Missouri Property Taxes

Overview of Missouri Property Taxes

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Unless exempted, every homeowner in Missouri is required to pay property taxes every year based on the value of their property. Like many states, Missouri property taxes are administered by local taxing authorities and pay for important government services like municipal infrastructure, law enforcement, and recreational services. Every year, the state of Missouri and its local governments collect $47.5 billion in total revenue. Of that, $6 billion or 13.29% of total revenue comes from property taxes.

Property taxes in Missouri are not especially high compared to other states. Homeowners pay $10.34 for every $1,000 of their home value in property taxes and the average Missouri property tax bill adds up to $1,729. However, this figure can vary depending on the location of the property. For instance, homeowners in Adair County usually pay $987 while those in Clay County pay closer to $2,242 in property taxes.

How do Missouri property taxes work? The taxes are based on a property's value as determined by County Assessors. Assessors are required to assess properties as of January 1st of each odd-numbered year. The same value is then used for the following even-numbered year unless there are improvements to the property such as the addition of a garage or swimming pool. Different assessment techniques are used to appraise property including comparable sales and other general aspects like size and type of construction. The appraised value should be the property's market value, or the amount it would sell for in the open market.

Once the market value has been established, the taxing authorities apply an assessment ratio to get the assessed value. Missouri state laws require that residential properties be assessed at 19% of their appraised value. If, for instance, a home is valued at $200,000, the assessed value would be ($200,000 x 19%) $38,000. Missouri property tax rates are then applied to the property's assessed value to get its annual tax bill.

Missouri property tax rates are set by multiple taxing authorities depending on the location of a property and the total levies in that particular district. The rates are expressed per $100 of assessed valuation. For instance, in the city of Kansas City, the tax rate is $1.7529 per $100 of assessed value. If you owned property with an assessed value of $38,000 in Kansas City, your Missouri property tax bill would add up to (38,000 x 1.7529 /100) $666.

If you are planning to buy a home in Missouri and want to understand how much your property tax bill could potentially cost, check out our Missouri Property Tax Tool to see what your bill would be.

Missouri Property Tax Due Dates

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Property in the state of Missouri is assessed as of January 1. Assessors must have completed and turned their assessment rolls over to the county clerk by July 1. Homeowners then receive their tax notices in November. If you do not agree with your assessment, you can appeal your property taxes by first consulting the County Assessor's office. This is an informal meeting in which the office explains how your assessment was reached. Most disagreements are solved at this level. If there is still a difference of opinion, appeals can be filed with the County Board of Equalization and then to the State Tax Commission.

But when are property taxes due in Missouri? Missouri property taxes are due on or before December 31 of each year and become delinquent after that date. Payments are considered on time if made by end of business on December 31. Taxes that remain unpaid after Missouri property tax due dates result in interest, penalties, and are subject to additional fees.

If the taxes continue to remain unpaid, the state allows the tax collector to initiate a tax sale, a public auction in which the property is sold to the highest bidder. The state offers homeowners a one-year redemption period to clear the delinquent Missouri property taxes, accrued interest, and other costs. If the taxes remain unpaid at the end of the redemption period, the purchaser is issued with a title deed and the homeowner will lose their property altogether. Note that failure to receive a tax bill does not exempt you from complying with Missouri property tax due dates.

Missouri Property Tax Exemptions

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The state of Missouri offers numerous options to potentially reduce your tax bill. Besides the option of appealing property taxes, if wrongly assessed, the state offers several exemptions to eligible homeowners, including the homestead and senior exemptions. These exemptions apply to a homeowner's primary residence. However, homeowners are still subject to Missouri property tax due dates regardless of exemption eligibility.

Missouri Homestead Exemption

Missouri's homestead exemption protects up to $15,000 of a home's equity and the land the home sits on from creditors in case of bankruptcy. The amount does not double for married couples. In order to qualify for this exemption, a homeowner must legally own and occupy the property as their primary residence. This exemption has no bearing on the accrual of Missouri property taxes.

Missouri Senior Citizens Exemption

Missouri's senior exemption is also known as the Missouri Property Tax Credit. This program offers a maximum property tax credit of $1,100 for qualifying senior citizens and 100% disabled individuals for a portion of their Missouri property taxes paid for the year. Eligible homeowners must meet certain income limit requirements. For single homeowners, the total household income must not exceed $30,000 and for married couples, the total household income must not exceed $34,000.

Other Exemptions

Other Missouri property tax exemptions include the veteran's exemption which provides a full property tax exemption for the principal residences of eligible veterans. The veteran's disability must be 100% related to military duty as certified by the Veterans Association. More information about this and other exemptions can be found on the Missouri's Department of Revenue website.

How to Appeal Your Property Taxes in Missouri

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The state of Missouri allows you to appeal property taxes if you disagree with the County Assessor's valuation of your property. However, it is noteworthy that you can only appeal your assessment, not the tax rates. The appeal process starts with an informal meeting with the assessor within 15 days from receipt of the Change of Assessment Notice. In the meeting, the Assessor's Office explains how the assessed value was determined. If there is still a difference of opinion after the informal meeting, homeowners can file an official appeal to the County Board of Equalization. The board sits from the first Monday in July through the fourth Saturday in August. Homeowners can also appeal the County Board's decision to the State Tax Commission by September 30 or within 30 days of receiving the County Board's decision.

The process of filing an assessment appeal varies across Missouri though it generally follows the same steps from county to county:

1. Obtain your assessment
2. Determine if you are overassessed
3. Complete forms needed to appeal
4. File property tax appeal
5. Prepare for hearing
6. Attend hearing
7. Appeal the decision

How to Appeal Your Property Taxes in St. Louis County

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To help you understand how to appeal your property taxes in Missouri, the following is a breakdown of the process in St. Louis County, the most populous county in Missouri.

Obtain your assessment

If you own property in St. Louis County, you can obtain details of your assessment from the Change of Assessment Notice. Alternatively, you can consult the Assessor's Office.

Determine if you are over-assessed

One of the methods used to value your property is the sales comparison approach where the assessor compares the sales prices of similar properties that have recently sold. You can use the same approach using TaxProper's search tool and compare recent sales of similar units with the value placed on your property.

Complete forms needed to appeal

The forms needed to appeal property taxes must be requested in person or by writing to the St. Louis Board of Equalization. The forms are available every year from May 1 until the second Monday of July.

File property tax appeal

Property tax appeals must be filed with the St. Louis County Assessor's Office by the second Monday in July. The Assessor's Office can assist with any information needed regarding the appeal process.

Prepare for hearing

It is upon the taxpayer to provide solid evidence that supports their opinion of value. Simply stating that the valuation is too high is not considered relevant testimony. Evidence can include and is not limited to photographs, the recent sale of a property, and oral testimony from a certified appraiser.

Attend hearing

The Board of Equalization does not require homeowners to attend an appeal hearing in person. You can sign a waiver of attendance and the board will consider your evidence without requiring your physical presence at the hearing.

Appeal the decision

The County Board's decision can be appealed to the State Tax Commission within 30 days of receiving the decision or September 30, whichever comes first.

Property Tax Information for Missouri Counties

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The table below provides county-level information about how property taxes work in each Missouri county.

Want to learn more? Click the county links to learn more about a specific Missouri county.