Assessor - Dubuque County

General Information About the Assessor

Assessors are appointed to their position by a Conference Board consisting of the members of the Board of Supervisors, the Mayors of all incorporated cities and a member from each school district within the jurisdiction. A city with a population of ten-thousand or more may elect to have their own assessor.

Education

Assessors are required, by statute, to pass a state examination and complete a Continuing Education Program consisting of 150 hours of formal classroom instruction with 90 hours tested and a passing grade of 70% attained. The latter requirement must be met in order for the assessor to be re-appointed to the position every six years. The Deputy Assessor also must pass a state examination, as well as successfully complete ninety hours of classroom instruction of at least sixty hours, are tested. The Conference Board approves the assessor’s budget and after a public hearing acts on adoption of the same.

Assessor Duties

The assessor is charged with several administrative and statutory duties; however, the primary duty and responsibility is to cause to be assessed all real property within his/her jurisdiction except that which is otherwise provided by law. This would include residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural classes of property. Real property is typically revalued each odd numbered year (2019, 2021, etc.). The effective date of the assessment is January 1st of the current year. The assessor determines a full or partial value of new construction, or improvements depending upon the state of completion as of January 1st.