Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 53

Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 53
in effect

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.010 Election - term - residency - exception, St. Louis City.

53.010. Election — term — residency — exception, St. Louis City. — 1. At the general election in the year 1948 and every four years thereafter the qualified voters in each county in this state shall elect a county assessor. Such county assessors shall enter upon the discharge of their duties on the first day of September next after their election, and shall hold office for a term of four years, and until their successors are elected and qualified, unless sooner removed from office; provided, that this section shall not apply to the City of St. Louis. The assessor shall be a resident of the county from which such person was elected. 2. The office of county assessor is created in each county having township organization and a county assessor shall be elected for each township organization county at the next general election, or at a special election called for that purpose by the governing body of such county. If a special election is called, the state and each political subdivision or special district submitting a candidate or question at such election shall pay its proportional share of the costs of the election, as provided by section 115.065 . Such assessor shall assume office immediately upon his election and qualification, and shall serve until his successor is elected and qualified under the provisions of subsection 1 of this section. Laws generally applicable to county assessors, their offices, clerks, and deputies shall apply to and govern county assessors in township organization counties, and laws applicable to county assessors, their offices, clerks, and deputies in third class counties and laws applicable to county assessors, their offices, clerks, and deputies in fourth class counties shall apply to and govern county assessors, their offices, clerks, and deputies in township organization counties of the respective classes, except that when such general laws and such laws applicable to third and fourth class counties conflict with the laws specially applicable to county assessors, their offices, clerks, and deputies in township organization counties, the laws specially applicable to county assessors, their offices, clerks, and deputies in township organization counties shall govern. (RSMo 1939 §§ 10943, 10945, A.L. 1945 p. 1782 § 2, A.L. 1945 p. 1967 § 2, A. 1949 H.B. 2011, A.L. 1981 H.B. 114 & 146, A.L. 1992 S.B. 833) Prior revisions: 1929 §§ 9749, 9751; 1919 §§ 12759, 12761; 1909 §§ 11341, 11343 CROSS REFERENCES: Assessor in city of St. Louis appointed, duties and powers, 82.550 to 82.590 Term of office, when county adopts township organization, 65.600

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.020 County clerks to issue certificate of election.

53.020. County clerks to issue certificate of election. — The clerks of the respective county commissions shall deliver to the persons appointed as provided in this chapter, immediately after their appointment, a certificate thereof, under the seal of their respective county commissions. (RSMo 1939 § 10944, A.L. 1945 p. 1782 § 3, A.L. 1978 H.B. 971) Prior revisions: 1929 § 9750; 1919 § 12760; 1909 § 11342

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.030 Oath.

53.030. Oath. — Every assessor shall take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States and of this state, and to demean himself faithfully in office and to assess all of the real and tangible personal property in the county in which he assesses at what he believes to be the actual cash value. He shall endorse this oath on his certificate of election or appointment before entering upon the duties of his office. (RSMo 1939 § 10946, A.L. 1945 p. 1782 § 4) Prior revisions: 1929 § 9752; 1919 § 12762; 1909 § 11344

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.040 Bond.

53.040. Bond. — Every assessor (except the assessor of St. Louis City) before entering upon the duties of his office, shall give a surety company bond in a sum of not less than one thousand dollars, to be paid by the county or township, the amount to be fixed by the commission or clerk, as the case may require, conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of his office, which bond shall be deposited in the office of the clerk of the county commission. (RSMo 1939 § 10948, A.L. 1945 p. 1782 § 6) Prior revisions: 1929 § 9754; 1919 § 12764; 1909 § 11346 CROSS REFERENCE: Surety bonds, regulations regarding, 107.010 to 107.110

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.050 Bond (first class counties).

53.050. Bond (first class counties). — Every assessor, in counties of class one, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall give a surety bond to the state to the satisfaction of the county commission, with one or more solvent sureties, in the sum of not less than ten thousand dollars, the amount to be fixed by the county commission, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of his office, which bond shall be recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county and then deposited and kept in the office of the clerk of the county commission. (L. 1945 p. 1930 § 2, A. 1949 H.B. 2011)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.060 Deputies - appointment - assessor responsible for official acts.

53.060. Deputies — appointment — assessor responsible for official acts. — Each deputy assessor shall take the same oath and have the same power and authority as the assessor himself. The assessor is responsible for the official acts of his deputies. (RSMo 1939 § 10946, A.L. 1945 p. 1782 § 5, A.L. 1959 S.B. 61) Prior revisions: 1929 § 9752; 1919 § 12762; 1909 § 11344 CROSS REFERENCE: Appointment, compensation, 137.715, 137.725

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.073 Assessor to furnish collector a list of real property transfers (third, ...

53.073. Assessor to furnish collector a list of real property transfers (third, fourth and certain second class counties). — Each county assessor, except in counties of the first class and counties of the second class having an assessed valuation in excess of three hundred million dollars as of January 1, 1974, shall on or before October first of each year furnish to the county collector of the revenue of his county a list of all real property transfers occurring after January first of that year and before September first of that year. The list shall contain a description of the property transferred and the name of each grantor and grantee and their addresses, if known. (L. 1974 S.B. 373)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.075 Additional duty (except first class counties).

53.075. Additional duty (except first class counties). — Each county assessor in all counties except counties of the first class with or without a charter form of government shall, in addition to all other duties provided by law, place identification numbers, letters or names of all school districts and other political subdivisions authorized by law to levy a tax in proper columns provided therefor on the land list and personal property list. (L. 1978 S.B. 779)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.077 Additional duty (certain first class counties).

53.077. Additional duty (certain first class counties). — In addition to the other duties prescribed by law, in all counties of the first class not having a charter form of government, the assessor shall annually submit a list of all new assessments made during the year within any city all or part of which is within the county. (L. 1978 S.B. 775 § 53.075)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.080 Classification of real property by assessor, requirements.

53.080. Classification of real property by assessor, requirements. — 1. In order to implement the mandate of the voters of this state in their approval of Section 6 of Article X of the Missouri Constitution, the county assessor in all counties and the assessor of each city not within a county shall, in addition to all other duties imposed on him by law, classify all real property within his county or city not within a county into the subclasses provided in section 4(b) of article X of the Missouri Constitution, which subclasses are as follows: (1) Residential property; (2) Agricultural and horticultural property; (3) Utility, industrial, commercial, railroad, and all other property not included in subclasses (1) and (2) of class 1 property. 2. When performing the classification required by subsection 1 of this section, all assessors shall make their classifications in accordance with all applicable definitions provided by or made pursuant to the constitution and laws of this state. (L. 1983 S.B. 63, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.081 Land sales report to tax commission.

53.081. Land sales report to tax commission. — The assessor in each county, except counties of the first class having a charter form of government, in addition to other duties provided by law, shall each calendar month verify ten sales of real property made within his county during that month and shall make a report of these sales to the state tax commission. The report of each such sale shall contain: (1) The name of the grantor; (2) The name of the grantee; (3) The amount of consideration when available; and if not available then the assessor shall reassess the property; (4) The amount at which the property is currently assessed; (5) Whether or not the sale involved newly constructed property; and (6) The name of the person verifying the sale. (L. 1969 3d Ex. Sess. S.B. 1) Effective 9-01-70

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.082 Compensation - training program, attendance required, when, expenses, ...

53.082. Compensation — training program, attendance required, when, expenses, compensation (second, third and fourth class counties). — 1. The county assessor in any county, other than in a first classification county, shall receive an annual salary computed as set forth in the following schedule provided in this subsection. The assessed valuation factor shall be the amount thereof as shown for the year next preceding the computation. The provisions of this section shall not permit or require a reduction in the amount of compensation being paid for the office of assessor on September 1, 1997. 2. The compensation for county assessors in second, third and fourth classification counties for the term of office beginning September 1, 1997, shall be calculated pursuant to the salary schedule in this section using the percentage increase approved by the county salary commission when establishing the compensation for the office of county assessor at the salary commission meeting in 1997. This salary shall become effective on September 1, 1997. 3. Two thousand dollars of the salary authorized in this section shall be payable to the assessor only if the assessor has completed at least twenty hours of classroom instruction each calendar year relating to the operations of the assessor's office when approved by a professional association of the county assessors of Missouri unless exempted from the training by the professional association. The professional association approving the program shall provide a certificate of completion to each assessor who completes the training program and shall send a list of certified assessors to the treasurer of each county. Expenses incurred for attending the training session may be reimbursed to the county assessor in the same manner as other expenses as may be appropriated for that purpose. 4. The county assessor in any county, except a first classification county, shall not, except upon two-thirds vote of all the members of the salary commission, receive an annual compensation in an amount less than the total compensation being received for the office of county assessor in the particular county for services rendered or performed on the date the salary commission votes. (L. 1987 S.B. 65, et al. § 53.070, A.L. 1988 S.B. 431, A.L. 1997 S.B. 11) CROSS REFERENCE: Compensation in certain first classification counties, 50.343

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.083 Compensation of assessor, how computed (Clay County).

53.083. Compensation of assessor, how computed (Clay County). — Other provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the annual salary of the county assessor in any county of the first class not having a charter form of government and containing a portion of a city with a population of three hundred thousand or more shall be computed on an assessed valuation basis as set forth in the following schedule. The assessed valuation factor shall be the amount thereof as shown for the year next preceding the computation. The provisions of this section shall permit a reduction in the amount of compensation received by a person holding office as of May 13, 1988. (L. 1988 S.B. 431 § 3) Effective 5-13-88

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.084 Additional compensation, when (noncharter counties).

53.084. Additional compensation, when (noncharter counties). — 1. In addition to all other compensation provided by law, any assessor other than an assessor of a first class county who becomes certified during the period set by subsection 1 of section 53.255 , and remains certified as provided in sections 53.250 to 53.265 , and who is serving as assessor at the time payment is to be made as provided in this section, shall receive additional compensation, paid by the state directly to him, in the sum of nine hundred dollars for the calendar year 1988 and the sum of two hundred twenty-five dollars per quarter as provided in this section for each year thereafter, from funds appropriated for that purpose. 2. An assessor other than an assessor of a first class charter county who becomes certified after taking office shall be entitled to the compensation provided in subsection 1 of this section beginning with the first day of the second calendar quarter after the commission has been notified that an assessor has attended a course of study as provided in subsection 1 or 4 of section 53.255 and * shall continue on the first day of each calendar quarter provided the assessor meets all of the requirements of sections 53.250 to 53.265 . 3. An assessor other than an assessor of a first class charter county who became certified while he was assessor-elect shall be entitled to the compensation provided in subsection 1 of this section beginning with the first day of the second calendar quarter after he begins his term of office or after the commission has been notified that he has attended a course of study as provided in subsection 1 of section 53.255 , whichever event later occurs, and shall continue on the first day of each calendar quarter provided the assessor meets all of the requirements of sections 53.250 to 53.265 . (L. 1988 S.B. 431 § 4) Effective 5-13-88 *Word "and" does not appear in original rolls.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.135 Travel expenses (third and fourth class counties).

53.135. Travel expenses (third and fourth class counties). — The county assessor in counties of the third and fourth classification shall be allowed a reimbursement for actual and necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of the assessor's official duties within the county at the rate allowed pursuant to subsection 10 of section 50.333 , payable monthly upon the filing of a statement by the assessor with the county commission showing the actual and necessary miles traveled during the month, to be paid out of the county treasury. (L. 1963 p. 112 § 1, A.L. 1976 H.B. 1090, A.L. 2000 S.B. 894, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1982)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.175 Abstracts of property lists, duty to make and certify (second, third, ...

53.175. Abstracts of property lists, duty to make and certify (second, third, fourth and certain first class counties). — The county assessor in all counties of the second, third and fourth class, and all counties of the first class without a charter form of government except those first class counties which do not adjoin a first class county having a charter form of government, shall, in addition to all the duties provided by law, abstract the assessed valuation of all real estate lists, personal property lists and information on personal property assessment lists as to the number of each and every item of personal tangible property and certify the information to the county commission on or before June first of each year. (L. 1965 p. 150 § 4, A.L. 1980 S.B. 633) Effective 1-01-81

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.200 Failure to perform duties - penalty.

53.200. Failure to perform duties — penalty. — Any assessor failing to accurately compile the "real estate book" in manner and form as set forth in section 137.225 , or to carefully enter the names of the owners and the descriptions of the property or to neglect any other duty required of him by law, is liable on his bond in the sum of fifty dollars, to be sued for and recovered in the name of the state and for the benefit of the school fund. (RSMo 1939 § 10974, A.L. 1945 p. 1782 § 8, A.L. 1959 S.B. 61) Prior revisions: 1929 § 9783; 1919 § 12793; 1909 § 11375

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.250 Definitions.

53.250. Definitions. — As used in sections 53.250 to 53.265 , unless the context clearly indicated otherwise, the following words mean: (1) "Assessor or assessing officer" , county assessor of all second, third, and fourth class counties, and all first class counties without a charter form of government and the assessing officer of the city of St. Louis; (2) "Assessor-elect" , a person who has been elected or appointed to the office of county assessor in any second, third, or fourth class county or any first class county without a charter form of government, or as the assessing officer of the City of St. Louis, but who has not yet begun his term of office; (3) "Commission" , state tax commission; (4) "Course of study" , course or courses approved by the state tax commission. (L. 1980 S.B. 633 § 2, A.L. 1983 S.B. 63, et al., A.L. 1986 H.B. 1022, et al., A.L. 1987 H.B. 384 Revision) Effective 6-15-87

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.255 Study required, when - certificate issued, when - minimum requirements - ...

53.255. Study required, when — certificate issued, when — minimum requirements — state funds withheld, when. — 1. In addition to all other qualifications imposed by law, it shall be a qualification of the office of assessor that he shall, no earlier than his becoming an assessor-elect and no later than the second anniversary of the date of his commencing a term of office, attend a course of study concerning the assessment of ad valorem property taxes and thereafter be certified by the commission. Assessors appointed to office on or before January 1, 1981, shall attend such course of study within two years of January 1, 1981, and thereafter be certified by the commission. 2. Upon notice by the provider of the courses to the commission that an assessor or assessor-elect has attended such a course of study, the commission shall issue a certificate of attendance to the assessor or assessor-elect. 3. The commission shall set, as a minimum for each course of study, classroom time totaling thirty-two hours. The commission shall develop course listings which meet the requirement of this subsection and have continuing authority to modify and supplement such list. 4. To remain certified as provided in sections 53.250 to 53.265 , each assessor must, within each two-year period after certification, attend at least one additional course of study approved in the manner provided in subsection 3 of this section. 5. Nothing contained in sections 53.250 to 53.265 shall be construed to require that an assessor or assessor-elect pass a written or oral examination upon the subject matter of the ad valorem course of study, but in all cases attendance at such course of study shall be sufficient qualification for office and additional compensation within the provisions of sections 53.250 to 53.265 . 6. Upon written notice by the commission that an assessor has failed to properly comply with the provisions of sections 53.250 to 53.265 , the state director of revenue shall immediately suspend payments of assessment costs by the state under sections 137.700 and 137.710 to the county in which the assessor is serving until such time as the assessor complies with sections 53.250 to 53.265 , resigns from office, is removed from office by appropriate legal action, or until his successor in office is qualified, whichever comes first. The withholding of state funding under sections 137.700 and 137.710 shall not be construed to be the exclusive remedy against an assessor who fails to qualify for office under this section, but other remedies provided by law shall be available. (L. 1980 S.B. 633 §§ 3,4,5,6,7, A.L. 1983 S.B. 63, et al., A.L. 1986 H.B. 1022, et al., A.L. 1987 H.B. 384 Revision) Effective 6-15-87

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.260 Expenses to be paid by state.

53.260. Expenses to be paid by state. — Subject to appropriation, expenses incurred by the assessor or assessor-elect in attending courses of study and additional courses referred to in sections 53.250 to 53.265 * shall be paid by the state. Fees for registration, books and materials may be directly billed to the state as provided by the commissioner of administration. The cost of transportation, lodging and meals shall be reimbursed to the assessor or assessor-elect in the manner provided by the commissioner of administration. (L. 1980 S.B. 633 § 8, A.L. 1986 H.B. 1022, et al., A.L. 1987 H.B. 384 Revision, A.L. 2005 H.B. 461) *Section 53.265 was repealed by S.B. 65, et al. in 1987.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 53.270 Exemption from continuing education courses, when - effect.

53.270. Exemption from continuing education courses, when — effect. — Any county assessor who has served for sixteen or more years as an assessor shall be exempt from attending or completing any course of study or classroom instruction required by this chapter to receive any additional compensation. Such assessor shall receive all increases in compensation granted to county assessors who complete such classroom instruction or course of study. If such assessor elects to attend or complete such study or classroom instruction his expenses shall be reimbursed. (L. 1994 S.B. 662 & 459, A.L. 1997 S.B. 11)
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneChapter.aspx?chapter=53Fetched: 10/17/2026