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Assessor - General

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1. Why did my taxes go up?

The Assessor’s office is responsible for determining the actual value of your property. We revalue all properties every two years as ordered by state statute.  For example, in 2019 and 2020, we determined the market value of residential property by analyzing sales of properties that sold between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2018. These dates are set by the state. Once these sales were verified, they were compared to the property being valued by a computer program and adjusted for size, age, date of sale, and amenities, such as bathrooms, garages, basements, porches, etc.  This adjusted value is what the Assessor’s Office believes is a reasonable market value for your property and is the value used by the Treasurer’s Office to calculate your taxes. We call this value the actual value.

Property taxes are calculated using this actual value by plugging it in to the formulas below:

Actual Value x Assessment Rate = Assessed Value 

• The actual value is the value explained above.
• The assessment rate is set by the state legislature. In 2020, the residential assessment rate was 7.15% and the non-residential assessment rate was 29%.

Assessed Value x Mill Levy = Taxes 

• The assessed value is the value calculated in the previous step. 
• The mill levy is determined by the school districts, county commissioners, and local taxing authorities such as fire departments, water districts, metro districts, and various other special districts.

Here is an example calculating the taxes of a $300,000 residence with 100 mills levy using the 2020 assessment rate:

• $300,000 X 7.15% = $21,450 
• $21,450 X 0.100 = $2,145.00 total taxes 

Taxes for like-valued properties will vary based on the specific mill levy for the tax district where the property is located, and taxes for properties in the same tax district will vary based on having different values.

As you can see, there are a number of reasons that your taxes could have gone up. However the most common reason that your taxes go up is that the value assigned to your property has increased.  The valued assigned by the Assessor’s Office will follow the pattern of market value of properties in your neighborhood.  As the value of homes in the neighborhood increase, so too does the value assigned by the Assessor’s Office.  If homes are selling for more, you home becomes more valuable, even if no changes have been made to your property. 

The appeal timeframe is May 1st thru June 1st each year.  It is important to review your Notice of Value sent every odd year to every property owner to determine if you agree with the Assessor Value.    

2. I'm concerned about title fraud or deed theft.

The Assessor’s Office transfers ownership by publicly recorded documents. These documents are recorded for public record at the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder’s Office. They can be reached at the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder website or at 303-271-8121. The Assessor’s Office does not monitor loans for mortgages or refinancing.

The Assessor’s Office does a thorough review AFTER the document is recorded. The document is checked for the signature, notary acknowledgement and the correct legal description before the title is changed.

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft please contact the Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office at 303-271-0211 or report a crime online.

If you would like to take additional steps to protect yourself, please contact an attorney or outside company that provides identity theft services. The Jefferson County Assessor’s Office does not provide these services, nor do we provide any identity reports to outside companies.

3. How do I record a deed or other document?

The deed or other document should be recorded at the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder’s Office for public record. They can be reached at the Clerk and Recorder website or 303-271-8122.

4. Where do I get copies of deeds or other documents?

To get copies of documents you will need to contact the Clerk and Recorder’s Office online at or via phone at (303) 271-8186.

5. Why is the deed I recorded not listed in the online records?

We are currently processing documents as quickly and accurately as we can. We work documents in chronological order. Ownership changes that occurred after the month that we are currently processing may not be reflected on Property Record Search results. Thank you for your patience. See what month we are currently processing on our home page.

6. Why can't I see a picture of my deed when I click on the document number in Property Records Search?

When you click the document number in Property Records Search, you will be taken to the Clerk and Recorder Land Records website. In order to see the actual image of your document, you will need to purchase it from the Clerk and Recorder’s office. They can be contacted online on their website or via phone at (303) 271-8186. If you only need some of the information from the deed, look in the column on the left after clicking on the document number in Property Records Search. Some of the information on your deed should be listed there. Keep in mind that the Land Records website is through the Clerk and Recorder, not the Assessor’s Office, so any questions about it should be directed to them.

7. Why hasn’t the property I bought/sold transferred in the Property Records Search tool?

We are currently processing documents as quickly and accurately as we can. Ownership changes that occurred after the month that we are currently processing may not be reflected on Property Records Search results. Thank you for your patience. See what month we are currently processing on our home page.

8. I am trying to locate information on an easement.

The Assessor’s Office does not track or research easements. Easements are researched by viewing and scaling out the legal description for all recorded documents involved in the chain of title for the property in question and possibly the surrounding area.  It is recommended that you hire an attorney or title company to assist you in this process.  If you wish to view public documents, they are recorded at the Clerk & Recorder’s Office.  They can be reached on their website or via telephone 303-271-8122.

9. I noticed a misspelling in your system’s record of my property.

Please use our contact form to contact us with your schedule number and the details of the misspelling. We will correct the information and you will see it reflected on the website within a few days.

10. I paid off my mortgage. How do I get my deed?

Once a mortgage is paid off, the mortgage company files the documentation with the Jefferson County Public Trustee showing the loan is paid in full.  The Public Trustee will process this release of lien and send it to the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder for recording.  A new deed is not issued at this time. To obtain a copy of your original deed from your purchase or any deeds you may have recorded, you will need to contact the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder on the Clerk and Recorder website or at 303-271-8121

11. How is my property zoned?

The Assessor’s office does not determine the zoning of property. We value the property based on how it is used.  Zoning is determined by the Planning and Zoning department. You can contact them on the Planning and Zoning website or at 303-271-8700

12. I have a question about mineral rights.

Due to the complexity of mineral rights research, you may need to hire a real estate attorney or a title company to assist you.   Mineral rights may or may not appear on your deed.  Deeds are recorded for public record at the Clerk & Recorder’s Office.  They can be reached at the Clerk and Recorder website or 303-271-8122.

13. I have a question about a lien.

The Assessor’s Office does not work with or research liens.  Liens are recorded for public record at the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder’s Office.  They can be reached at the Clerk and Recorder website or 303-271-8122.

14. How do I change the ownership of my property?

The Assessor’s Office is notified of changes in ownership by recorded documents. The Assessor’s Office is unable to provide legal advice as to which document you should record. You may want to contact an attorney or title company to assist you in choosing the correct document. The document you choose should be recorded at the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder’s Office for public record. They can be reached at the Clerk and Recorder website or 303-271-8122. Please note, the recording of a Marriage Certificate for public records will not change the ownership or name of an owner.

15. Where can I find/pay my tax bill?

Tax bills are sent by and paid to the Jefferson County Treasurer’s Office. They can be reached at the Treasurer website or 303-271-8330.

16. How do I get a legal description?

Legal descriptions may be located on deeds, plats, or other recorded documents.  The Assessor’s Office is unable to provide legal descriptions or determine what legal description should be used on legal documents. You may need to seek advice from a title company or a real estate attorney.

Recorded documents are available from the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder. For more information, visit the Clerk and Recorder website or at 303-271-8121.

17. How do I combine or split my property?

The Assessor’s Office changes its records based on changes in the real property records recorded in Jefferson County. Without a recorded document the Assessor’s Office is unable to combine parcels onto a single tax bill or split parcels. Please be aware even if a document is recorded in the real property records the Assessor’s Office may still be unable to combine the parcels onto one tax bill, and property owners may still receive multiple tax bills. Please note, this typically happens when the properties to be combined are not within the same taxing districts or the ownership and tenancy of parcels are not the same – as a result, the Assessor’s Office is unable to combine the tax bills. The Assessor’s Office is unable to provide legal advice as to which document you should record to effectuate a split or combination.

If you would like to pursue some type of action to combine or split your parcels, and your property is in unincorporated Jefferson County, please contact the Jefferson County Planning & Zoning Division and inquire about a property merger or a subdivision process. Jefferson County Planning and Zoning can be reached on the Jeffco Planning and Zoning website or at 303-271-8700.

If the property is located within city limits, you will need to contact the planning & zoning office for your city and inquire about a property merger or a subdivision process.

If your intent in requesting to combine parcels is to have an adjacent lot or parcel classified as residential for assessment purposes, the lot or parcels do not have to be combined to qualify. If you would like more information about this, please submit your question to our contact form, list your question as “Land and Agricultural,” and note that this is what you are asking about.

18. Where can I get information about my property lines?

Property lines can only be determined by a surveyor. Jefferson County does not offer this service. If your property is within a platted subdivision, you may view the recorded plats at the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder’s Office.  The Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder can be reached on their website or at 303-271-8122. The Jefferson County Assessor’s parcel maps can be viewed by locating the property in question through the Assessor Property Records Search Application.

19. An owner of a property died. How do I remove this owner’s name from the deed?

When an owner on a deed dies, the death certificate may need to be recorded with the Clerk and Recorder. For more information on recording a death certificate, visit the Clerk and Recorder website or reach them at 303-271-8121. 

The rest of the process depends on what kind of ownership the property is.  

If the property is joint tenancy, the recording of a death certificate may result in the deceased owner being removed, but we still recommend getting legal advice from an attorney or probate court to be certain. 

If the property is tenants in common, the recording of the death certificate will not automatically result in the deceased owner being removed. You will need to contact probate court or an attorney to have the deceased owner removed. If a Personal Representative's Deed is recorded for public record, the Letters of Testamentary appointing the Personal Representative of the estate must also be recorded. The Assessor’s Office is unable to provide any legal advice.  Probate court can be reached at 720-772-2500 and is located at 100 Jefferson County Parkway Golden, CO  80419. 

20. How do I get a new schedule number?

We are unable to provide new schedule numbers before the plat, split, or deed is processed as they do not exist until that time. Plats, splits, and deeds will be worked in chronological order by recording date. With the Jefferson County offices previously closed due to COVID-19 we are working hard to address this backlog. We are unable to provide a time frame for when these documents will be processed. We appreciate your patience.

21. Where can I get plot plans and blueprints?

Plot plans and blueprints, if on file, will be with planning and zoning.  If you live within unincorporated Jefferson County, you can contact the Jefferson County Planning & Zoning department on the Jeffco Planning and Zoning website or at 303-271-8700. If you are within city limits, you will need to contact your city’s planning and zoning department for this information.

22. Where can I search the index books?

You can find the index books in the column on the left side of the screen in our Property Records Search tool, or you can go directly to the index books page using this link.

23. How do I split my duplex or townhome?

The Assessor’s Office changes its records based on changes in the real property records recorded in Jefferson County. Without a recorded document the Assessor’s Office is unable to separate your duplex or townhome into separate parcels. This is typically completed pursuant to the exchange of deeds. Please note, the Assessor’s Office will not recognize a separate parcel solely with the recordation of a survey or party wall agreement.

The Assessor’s Office is unable to provide legal advice as to which document you should record to effectuate a separation. If you need more in-depth information on separations, we suggest you contact a title company or a real estate attorney for more assistance.

If the property is located within city limits, you may need to contact the planning & zoning office for your city for further information on this process in that jurisdiction as well.

24. I need a property or chain of title researched.

The Assessor’s Office does not provide title or chain of title reports. However, Jefferson County does provide a wide variety of information about all properties within the county through our GIS software called JMap. Most properties can be researched by using the Assessor Information screen within JMap. Simply go to JMap and search the address of the property you are interested in and once on the main screen click on the link to Assessor Information. Select the desired property one more time and on the next screen will appear a wide variety of information about the selected property, including a sales history which lists deeds and reception numbers for recent sales of the property. Please be aware that this is based on the information the Assessor’s Office has at the time. The information may not be up to date.

Documents can be purchased at the Recording Department at the Clerk & Recorder’s Office. The Recording Department can be reached at 303-271-8122 or on the Clerk & Recorder's website. 

If you need a more in-depth chain of title or records search, we suggest you contact a title company or a real estate attorney for more assistance.

If you feel our records are in error, please contact us via our contact form. Please be ready to provide a copy of the recorded documents you believe are missing and that correct the error. If you cannot provide the recorded documents, please have an attorney, or title company contact us and provide the appropriate recorded documents to change our records.