Understanding Property Taxes
A Valley County StoryMap
Property Taxes
Property taxes were established by the Idaho legislature as the primary source of revenue to fund vital services for our community.
Property taxes are levied to fund the approved budgets of local taxing districts including schools, cities, fire, and other taxing districts.
Examples of vital services covered by property taxes include hospital care and fire and EMS resources.
The Assessor's Office, Treasurer's Office, and Clerk's Office are often contacted by taxpayers with misconceptions about wanting to protest taxes. However, it is important to understand that property taxes are driven by local taxing districts' budgets.
Every year taxing districts hold annual budget hearings which are open to the public. This is a great way to get involved and meet elected officials who authorize and manage local spending.
Assessor's Role
The Assessor’s Office determines equitable values on property for tax purposes in accordance with Idaho Code Title 63 .
The Assessor's Office is tasked with assessing all taxable property in the county at fair market value as of January 1st each year.
The Assessor's Office has no authority to adjust the spending levels of schools and local government.
Treasurer's Role
The Treasurer's Office collects, invests, and distributes property taxes in accordance with Idaho Code Title 63.
Valley County mails a consolidated property tax bill on behalf of the taxing districts. However, only a fraction of what is collected goes toward county government and county programs. Of the county's share, % goes to Public Safety and almost % goes to the courts.
The Treasurer's Office has no authority to calculate or determine the amount of taxes owed.
Clerk's Role
The Clerk's Office distributes taxes for the county, school districts, cities, and any other special districts that operate in the county.
Property Tax Timeline
The property tax process requires a considerable amount of planning and is ongoing throughout the year.
January - Market Value
Appraisers determine market value of property as of January 1st of every year.
Appraisers do not determine the property tax rate or amount of property taxes to be levied.
May - Tax District Budgeting
Local elected officials representing 59 different tax code areas, and 21 taxing districts in Valley County begin planning their annual budgets needed to provide services for each district.
Treasurer's Office sends out reminder notices for the prior year's second half payment due by June 20th if paid in two installments.
June - Assessment Notice
- Assessment Notices are mailed by the 1st Monday of June for assessed market values.
June - Appeal Deadline
Once the assessment is received, contact the Assessor's Office with questions or concerns regarding the value of your property at 208-382-7126.
The deadline for filing an appeal is the 4th Monday of June.
June - Second Half Due
- Taxpayers need to pay second half payment no later than 5:00 PM on June 20th for prior year taxes.
September - State Submissions
Local elected officials hold public hearings to finalize and approve budgets for the upcoming fiscal year.
The approval budget is divided by total taxable value of all properties within that district to determine the levy rate.
October - Levy Rates Set
The Clerk's Office calculates final tax levies and valuation data.
The final data is then sent to the Idaho Tax Commission for final review, approval, and certification.
The Clerk's Office provides certified levy rates to the Treasurer's Office by the 4th Monday in October to prepare tax bills to be mailed out by the 4th Monday in November.
November - Tax Bills Calculated
Next year's tax bills are calculated the 4th Monday in November.
December - First Half Due
- Property tax is due December 20th. If the first half is paid on time, there is a grace period of 6 months for the second half of the payment.
- Valley County offers convenient e-check ($1 flat fee) or credit card (2.5% processing fee) via our website.
- Mailed payments must include a U.S. postmark stamp of December 20th or earlier.
- If the first half of taxes becomes delinquent, a 2% late charge will be added. Interest of 1% per month will accrue on the delinquent tax beginning January 1st.
- The second installment can be paid by June 20th of the next year.
Calculating Taxes
Let's break down how taxes work by taking a look at a property tax bill.
Levies for taxing districts serving your property are added together. This includes schools, county, city, and special districts such as highway, emergency services, and cemetery.
The total of these levies is multiplied by your taxable value to determine your tax. Example:
LEVY = 0.00833 = 0.833%
HOUSE VALUE = $369,000
MINUS HOME OWNER'S EXEMPTION = $125,000
TOTAL TAXABLE VALUE = $244,000
CALCULATION = $244,000 x 0.00833 = $2,033.76
PROPERTY TAX = $2,032.72
Tax Bill
The top of the bill has your full property description such as parcel number, description, and tax code area designated by the Idaho State Tax Commission.
Additionally, the bill provides information on late payments.
If the mailing address shown on the bill has changed or is incorrect, please contact the Assessor's Office at (208) 382-7126 or assessor@co.valley.id.us.
What if taxes are part of a mortgage?
Prior to billing, the mortgage companies notify the Treasurer's Office of the tax parcels they expect to pay.
Please verify that the mortgage company requesting your bill is the company that currently services your mortgage.
If you received an original bill and you're responsible for the payment of taxes, please mail this coupon with the payment or use alternative methods listed on the bill under payment options.
If you received a copy bill, and recently paid off the mortgage, you are now responsible for the payment of taxes. You may still use this coupon to mail in your payment or use one of the alternative payment methods listed on the bill.
The back of the bill gives a glossary of terms that may be found on the bill.
For example, information can be found about new construction taxes.
Please contact the Treasurer's Office for additional questions at (208) 382-7110 or treasurer@co.valley.id.us.
Please remember, failure to receive a tax bill does not excuse the taxpayer from paying the taxes, late charges, and interest accrued, if any (Idaho Code 63-902(9)).
Visit Valley County Treasurer's Office Online Tax Bill portal to view your property tax bill online, make payments, and register to receive notifications when your tax bill becomes available to view electronically.
While we will continue to mail paper bills, things can happen during the mailing process and there is always a chance the bill doesn't reach you. The Treasure's webpage at is an extra tool for accessing information regarding your property.
FAQ
Which postmarks are accepted as timely?
Postmarks are imprints on letters, flats and parcels that show the name of the United States Postal Service (USPS) office that accepted custody of the mail, along with the state, the zip code, and the date of mailing.
Taxpayers who send their payments by mail are cautioned that the USPS only postmarks certain mail depending on the type of postage used and may not postmark mail on the same day deposited by a taxpayer.
If you are approaching the due date, the Treasurer's Office recommends walking your payment into the post office and having a mail clerk stamp it by hand.
Online electronic payments provide an electronic receipt so you can be sure that your payment has been processed before the due date.
What happens if my payment is late?
Property tax payments must be received or postmarked by the due date to avoid penalties. A 2% late charge will be added. In addition, interest at 1% per month will accrue on the delinquent tax.
Will I be sent any other notices?
If you pay half of your primary property tax bill by December 20th, and your mortgage company does not request the bill, a second-half reminder notice will be mailed in May.
How can I get help with my taxes?
Property tax relief is available through the Homeowner's Exemption, State Circuit Breaker Program, Veteran's Property Tax and the Reduction Program by applying with the Assessor's Office before April 15th. Another alternative is the Hardship Exemption through Indigent Services.
How do I challenge the amount of taxes if it seems too high?
There is no statutory mechanism that provides taxpayers the opportunity to dispute their tax charge. You can, however, challenge the taxable value of your property once you receive your assessment notice. Value appeals must be filed with the Board of County Commissioners by the 4th Monday in June. If you did not appeal the value during this time period, you must wait until next year to appeal.
If you feel that the levy of a taxing district is too high or you wonder what the levy pays for, call the district directly. The phone numbers of all the taxing districts can be found on the front of your tax bill or assessment notice.
The Assessor's Office, Treasurer's Office, and Clerk's Office are often contacted by taxpayers with misconceptions about wanting to protest taxes. However, it is important to understand that property taxes are driven by local taxing districts' budgets.
To find out more on Property Values and Taxes, view our Property Value and Property Taxes StoryMap .
