How We Work

The goal of the Assessor of Property for Davidson County, Tennessee is to estimate fair market value for all property in the county. Fair market value is defined as the most probable price a property would sell for in an open market under normal conditions. In order to determine the appraisal, our office uses acceptable methods approved by the State Comptroller’s Office to estimate the value of each property. Because all properties need to be appraised by January 1st in the year of a reappraisal, the Assessor of Property for Davidson County, Tennessee uses mass appraisal techniques aided by appraisal models of benchmark properties developed by our staff and processed by computers to produce a value indication for each property.

Appraisal Models Explained

The Assessor of Property’s office accesses thousands of sales recorded each year in the Register of Deeds office. Comparable properties within individual neighborhoods are then analyzed and compared using the actual sales price. By analyzing the sales price for other properties and then adjusting for differences in size, age, condition, location, etc., the Assessor develops a more accurate indication of value for a property.

The Assessor examines many of the same factors a property owner would when determining a market value for his/her home.  The Assessor looks at the sale price of comparable properties and then compares them according to location, size (land and building), type of construction, and condition of the property. The resulting value is an indication of the most probable listing price for the property. This process is known as the Comparable Sales Approach.

In addition, the Assessor tracks all building permits issued by the Department of Codes Administration. This allows the Assessor’s office to estimate the cost of all new properties, and changes to existing properties. In the cost approach, the property’s value is equal to the cost of land, plus total costs of construction, less depreciation.

The Income Approach is the third major methodology used by appraisers. It is particularly common in commercial real estate appraisal and in business appraisal. Using this approach, the Assessor analyzes comparable properties such as offices, apartments, warehouses, retail stores, etc., and develops net income estimates.

Assessment Cycle Dates and Events

January 1

  • Assessment Date – Ownership, assessments and tax maps for the year are to reflect their status as of this date. (TCA § 67-5-502)

January 15-31

  • Division of State Assessed Properties mails Ad Valorem Tax Questionnaire to all motor carriers newly added to the state’s single state registration system.

January

  • Trustee publishes notices for two consecutive weeks of intent to file suit for delinquent taxes. (TCA § 67-5-2401)

February 1

  • Deadline for Assessor to mail Personal Property Schedules to businesses. (TCA § 67-5-903)
  • Deadline for property owners to submit the cost of materials for incomplete improvements as of January 1 to the Assessor. (TCA § 67-5-603)

February 1-10

  • Division of State Assessed Properties mails Ad Valorem Tax Report Forms to all centrally assessed utilities and companies.

February 28

  • Deadline to pay preceding year’s property taxes without penalty or interest. (TCA § 67-5-2010)

March 1

  • Delinquency date for preceding year’s property taxes. (TCA § 67-5-2010)
  • Deadline for businesses to file Personal Property Schedules with Assessor. (TCA § 67-5-903)
  • Deadline for Assessor to furnish Mobile Home Schedules to mobile home park owners. (TCA § 67-5-802)
  • Deadline for property owners to apply for Greenbelt classification (agricultural, forest or open space land). (TCA § 67-5-1006)
  • Deadline to initiate a correction of error for the preceding year’s taxes. (TCA § 67-5-509)
  • Last day for the State Board of Equalization to accept late appeals from the previous tax year delayed for reasonable cause. (TCA § 67-5-1412)
  • Deadline to appeal to the State Board of Equalization regarding liability for rollback taxes for the immediately preceding year. (TCA § 67-5-1008)

April 1

  • Deadline for Trustee to deliver delinquent list showing all unpaid land taxes to delinquent tax attorney occurs between February 1 and April 1. (TCA § 67-5-2404)
  • Deadline for delinquent tax attorney to file suit to collect unpaid taxes occurs between February 1 and April 1. (TCA § 67-5-2405)
  • Deadline for municipalities to certify delinquent taxes for the second preceding year to the county Trustee if they use the county Trustee or the delinquent tax attorney to collect delinquent real property taxes. (TCA § 67-5-2005)
  • Deadline for centrally assessed utilities and companies to file Ad Valorem Tax Reports with the Division of State Assessed Properties. (TCA § 67-5-1303)
  • Deadline for Mobile Home Schedules to be filed with the Assessor by mobile home park owners. (TCA § 67-5-802)
  • Collection of taxes barred after 10 years following the year in which taxes became delinquent. (TCA § 67-5-1806)

April 5

  • Deadline for eligible property owners to apply for property tax relief. (TCA § 67-5-701)

April 20

  • Deadline for owners of certain low-cost housing for the elderly to supply information to the Assessor regarding the percentage of low-income residents as of January 1. (TCA § 67-5-207)

May 20

  • Deadline for the Assessor to complete assessments and mail assessment change notices. (TCA § 67-5-508)
  • Note – If a municipality has collection dates different from the county, assessments for the city must be completed no less than forty (40) days prior to the beginning tax due date of the municipality. (TCA § 67-5-504)

  • Deadline for the Assessor to post public notice regarding public inspection of assessment records and appeal to the County Board of Equalization. (TCA § 67-5-508)
  • Deadline for religious, charitable, scientific and educational institutions to apply for exemption. (TCA § 67-5-212)

June 1

  • Beginning of County Board of Equalization session. Length of session varies based on county population. (TCA § 67-1-404)

June 30

  • Deadline for collection officials to submit tax relief applications and credit vouchers for preceding tax year to Division of Property Assessments. (TCA § 67-5-701)

June – July

  • Trustee prepares list of parcels for which property taxes are delinquent as of June 1 for purposes of producing delinquent tax notices. (TCA § 67-5-2402)

June 1 – July 1

  • Court Clerk to provide Trustee with list of property involved in collection suits. (TCA § 67-5-2403)

July 1

  • Assessor to furnish each owner of land used as a mobile home park a schedule of the assessed value of each moveable structure. (TCA § 67-5-802)

July

  • Tax rates generally set by counties.
  • Division of State Assessed Properties finalizes utility assessments and prepares for Comptroller hearings.
  • Trustee presents report to the county legislative body at July meeting of all delinquent taxpayers and double assessments in the county. (TCA § 67-5-1903)

August 1

  • General deadline for appeals to the State Board of Equalization, or within forty-five (45) days of the date that the notice of County Board action was sent. (TCA § 67-5-1412)

August (First Monday)

  • Deadline for the Division of State Assessed Properties to complete all utility assessments and send notice of assessment to each centrally assessed company. (TCA § 67-5-1327)
  • Exceptions to these assessments must be filed within ten (10) days. Hearings will be held during August for any exceptions filed.

August (Second Monday)

  • Annual meeting of the State Board of Equalization (other meetings as called throughout the year). (TCA § 67-1-301)

September 1

  • Deadline for filing an amended Personal Property Schedule for the previous tax year. (TCA § 67-5-903)
  • Last day for new construction to be completed in order to prorate assessment for current tax year. (TCA § 67-5-603)
  • Last day for moved, destroyed or damaged improvements to be repaired or replaced in order to preclude proration of assessment for current tax year. (TCA § 67-5-603)
  • Deadline to initiate back assessment or reassessment (for 1 year generally, 3 years if there is failure to file, fraud or collusion). (TCA § 67-1-1005)

September (First Monday)

  • Deadline for Comptroller to file assessments for centrally assessed utilities and companies with State Board of Equalization. Notice shall also be sent to any person or entity filing an exception to the assessment. (TCA § 67-5-1327)
  • Deadline for Trustee’s final accounting and settlement for the fiscal year ending June 30. (TCA § 67-5-1902)

October (First Monday)

  • Current year’s property taxes become due and payable (some municipalities may differ). (TCA § 67-5-1902)
  • Statutory Deadline for Assessor to present tax rolls to Trustee. (TCA § 67-5-807)

October (Third Monday)

  • Deadline for the State Board of Equalization to certify to Comptroller assessments for centrally assessed properties. (TCA § 67-5-1329)

October – December

  • Division of State Assessed Properties prepares and finalizes the Certification of Assessments to counties and cities.