit court.

Q. What does ET UX, or ET VIR or ETAL mean behind our names?
A: They are Latin and mean ET UX – husband and his wife, ET VIR – wife and her husband, and ETAL – all others if there were too many owners to put all their names on the file, but be assured, they still have ownership in the property.

Q. Why did I get two bills and why do they both have school taxes on them?
A. Is one bill for Real Estate and one for Personal Property? In Missouri, you pay a personal property tax based on the vehicles, boats, animals, planes, etc. each year. You must tell the Assessor each year before March 1 what items you own. Then the tax bill is mailed in November and due by December 31. If you pay late, interest and penalties are accrued. The other is for real estate – your home or land that you own. Since they are two distinctly different bills, you pay to the same entities on each – depending on your location.

Q. What if I do not pay my taxes?
A. If taxes are not paid in full on or before December 31, they will accrue penalties and fees which can be as high as 27% during the first year of delinquency.
A. Taxes are a lien with the liability on real estate remaining with the property. When the ownership changes, the new owners are liable for any unpaid property taxes.
A. Property is subject to be sold at public auction for back taxes if the real estate taxes remain unpaid. The Tax Certificate Sale is held annually on the fourth Monday in August at 10:00 A.M. at the County Courthouse or Online.
DETERMINATION OF TAXES
The amount of the real estate property taxes is determined by two factors.
1. The assessed value of their taxable property set by the local assessor.
2. The tax rate established by the governing bodies of local taxing entities where the property is located.

Example:
ASSESSED VALUE
Assessed value is a percentage of the market value as determined by the assessor’s office. In order to calculate the assessed value, multiply the market value (or appraised value) by the appropriate assessment rate for the type of property.
• Residential Property 19%
• Agricultural Property 12%
• Commercial Property 32%

NOW THAT YOU HAVE PURCHASED REAL ESTATE, WHAT NEXT?

The questions and answers below may help you understand your responsibility of the taxes due on the real estate you purchased.
Q. Will the tax bill be in my name this year?
A. If you purchased the property after the first of the year, generally the tax bill will be in the name of the person of record owning the property January 1. Your name will appear on the bill next year if the deed is recorded. However, when you pay the taxes, we will indicate that you paid the bill.
Q. Who will receive the tax bill this year?
A. Unless you notify the Collector’s Office the tax bill will be sent to the person owning the property Jan. 1. If the bill is sent to the previous owner, you will need to contact that person or the Collector’s Office to get a duplicate statement. If the previous owner returns the tax bill to the Collector’s Office, we will if possible, forward the bill to you. I would urge you to fill out the attached form and return it to the Collector’s Office to make it possible for the tax bill to be forwarded to you.
Q. Who is responsible for paying the taxes?
A. The person owning the property at the end of the year is responsible for all taxes due on the property. We do not accept partial payments. If the taxes are pro-rated, be sure to find out how the previous owner’s portion was paid to you. Example: was it deducted from the selling price? Was it paid to you in cash? Remember that you will be responsible for the TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE TAX BILL.
Q. If I do not receive a tax bill on the property I purchased, am I responsible for interest and penalty if the taxes become delinquent?
A. YES. Failure to receive tax bill does not relieve you from paying taxes or any interest and penalty due if they become delinquent, All taxes are delinquent after December 31st. If you have not received a tax bill by Dec. 1st, you should contact the Collector’s Office.