Taxes Tax Planning What Is an Assessor? By Jake Safane Updated on November 18, 2022 Fact checked by Daniel Rathburn Fact checked by Daniel Rathburn Daniel Rathburn is an associate editor at The Balance. He has over three years of experience working in print and digital media as a fact-checker and editor. Daniel holds a bachelor's degree in English and political science from Michigan State University. learn about our editorial policies In This Article View All In This Article Definition of an Assessor How an Assessor Works What an Assessor Means for Individuals Photo: Mike Kemp / Getty Images Definition An assessor generally refers to a tax official who determines the taxable value of real estate or personal property. An assessor often works at the local level, such as in a municipality or county, but also might follow state laws for assessing property values. Key Takeaways An assessor typically refers to someone elected or appointed who determines property valuations for tax purposes.An assessor can oversee tax assessments of both real and personal property such as houses and vehicles.The responsibilities of a tax assessor can vary based on local and state laws.In some locations, a tax assessor holds a separate role from a tax collector. In other areas, these roles are combined. Definition of an Assessor An assessor is someone who assesses property values for tax purposes. They are a government official who is elected or appointed, depending on the location, to determine the taxable value of real estate or personal property such as a house or a boat. For example, a county tax assessor could assign a value to a home based on the purchase price after a real estate transaction takes place. From there, the new homeowner’s property taxes would be based on this assessed value, minus deductions such as the homeowner’s exemption. A tax assessor might also determine the value of physical property such as boats or business equipment. Other types of personal property like cars, for example, might sometimes be taxed at the state level via the vehicle registration process. Note In some areas, the local tax assessor’s office is responsible for handling property taxes on vehicles, along with other responsibilities such as vehicle registration and titling. How an Assessor Works An assessor is elected or appointed to the official position of tax assessor, or in some cases, the joint role of tax assessor and collector. When these roles are separate, the tax assessor is responsible for tax assessment and the tax collector is responsible for tax collection, although there also can be some other related duties assigned to these offices. In the role of tax assessor, an official determines the taxable value of property, which can be real property such as houses or buildings, or it could be personal property such as boats or planes. The way in which an assessor values real or personal property can depend on local or state laws. Example of a Tax Assessor For example, in California, the assessed value of a home is generally based on the purchase price and can then only increase by up to 2% annually unless the home undergoes a change in ownership or new construction. In other locations, a tax assessment on real estate might look different. In Texas, real estate property taxes are typically based on the market value of a home. That means that even if the current homeowner remains in the home as opposed to a transaction taking place, the assessed value can change based on market conditions. These valuations are made by a county appraisal district, and the county tax assessor-collector is then ultimately responsible for assessing and collecting the taxes. Note Assessors also might have responsibilities related to overseeing tax exemptions. An assessor might also handle duties such as maintaining a map of all property parcels in a county. What an Assessor Means for Individuals Understanding what an assessor is can help you figure out who’s responsible for determining the taxable value of real or personal property. You can then generally turn to these offices for questions or disputes. For example, if you think there has been an error in the assessed value of your home, you might want to contact the local tax assessor’s office to see if you can get your home reassessed. Otherwise, you might pay more in property taxes than you should. Or you might want to contact your local tax assessor for ways to lower your property tax liability, such as via the homeowner’s exemption. You also might visit your local tax assessor’s website or contact their office if you’re looking for various property information, such as how you can find out the ownership of another home. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. New York State, Department of Taxation and Finance. “Qualifications: Sole Appointed Assessors.” County of Sonoma. “Property Value.” Marin County. “Homeowner's Exemption - Assessor.” The City of St. Louis. “Pay Your Personal Property Tax.” Orange County. “Difference Between Tax Collector and Assessor.” Los Angeles County Assessor. “Real Property Assessment.” Texas Comptroller. “Valuing Property.”