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Assessor's Office
Cindy Portmann Assessor

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Snohomish County Washington

Assessor Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ Categories:

Please scroll down to see what questions each of the above topics will answer.


Please direct all inquiries regarding the following to the Treasurer's office:
  • tax payments
  • due dates
  • delinquent taxes
  • receipt of payments
  • duplicate tax statements
  • bankruptcy
  • excise taxes
  • foreclosure or personal property distraint
  • mobile home moving permits
  • name/address changes
  • other questions regarding the payment of taxes
Topic: Owner and Taxpayer Name/Address Changes After a Sale
Answers the following questions:
  • I purchased this property within the past few months and the taxpayer name has been updated to reflect I am the new taxpayer of record, but the owner's name still shows the old owner.  Why?
Topic: Assessor's Office, Real and Personal Property, and Updates
Answers the following questions:
  • What does the County Assessor do?
  • What is personal property?
  • How often does the Snohomish County Assessor value personal property?
  • What is real property?
  • How often does the Snohomish County Assessor re-inspect and appraise real property for tax purposes?
  • When did the Assessor's office change to an annual reval?
  • Why is the Assessor's office changing to an annual reval?
Topic: Assessed Values
Answers the following questions:
  • What laws affect how the Assessor appraises my property?
  • What is market value?
  • Can I appeal my new assessed value?
Topic: Levy Limits and Taxing Districts
Answers the following questions:
  • How do the taxing districts set the tax amount?
  • What is a Tax Code Area (TCA) ?
  • What is the statutory rate limit?
  • What is the $5.90 limit ?
  • What is the 1% Constitutional limit?
  • What is Initiative 747?
Topic: Mapping questions
Answers the following questions:
  • I can't find my parcel number when I put in the address. How come?
  • I put an address into one of the many online mapping services. It found a location for the address, but when I search your system or use your map it can’t find the address. Why not?
  • Do your parcel maps show my legal property ownership?
  • How accurate are your maps?
  • When I look at the aerial photograph of my property on your map it looks like my neighbor is on my property. Is this correct?
    If the maps and aerial photographs are not accurate enough to determine property boundaries, why do you allow them to be shown together?
  • When I look at the aerial photograph of my property on your map, my property lines to not match up with the fence lines that can be seen on the photograph. Will you correct your map so that they match?
  • Can you give me the GPS coordinates for my property corners?
  • Can you give me the exact dimensions of my property?
  • I measured from the painted stripe on the road and it looks like the road/my neighbor is on my property. What do I do?
  • My neighbor has put up a fence that I think is on my property. What can you do to help me?
  • I am in a dispute with my neighbor regarding our property line. Can you tell me an attorney or surveyor to contact?
Topic: Other Questions, Contacts, and More Information
Answers the following questions:
  • I recently short platted or divided my property. How do I get a new tax parcel number?
  • I just purchased a lot in a new formal plat/subdivision. When will my new tax parcel number be assigned?
  • Whom should I contact to correct my mailing address for my tax statement and/or Change of Value notice?
  • Whom should I contact for more information?
Topic: Taxes and Tax Relief Programs
Answers the following questions:
  • Why do we have property tax?
  • If assessed value increases, do taxes have to increase?
  • If assessed values decrease, do property taxes automatically decrease?
    Can I appeal the amount of taxes I will pay or the percentage that my assessment increased?
  • What tax relief programs are available?
  • What tax relief programs are available for senior citizens or disabled persons?
  • I have a senior citizen or disabled person exemption and my taxable value is "frozen", will the new assessment affect my taxes?
  • Is it possible to make a "ballpark estimate" of how much the taxes will be on a piece of property that I am thinking about buying (or a structure that I might build)?
Please direct all inquiries regarding the following topics to the Assessor's Office:
  • Assessed value of property
  • Open space programs
  • Levy rates and tax levy limitations
  • Appeals for lowering assessed values
  • Tax relief programs: senior citizens and/or disabled exemptions
  • Building and property characteristics
The Assessor has direct phone numbers for certain questions.  Please view our important phone numbers page for these numbers.  If you have other questions or concerns, please contact us.
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Forms & Publications

Forms A to Z
Annual Reports
Exemptions
Personal Property

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Online Tools

SCOPI SCOPI - Snohomish County Online Property Information, an interactive map application.

MAPS MAPS - Lookup an online pdf map of your parcel

Property Info Property Info - Lookup information about your property.

eFile eFile - File your business personal property listing online.

Sales Search Sales Search - Find property sales that match search criteria you enter.



Complete List of Forms

A

-2009 Annual Report

-2005 Annual Report

-2006 Annual Report

-2007 Annual Report

-2008 Annual Report

- Advance Tax Request Form(pdf)

-Alternate Plat Listing by Name Compiled from our GIS

B

-Blank Listing Form

D

- Dept of Revenue Business Personal Property Valuation Guidelines

- Dept of Revenue Business Property Tax Fact Sheet

-Designated Forest Land Application

- Destroyed Property Claim Form

F

-Farm Machinery and Equipment Exemption Form (Word Doc)

- Full Plat Listing by Name

- Full Plat Listing by Number

H

- Homeowner's Guide to Property Taxes Publication

I

-Improvement Exemption - Single Family Dwellings

L

-Legal Description Abbreviations Publication

- Legislative Guide to Washington State Property Taxes

-Limited Income Property Tax Deferral Application

-Limited Income Property Tax Deferral Program Publication

-Listing Form Instructions

-Listing Item Abbreviations

-Levy Class

M

-Mass Appraisal Reports for 2008

N

-New Plat Listing

O

-Open Space and Designated Forest Audit FAQ

- Open Space Farm and Agricultural Land Classification Form

- Open Space or Timber Current Use Assessment Form

-Open Space Publication

P

-Personal Property Exemption for Farm Machinery and Equipment

-Personal Property Refund Form

- Property Tax/Leasehold Excise Tax Exemption Form

-Property Use Codes Publication

S

-Sample Listing Form

- Segregation Request Form

-Senior Citizen/Disabled Person Deferral Publication

-Senior Citizen/Disabled Person Exemption Application

-Senior Citizen/Disabled Person Exemption Publication

-Space / Building Improvement Guidelines Publication(pdf)

V

- Valuation Appeal Publication


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