GENERAL INFORMATION
The Assessor is required to:

• Lists and maintains records on each piece of taxable real and personal property in Stephens County. 
  • Real Property includes land and buildings. 
  • Personal Property includes business furniture and fixtures, business equipment, business inventory, farm equipment, and manufactured homes. 
• Value properties equitably and fairly for all taxable properties. 
  • Individual Real Property parcels now number close to 25,000 and cover an area of 1,290 square miles.
• Determines fair market value annually for homes, businesses and other taxable property in Stephens County using the information from sales analysis.  
  • Fair market value may go up or down depending on the real estate market in the county.
• Notify property owners of any increase in the fair market value of their property.
• Assists taxpayers in filing homestead exemption and affidavits for property that is exempt under Oklahoma law.
• Resolves questions or protests about valuation.
• Prepare and certify annually the assessment and tax rolls.

How are Tax Rates set for my property?

Tax rates or millage levies are set by procedures established in the Oklahoma Constitution or voted directly by the taxpayers. Rates are not set by the County Assessor. Except for those provided for in the Oklahoma Constitution, millage levies are controlled by the voters.  There are over 20 different rates in Stephens County and those vary across the county depending on which school district, city limit and vocational-technical school district the property is located. The tax or millage rate levied against a property makes a great deal of difference in the taxes paid. 

How do I figure my taxes?

The method for figuring ad valorem taxes requires four steps: 

1. The taxable market value of your property 
2. the assessment ratio(11% Real Property - 12% Personal) 
3. any exemptions, i.e. Homestead exemption. 
4. and the tax rate for your area of the county. 

What is a Mill?

A mill is one-thousandth of a dollar. For convenience in Oklahoma, a tax rate (the sum of all mills levied) is expressed as dollars per thousand dollars of assessed value. A Tax rate of 80 mills, for example, would be 80 tax dollars, per thousand. 

 

Where does my property tax money go?

Property taxes are an important source of revenue for local schools, vocational-technical education, libraries, city and county government. As in most states in the United States, property taxes are the backbone of funding of local government and schools. Oklahoma’s property tax with some changes has fulfilled this basic function since statehood.

 

Local schools receive the largest share of the property tax. They are followed by city bond issues, county government, vocational-technical schools, libraries, and city-county health department.

 

When do I pay my taxes?

The County Treasurer sends out a tax bill in November each year. Taxes are to be made to their office.

 

HELPFUL LINKS

Business Personal

Farm Personal

Exemptions and Benefits

 

Visit our Resources page for more!