Find answers to the most frequently asked questions here. Please contact our webmaster if you have an idea for a FAQ, and we will consider it!
Amendment 79 FAQ’s
Amendment 79 provides a tax credit for property owners on their homestead (your primary residence) property. There are only two requirements for eligibility:
- The property is your primary residence.
- You are the owner of record.
The credit is itemized on your Real Estate Tax bill as a credit toward the amount of your taxes due.
Yes
No. Amendment 79 is a CREDIT which is applied to your Real Estate Tax bill.
You are only eligible to receive the credit on your primary/homestead property, and only on one property per taxpayer.
First we need to verify that the property that you are applying to receive the credit on is your primary / homestead residence. Arkansas State Law requires that all homeowners must apply to be declared eligible and to receive the credit, and the homeowner’s signature is required to process the application. All applications must be submitted by October 15th on any given year to receive the credit for that year.
The tax credit is not automatically applied to all homeowners because it is a voluntary tax cedit.
No. Once you have applied for and received the credit, you do not have to reapply each year. The only time that you would need to reapply for the credit would be when you change your primary place of residence (i.e. sell your house and buy a different one).
You do not put the tax credit on your income taxes.
A land contract is a Purchase Agreement between the Seller and the Buyer. The Seller carries the note (no bank is involved) and the Buyer makes payments directly to the Seller. The Buyer does not receive the deed from the Seller (which would grant the Buyer ownership of the property) until the Seller has received the final payment, which satisfies the Buyer’s financial obligation to the Seller. In our records, ownership is not transferred until we receive a deed. The Buyer of a land contract arrangement may instead apply for the tax credit if the Purchase Agreement has been filed and recorded in the Circuit Clerk’s Office.
Business Personal Property FAQ’s
Any asset(s) that are owned by a business, such as vehicles, furniture, machinery and equipment.
Any business owner who operates a business and who holds personal property used in the course of operating said business.
The assessment lien date is May 31st of each year.
By May 31st of the current year.
A late penalty of 10% is added to your assessment. This percentage is set by state law.
No. The owner of the equipment is responsible to assess it with our office.
You can assess your business anytime between January 2nd and May 31st.
By making an appointment during the appeal period in the month of August and meeting with the Board of Equalization.
In March of the following year.
Our office has received information that you own a business in Pulaski County. Our office uses this worksheet to collect the information that will be used to determine your annual tax bill.
Arkansas law requires that business owners declare for taxation purposes all of their business assets (including—but not limited to—furniture, fixtures, machinery, computer equipment, inventory, and supplies) each year between January 1 and May 31. The assessment is sent to the Pulaski County Treasurer’s Office, where the tax is calculated and collected to fund schools, roads, and other public services. For a more detailed explanation of what your business’s tax dollars fund, visit https://pulaskicountytreasurer.net/your-tax-dollars.
The tax paid at the time of the asset’s purchase was sales tax. Sales tax is a one-time tax collected by the State of Arkansas. Personal property is assessed yearly.
Yes. Home-based businesses are not exempt from taxation under Arkansas law.
Yes. Arkansas law specifies that once an item purchased for personal use is used primarily for business purposes, it is considered a business asset and is taxable as such.
Yes. Though assets depreciate in value, no asset will ever depreciate to 0 value. Our office assigns each asset a “useful life” which determines the amount of time the asset will take to depreciate to its lowest value. For more information on depreciation schedules, please contact our office.
Yes. Home-based businesses are not exempt from taxation under Arkansas law.
No. You are only required to assess your vehicle on one account.
For each asset, please provide a description of the asset; the year of purchase; and the purchase price.
A copy of the front and back of the title or the bill of sale (which should include the VIN, date of purchase, and purchase price) will be required to add any vehicle to your business account.
If your business assets were given to you free of charge, you may list the year the item was given to you and the item’s market value, which is the amount of money you would ask for the item if it were to be placed for sale. If you are unable to recall the year of purchase and purchase price for your business assets, provide the information to the closest approximation possible.
No. You may combine like items. For example, if you have a toolbox filled with various tools, you may list these as “Miscellaneous Tools” and provide a lump sum purchase price. For more information on what items may be considered like items, please contact our office.
If you surrendered your business permit, you may fax or email proof of termination from the agency from which you obtained your permit. We will also accept other written, verifiable proof of business closure. For more information on what qualifies as proof of closure, please contact our office. Please note that it is the business owner’s responsibility to notify our office of business closure. Yearly involuntary assessments may continue if notice of closure is not provided.
Assessments submitted after May 31 receive a 10% late file penalty. Businesses that do not submit an assessment will be involuntarily assessed by our office and will also receive a 10% penalty.
Contact our office! Our friendly staff is happy to assist you in answering any questions you may have. Contact us by phone Monday-Friday from 8:00 to 4:30 at 501-340-6170; by email at busdept@pulaskicountyassessor.net or in person at 201 S Broadway St, Suite 310 in Little Rock.
Mapping FAQ’s
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,092 km² (808 mi²). 1,996 km² (771 mi²) of it is land and 96 km² (37 mi²) of it (4.58%) is water. Source: Wikipedia.
Map orders can be placed by calling our Customer Resource department at (501) 340-6170. An Assessor Team Member will determine if a hard copy of the particular area is available.
No, unless arrangements are made in advance to cover the cost of postage, paper, ink, and/or other supplies involved.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,092 km² (808 mi²). 1,996 km² (771 mi²) of it is land and 96 km² (37 mi²) of it (4.58%) is water. Source: Wikipedia.
Yes, you can check out our interactive map of Pulaski County property accounts here: Online Mapping
No, our maps are for property ownership valuation purposes only. They are not intended for conveyances nor do they represent legal surveys. They are for location purposes only. Our maps reflect the level of accuracy of available information at the time.
Yes. Our maps are constantly changing and we strive to update them in a timely manner. However, we are always looking to improve our maps! If you spot something that needs corrected, please let us know.
Each property is mapped by a legal description from a deed, legal survey or plat. Only documents recorded through the County Clerk’s office are considered legal documents. National cadastral mapping standards are followed in the drawing of our maps.
Personal Property FAQ’s
The Pulaski County Assessor sets the value for the county, according to the valuation tables that are mandated by the Assessment Coordination Department for the State of Arkansas. Taxes are then calculated by taking 20% of market value (assessed value) and multiplying that by the local tax rate.
If you purchased the car before the deadline for assessing (MAY 31st) then it must be assessed by MAY 31st to avoid the 10% PENALTY FEE for a late assessment. Vehicles purchased in May have 30 days from the date of sale to assess without a penalty.
Property sold or disposed of prior to MAY 31st will be removed from assessment. We may require proof of disposal, a bill of sale or an insurance report. If you sell or dispose of property after MAY 31st it will remain on your assessment for the rest of the year.
If you move before MAY 31st, please contact our office and we will delete your assessment. We may require proof, like an out of state vehicle registration. If you move after MAY 31st, you still owe property taxes in Pulaski County for that year.
Military personnel are exempt if they can provide proof of non-residency. This can be established by showing a current Leave and Earnings (LES) with a non-resident code. Disabled Veterans (DAV) are also exempt from payment BUT NOT FROM ASSESSMENT. Please contact the Pulaski County Treasurer at (501) 340-6040 to see if you qualify for an exemption.
You may also assess by phone (501) 340-6181 or you may assess online. During the Covid crisis, there is no “in person” assessing.
Real Estate FAQ’s
Land, buildings, and things permanently attached to land and buildings.
Instruments filed in the Pulaski Circuit Clerk’s Office are transferred daily to our office. We have a team of professionals that analyze these instruments to determine the most appropriate ownership of the real estate in order to facilitate tax billing. Our office has no authority to legally decree ownership to a property.
It depends. Properties that are in the same legal subdivision or the same section, township, and range can be combined. Platted property cannot be combined with unplatted property, and properties in separate subdivisions cannot be combined. Our office reserves the right to determine whether or not property can or will be combined.
Reappraisal FAQ’s
An appraisal is an opinion of market value as of a specific date.
Your property value is based on these two key factors:
- Your property’s characteristics: Location, Improvement Size (Total Living Area), Age (Effective Age of Property), Quality of Construction and Amenities (such as bathroom count, garage, carport, view, etc…).
- Your property’s current use (such as home, business, unimproved land, etc…).
Our team of Level 4 State Certified Appraisers will inspect all properties to ensure that our records reflect actual property characteristics. They will then review and verify market sales and study cost and income data.
They will then complete a market analysis using our Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) software system by comparing properties of similar size, age, location and description. Finally, they will establish reappraisal values that reflect current market conditions as of the lien date for real property (January 1) of the appropriate reappraisal year.
The market value of your property is generally not affected by the maintenance of your property. Repairs (such as a new roof, fresh paint or landscaping neither add nor detract from the property value. While these types of repairs can be costly, they are considered to be normal maintenance expenses that all properties incur over time. A continued lack of maintenance, however, can affect property values.
When fire or structural damage causes a property to become structurally unsound, the appraised value may be affected. A field inspection of the property is required to determine the extent of the value impact.
Property Tax Exemption FAQ’s
Certain organizations and real estate may qualify for property tax exemptions under the Arkansas Constitution.
Qualified property includes public property used exclusively for public purposes, churches when used as such, cemeteries used exclusively as such, school buildings and apparatus, libraries and grounds used exclusively for school purposes, and buildings, grounds, and materials used exclusively for public charity.
No. Non‑profit status does not give automatic exemption. Property tax exemption is based on the actual use of the property, not non‑profit status.
Property owners must complete and submit a Property Tax Exemption Application to the Assessor.