Benton County Assessor's Office

Jim Hansen, Assessor

Jim Hansen, BC Assessor

Responsibilities

Per state statute, it is the duty of the County Assessor to track ownership of and place value on all taxable real and personal property within the county as of January 1. By state law, all real property within the county is reassessed every odd numbered year. In even numbered years, the Assessor looks for new construction of, or loss of improvements. State Statute 137.280 requires all taxpayers to turn in a listing of their personal property owned on January 1st. That list should be submitted by March 1st to avoid any penalties. The Assessor’s Office values over 32,000 parcels of real estate in the county and manages over 12,000 personal property accounts.

To aid in the real estate appraisal process, the Assessor’s Office has field staff that go out and inspect every property within the county. The field staff will have ID badges and drive marked, county vehicles, which are currently dark gray, Ford F-150’s. State Statute 137.130 requires (and gives lawful right to) the Assessor and his staff to make a physical inspection of each property within the county for the purpose of assessment. However, the law does not give permission (and we do not ask) to enter any structure. All pertinent information for the appraisal process is typically collected from an exterior inspection and information provided by the owner, either on site or by questionnaire. A physical inspection involves inspecting existing improvements, measuring any new improvements and photographing the improvements. If you call our office we can verify if our field staff is in your area.

It is the Assessor’s job and intention to fairly and equally determine value of all taxable property in the county. The Assessor is not a “revenue builder” or “fund raiser” for the taxing districts in the county. The taxing districts set their own tax levies from year to year based on the funds needed to operate their district. The State Tax Commission enforces property tax laws, oversees the operation of each Assessor’s Office in the state and requires the Assessor to be within 10% of market value for real estate. The Tax Commission periodically sends Tax Representatives to the county office to check the Assessor’s progress and to make sure he is within tolerance with values. The majority of funding for the county office comes from the state. Therefore, if an Assessor falls out of tolerance, funding may be withheld, which puts more financial burden on the county budget.

Property tax in Missouri is “ad valorem” meaning the taxes are based on property value. If you feel your value is excessive or above fair market, please feel free to contact the Assessor’s Office to ask any questions or voice concerns pertaining to your property value. If you disagree with your value, you may request a copy of your Property Record Card (PRC) which details all pertinent information regarding ownership and valuation for your property. Look for any errors pertaining to size, condition, etc. Explain any issues that may affect your property value that may otherwise be unknown by the Assessor. If available, provide the Assessor with an appraisal conducted by a Missouri certified appraiser.

Missouri State Property Reassessment and Taxation Information

GIS Mapping

GIS Mapping of Benton County is available from the Assessor’s Office. This site provides aerial photography and limited property information. Additional information, such as building components, values, deed history and tax amounts are available through subscription. The subscription rate is $20.00 per month. To subscribe, you may contact the Assessor's Real Estate office (see below).

Visit the Benton County GIS Mapping Application.

Personal Property Questions

To find out some answers to frequently asked questions regarding personal property within Benton County, please visit our FAQ page.

Contact the Assessor's Office

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 40
Warsaw, MO 65355

Real Estate

Phone: (660) 438-5323
Fax: (660) 438-3652
Email Real Estate

Personal Property

Phone: (660) 438-5473
Fax: (660) 438-2062
Email Personal Property