The King County Assessor's Office assesses over 700,000 residential and commercial properties annually and sets tax levy rates for 163 taxing districts. It aims to deliver excellent customer service, ensure fair property valuations, and maximize accountability. The office physically inspects 1/6 of parcels each year and oversees personal property and tax exemption programs. Local taxing districts like cities and schools collect property taxes based on assessments.

1. King County Assessor’s Office

2. Department of Assessments
Mission of the Assessor’s
Office
• Deliver Excellent Customer
Service
• Maximize Accountability to
the Public
• Ensure Fair, Equitable, and
Uniform Property
ValuationsLloyd Hara
King County Assessor

3. Department of Assessments
What we do each year
•Real Property – 700,000 + Parcels
1/6th
physically inspected each year
•Personal Property – 52,000 + Accounts
•163 Taxing Districts
•594 Tax Levy Codes
•Valuations are set on Jan 1st

4. Property Valuations and Taxes
Your Local Taxing Districts
Examples: City, King County, School, Port, Fire, Hospital, and etc
King County Assessor’s Office
Assesses 700,000 + residential and commercial properties, along
with personal property used in business. Sets levy rate for local
jurisdictions and oversees property exemption programs

5. Property Valuations and Taxes
King County Treasury Office
Billing and collection of real and personal property taxes,
gambling taxes, and local improvement district assessments
King County Tax Advisor
Provides King County taxpayers advice and assistance on
property value related matters including appeals. The Tax
Advisor Office is independent of the Assessor’s Office

6. Property Valuations and Taxes
King County Board of Equalization
Independent body organized to adjudicate appeals of various
determinations made by certain King County agencies.
Seven citizen members appointed by the King County Executive
and confirmed by the King County Council.
60 Days from postmark date on valuation to file an appeal

7. Beacon Hill
*Physical Inspection
2014

8. Beacon Hill
*Physical Inspection
2014

9. 2014 Tax Statement
Your 2014 Tax Statement is based on
January 1, 2013 valuation

10. Valuation Cycle
Valuations are assessed by our
appraisers at its full market value
using:
• Market (sales)
• Cost (replacement)
• Income (rental income)

11. 2014 Valuation Cycle
Physical Inspections and New
Construction data can be included
until: July 31st

12. A Common Question
My property value went down, why did
my property taxes go up?

13. Seattle/KC Voter Approved Levies:
Renewal of Parks Lid Lift for King County
6 years
•18.77 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, ~$56 dollars for the
owner of a home valued at $300k
EMS Renewal for King County
•6 years $696 million property tax levy
Seattle School District
• 3 years $552 million M&O Levy
• 6 years $695 million Capital Project Levy

14. 2014 Property Taxes and Fees in King County

15. Seattle Levies
District Levies
2013 Rate
Breakdown
2014 Rate
Breakdown Rate Change
State Schools 2.56720 2.47044 (0.09676)
County-wide levies 1.34166 1.32983 (0.01183)
County-wide Transport levy 0.07500 0.07500 0.00000
County bonds (voted) 0.06772 0.05826 (0.00946)
County Cons. Futures 0.05613 0.05296 (0.00317)
County Flood Zone 0.13210 0.15369 0.02159
County Ferry District 0.00378 0.00349 (0.00029)
Port 0.23324 0.21533 (0.01791)
EMS (voted) 0.30000 0.33500 0.03500

16. Seattle Levies
School District 001 M & O (voted) 1.36405 1.29511 (0.06894)
School 001 Const Levy (voted) 0.38492 1.25422 0.86930
School 001 Bond Levy (voted) 0.69855 0.00000 (0.69855)
City General Fund 1.90163 1.80126 (0.10037)
City GO Bonds (voted) 0.13782 0.13964 0.00182
City Lid Lifts (voted)
Low-Income Housing 0.17705 0.16157 (0.01548)
Families/Education 0.27712 0.25541 (0.02171)
Pike Place Market 0.10684 0.06093 (0.04591)
Fire Facilities 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Transportation 0.33253 0.30648 (0.02605)
Parks/Open Space 0.20727 0.18914 (0.01813)
Library Srvs 0.14530 0.13392 (0.01138)
TOTAL 10.50991 10.29168 (0.21823)

17. 2013 Seattle Median Valuations:
+ 9.8%
2012 Value based on sales before 1/1/12
Median Assessed Value: $348,000.00
2013 Value based on sales before 1/1/13
Median Assessed Value: $382,00.00

18. 2014 Seattle Property Taxes: + 7.5%
2013 Tax Rate $10.51 per $1,000 of AV
Average Taxes: $3,657.45
2014 Tax Rate $10.29 per $1,000 of AV
Average Taxes: $3,931.42
Average Tax Change: 7.5% or ~$273.97

19. Assessor’s Page

21. Area Reports

22. eReal Property

23. eReal Property

24. eReal Property

25. eReal Property – Levy Rate

26. eReal Property – Historical Report

27. eReal Property – Sales Report

28. Senior Property Tax Exemption
Annual Household income of $35,000 or less
• Disabled King County residents income of
$35,000 or less can qualify regardless of
age
• 61 years of age by December 31 of the
previous year
• Veteran with a service-connected disability
• Exemption is NOT a LOAN–you DO NOT have to
repay

29. Senior Property Tax Exemption

30. eAppeals www.kingcounty.gov/eappeals

36. Questions?
DEPARTMENT PHONE NUMBER
Assessor’s Office 206-296-7300
Tax Advisor 206-263-9700
Treasury Office 206-296-0923
Board of Equalization 206-296-3496