Iowa Code » Chapter 441 — ASSESSMENT AND VALUATION OF PROPERTY
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 441.17 (2026)

Duties of assessor

✓ current as of July 2026
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The assessor shall:

1. Devote full time to the duties of the assessor’s office and shall not engage in any occupation or business interfering or inconsistent with such duties. This subsection does not preclude an assessor from being a candidate for elective office during the term of appointment as assessor. If an assessor is elected to a city or county office, to a statewide elective office, or to the general assembly, the assessor shall resign as assessor before the beginning of the term of the office to which the assessor was elected.

2. Cause to be assessed, in accordance with section 441.21, all the property in the assessor’s county or city, except property exempt from taxation, or the assessment of which is otherwise provided for by law. However, an assessor or deputy assessor shall not personally assess a property if the person owns the property, has a financial interest in the property, or has a financial interest in the entity that owns the property. The director of revenue shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to implement and administer this subsection.

3. Have access to all public records of the county and, so far as practicable, make or cause to be made a careful examination of all such records and files in order to obtain all available information which may contribute to the accurate listing at its taxable value, and to the proper persons, of all property subject to assessment by the assessor.

4. Cooperate with the director of revenue as may be necessary or required, and obey and execute all orders, directions, and instructions of the director of revenue, insofar as the same may be required by law.

5. a. Have power to apply to the district court of the county for an order to examine witnesses and requiring the production of books and records of any person, firm, association or corporation within the county, whenever the assessor has reason to believe that such person, firm, association or corporation has not listed property as provided by law. The proceeding for the examination of witnesses and examination of the books and records of any such taxpayer, to determine the existence of taxable property, shall be instituted and conducted in the manner provided for the discovery of property under the provisions of chapter 630. The court shall make an appropriate finding as to the existence of taxable property not listed. All taxable property discovered thereby shall thereupon be assessed by the assessor in the manner provided by law.

b. In all cases where the court finds that the taxpayer has not listed the taxpayer’s property, as provided by law, and in all hearings where the court decides a matter against the taxpayer, the costs shall be paid by the taxpayer, otherwise they shall be paid out of the assessment expense fund. The fees and mileage to be paid witnesses shall be the same as prescribed by law in proceedings in the district courts of this state in civil cases. Where the costs are taxed to the taxpayer they shall be added to the taxes assessed against said taxpayer and the taxpayer’s property and shall be collected in the same manner as are other taxes.

6. Make up all assessor’s books and records as prescribed by the director of revenue, turn the completed assessor’s books and records required for the preparation of the tax list over to the county auditor each year when the board of review has concluded its hearings and the county auditor shall proceed with the preparation of the current year tax list and the assessor shall cooperate with the auditor in the preparation of the tax lists.

7. Submit on or before May 1 of each year completed assessment rolls to the board of review.

8. Lay before the board of review such information as the assessor may possess which will aid said board in performing its duties in adjusting the assessments to the valuations required by law. \n Tue Dec 09 22:11:29 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 441 (66, 0) 11 ASSESSMENT AND VALUATION OF PROPERTY, §441.19\n\n 9. Furnish to the department of revenue any information which the assessor may have relative to the ownership of any property that may be assessable within this state, but not assessable or subject to being listed for taxation by the assessor.

10. Measure the exterior length and exterior width of all mobile homes and manufactured homes except those for which measurements are contained in the manufacturer’s and importer’s certificate of origin, and report the information to the county treasurer. Check all manufactured or mobile homes for inaccuracy of measurements as necessary or upon written request of the county treasurer and report the findings immediately to the county treasurer. The assessor shall make frequent inspections and checks within the assessor jurisdiction of all manufactured or mobile homes and manufactured home communities or mobile home parks and make all the required and needed reports to carry out the purposes of this section.

11. Cause to be assessed for taxation property which the assessor believes has been erroneously exempted from taxation. Revocation of a property tax exemption shall commence with the assessment for the current assessment year, and shall not be applied to prior assessment years. [C51, §474, 475; R60, §735, 736; C73, §824, 825; C97, §1355, 1359, 1366; S13, §1355, 1366; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §7108, 7114, 7122, 7123; C46, §441.3, 441.9, 441.17, 441.18; C50, 54, 58, §405A.8, 441.4, 441.9, 441.12; C62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §441.17] 83 Acts, ch 64, §2; 87 Acts, ch 84, §1; 89 Acts, ch 296, §61; 94 Acts, ch 1110, §20, 24; 2001 Acts, ch 153, §15, 16; 2001 Acts, ch 176, §80; 2002 Acts, ch 1088, §1, 2; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286; 2011 Acts, ch 25, §143; 2015 Acts, ch 109, §63, 75; 2020 Acts, ch 1118, §107; 2021 Acts, ch 86, §76 Referred to in §331.512, 441.1 \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10 cases, 1965–2020 · leading case: City of West Branch v. Miller, 546 N.W.2d 598 (Iowa 1996).
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City of West Branch v. Miller, 546 N.W.2d 598 (Iowa 1996). · cites it 4× “” As to the county assessor, Iowa Code section 441.17(2) requires this official to “[c]ause to be assessed, in accordance with section 441.”
Farmers Grain Dealers Ass'n of Iowa v. Woodward, 334 N.W.2d 295 (Iowa 1983). · cites it 2× “Section 441.17 provided: The assessor shall: 2.”
Fox v. Bd. of Review, 656 N.W.2d 809 (Iowa Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 8× “Iowa Code § 441.17 (2). It is unclear from the text whether the observation or investigation must be made by the public office or agency in order to qualify for the exception.”
Compiano v. Bd. of Review of Polk Cnty., 771 N.W.2d 392 (Iowa 2009). “§ 441.17 (discussing duties of assessor).”
Bd. of Sup'rs of Linn Cty. v. Dept. of Revenue, 263 N.W.2d 227 (Iowa 1978). “§ 441.17(2). Personal property was assessed every year.”
Cover v. Craemer, 137 N.W.2d 595 (Iowa 1965). · cites it 2× “Section 441.17 (7). The five-year period of limitation contained in sections 443.”
Vill. Green Co-Op, Inc. v. Iowa Prop. Assessment Appeal Bd. (Iowa Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “Iowa Code § 441.17 (2015). Any property owner or taxpayer who is dissatisfied with a property assessment can file a protest with the board of review.”
Stateline Coop. v. Prop. Assessment Appeal Bd. (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “1(1)(e) encompasses: “Machinery used in manufacturing establishments. The scope of property taxable under this paragraph is intended to be the same as, and neither broader nor narrower than, the scope of property taxable under section 428.”
Kathleen J. Compiano, Moss Props., Llc, Mariah Howard, & Evan Howard Vs. Bd. Of Review Of Polk Cnty. (Iowa 2009). “§ 441.17 (discussing duties of assessor).”
First Iowa State Bank v. Bd. of Review of Monroe Cnty., 424 N.W.2d 441 (Iowa 1988). “§ 441.17(7). Included in the assessment rolls are the property to be assessed and the value of that property as personally affixed by the assessor.”
— Iowa Code § 441.17(2) — 2 cases
City of West Branch v. Miller, 546 N.W.2d 598 (Iowa 1996). “” As to the county assessor, Iowa Code section 441.17(2) requires this official to “[c]ause to be assessed, in accordance with section 441.”
Bd. of Sup'rs of Linn Cty. v. Dept. of Revenue, 263 N.W.2d 227 (Iowa 1978). “§ 441.17(2). Personal property was assessed every year.”
— Iowa Code § 441.17(3) — 1 case
City of West Branch v. Miller, 546 N.W.2d 598 (Iowa 1996). “” As to the county assessor, Iowa Code section 441.17(2) requires this official to “[c]ause to be assessed, in accordance with section 441.”
— Iowa Code § 441.17(7) — 1 case
First Iowa State Bank v. Bd. of Review of Monroe Cnty., 424 N.W.2d 441 (Iowa 1988). “§ 441.17(7). Included in the assessment rolls are the property to be assessed and the value of that property as personally affixed by the assessor.”
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