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Assessor

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1. Why did my property tax bill go up this year?

Under California law Proposition 13, the base-year value can only increase a maximum of two percent per year. However, if the property has temporary value reductions, then it is not restricted by the two percent maximum value increase. In addition, new base-year values are established if the property was newly purchased, new construction has been completed, or if the property changed ownership. Contact the Assessor at 530-265-1232.

2. What do I do if I think that my property is assessed at a value that is above the market value as of January 1st?

You may qualify for a temporary value reduction for the following year. You can contact our office and complete a request form to have your property's value reviewed at 530-265-1232.

3. I have questions about my property tax bill, who should I call?

The Assessor's Office and the Tax Collector's Office are two separate departments. The Assessor's Office determines the value of your property, while the Tax Collector's Office establishes the amount of your tax bill. If you have questions about your assessment value, please give us a call. If you have questions regarding your tax bill amount, please contact the Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office at 530-265-1285.

4. I have questions about my supplemental notice, who should I call?

Call our office at 530-265-1232 to get answers to your questions regarding your supplemental notice.

5. My property tax bill says "Improvements" but I did not make any changes to my property, why is that?

The term refers to anything that is on the land, not necessarily improvements that may have occurred in the last year. For further questions, contact the Assessor at 530-265-1232.

6. How do I find my APN?

If you know your street address, then enter it in the "street" field and click the "search" button. Your Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) will populate the APN field. If you need additional assistance finding an APN, please give us a call at 530-265-1232. You may also do this online.

7. Why has a name change occurred on title?

Changes are usually initiated through deeds and other recorded documents in the Recorder's Office.

8. I'm recording a document to transfer property, are there any tips to ensure that the process isn't delayed?

In order to change title, a legal document must be recorded in the Nevada County Recorder's Office. Once the document is recorded, the change will be processed in our office and the change(s) will be made on our records. We urge you to contact legal counsel or a title company to assist you in this matter to assure that the document is properly completed. Title to the property will remain unchanged until the necessary document has been recorded. Contact the Assessor at 530-265-1232 for more information.

9. Where does the Assessor's Office get mailing addresses?

Our office obtains mailing addresses when we receive recorded documents, such as deeds, that indicate a mailing address for the owner of the property.

10. How can I change my mailing address?

You can change your mailing address by submitting to our office a completed "Request for Change of Mailing Address" form with your APN, the correct mailing address and your signature. It is important to include your signature because we cannot make the changes without at least one owner's signature. Mail the Change of Address Request to us.

11. Are the Assessor Parcel Maps online?

Yes, the Assessor Parcel Maps are now available online, along with basic parcel data and current assessed values. You will be able to search by street address or Assessor's Parcel Number (APN). Access the online parcel data and maps search.

12. Is an Assessor's parcel the same as a legal, buildable lot?

Not necessarily. The Assessor creates parcels for the purpose of valuation and taxation. There are instances in which the Assessor must divide a parcel into multiple parcels with separate Assessor Parcel Numbers. These parcel splits do not split a property legally and do not determine whether it is a buildable site. Typically, Assessor's parcels match the legal lot boundaries but you should never assume so without checking with the county or city planning departments.

13. I have questions about my Business Property Statement (571-L form), what should I do?

If you are unsure of how to fill out the form, please give us a call so that we can explain it and walk you through the form. It is much better to call us rather than not filling it out because you may be penalized for not filing. Contact us at 530-265-1232 for further questions.

14. I received a questionnaire regarding my business, do I have to report equipment that I use for the business even if I owned the equipment before I started the business?

Yes, all equipment you use for your business is subject to assessment, regardless of its age or value. For further questions, contact the Assessor's office at 530-265-1232.

15. Why is my boat assessed and why do I have to pay property taxes on it?

The California Constitution states that all tangible property is taxable. Property taxes for boats are not collected through a registration fee with DMV, as they are with automobiles. Therefore, you pay for property taxes on your boat through the county.

16. Why do I need to fill out a Vessel Property Statement?

We need to know the boat's condition, if it was sold and who purchased the boat. If the statement is not returned, an estimated assessment will be made using the best information available, and a 10% penalty on the assessed value will be added for failure to file per Revenue and Taxation Code Section 463.

17. What is a supplemental assessment?

State law requires the Assessor to reappraise property upon change in ownership or completion of new construction. The supplemental assessment reflects the difference between the new value and the old value. The Auditor-Controller calculates the supplemental property tax, and prorates it, based upon the number of months remaining in the fiscal year in which the event occurred. The fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30.

A change in ownership or new construction completion which occurs between January 1 and May 31 results in two supplemental assessments and two supplemental tax bills. The first supplemental bill is for the remainder of the fiscal year in which the event occurred. The second supplemental bill is for the subsequent fiscal year.

Notices of Assessed Value Change are mailed to property owners before supplemental tax bills are issued. Remember that supplemental tax bills are in addition to the regular annual tax bills. Supplemental bills go directly to the property owner and not to an impound account - where one might exist.

18. What is the zoning for my property?

This is a question for the Planning Department, the Assessor's Office does not deal with zoning.

19. I want to preserve my land for agricultural or open space use. Can I get any tax relief for doing that?

The California Legislature passed the California Land Conservation Act - commonly referred to as the Williamson Act - in 1965 to preserve agricultural and open space lands by discouraging premature and unnecessary conversion to urban uses. The Act creates an arrangement whereby private landowners contract with counties and cities to voluntarily restrict land to agricultural and open-space uses in exchange for a restricted income method of valuation that may reduce your property tax liability. Contact the Planning Department or call them at 530-265-1440, or contact the California Department of Conservation.

20. What is an escape assessment?

An escape is the bill for an increase to a prior annual roll. Change in ownership or the completion of construction can increase the assessed property value. If the increase in value is not added to the annual tax roll on a timely basis, then the increase will be billed at a later time. The reason for an escape can be construction built without a permit, an unrecorded change in ownership, (such as a death or unrecorded contract of sale, etc.) or other notification to the Assessor's Office.

21. How do I find out who owns property in Nevada County or if a certain person owns real property?

We have public kiosks in our lobby office on which you can search by name, site address, or Assessor's parcel number. Or, if you know the location of the property you're interested in, you can view our Assessor Parcel maps to determine the parcel number and then use a kiosk to find the owner's name and mailing address. For more information contact the Assessor's office at 530-265-1232.

22. My property changed ownership between parents and children, why did I get reassessed?

A transfer of ownership between parents and children as well as grandparents and grandchildren may be excluded from reappraisal for assessment purposes depending on and a few factors.  The first determining factor is the event date.  

Transfers of ownership occurring prior to February 16, 2021, are under the rules of Proposition 58.   Generally, under Proposition 58, transfers involving the primary residence of the transferor are excluded from reappraisal.  Transfers of property other than primary residences are excluded however, there is a $1 million dollar lifetime limit per each transferee.  

Transfers February 16, 2021, and later fall under Proposition 19.  Proposition 19 only allows an exclusion for primary residences if the residence was the primary residence of the transferor and will be the primary residence of the transferee.  Additionally, if the transferee utilizes the property as their primary residence at the time of transfer, then later moves out and the property is no longer considered primary the property is then reappraised.  Under Proposition 19 there is no exclusion from reappraisal for properties that are not the primary residence.

Transfers between Grandparents and Grandchildren may also qualify for an exclusion if both parents of the children are deceased.

For both Prop 58 and Prop 19 exclusions, an application must be submitted to the Assessor’s Office.   There are deadlines for submitting the applications.  Links to the applications are below.  You may submit them in-person, by mail, or by emailing them to assessor@nevadacountyca.gov.

Below is a link to the State Board of Equalization website comparing Prop 58 and Prop 19.     

Proposition 19 – Board of Equalization (ca.gov)

Claim for Reassessment Exclusion (PDF).