Sedgwick County, Kansas Appraiser's Office
Classification and Assessment

The Kansas constitution sets the framework for the ad valorem taxation system. Article 11, section 1 of the Kansas constitution provides for the various classes of property and the assessment rates applicable to each class. This amendment also identifies classes of property which have been exempted from taxation.

CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF KANSAS

Article 11. -- FINANCE AND TAXATION

§ 1: System of taxation; classification; exemption. (a) The provisions of this subsection shall govern the assessment and taxation of property on and after January 1, 1993, and each year thereafter. Except as otherwise hereinafter specifically provided, the legislature shall provide for a uniform and equal basis of valuation and rate of taxation of all property subject to taxation. The legislature may provide for the classification and the taxation uniformly as to class of recreational vehicles, as defined by the legislature, or may exempt such class from property taxation and impose taxes upon another basis in lieu thereof. The provisions of this subsection shall not be applicable to the taxation of motor vehicles, except as otherwise hereinafter specifically provided, mineral products, money, mortgages, notes and other evidence of debt and grain. Property shall be classified into the following classes for the purpose of assessment and assessed at the percentage of value prescribed therefor:

Class 1 shall consist of real property. Real property shall be further classified into seven subclasses. Such property shall be defined by law for the purpose of subclassification and assessed uniformly as to subclass at the following percentages of va lue:

(1) Real property used for residential purposes including multi-family residential real property and real property necessary to accommodate a residential community of mobile or manufactured homes including the real property upon which such homes are located : 11 1/2%

(2) Land devoted to agricultural use which shall be valued upon the basis of its agricultural income or agricultural productivity pursuant to section 12 of article 11 of the constitution : 30%

(3) Vacant lots : 12%

(4) Real property which is owned and operated by a not-for-profit organization not subject to federal income taxation pursuant to section 501 of the federal internal revenue code, and which is included in this subclass by law : 12%

(5) Public utility real property, except railroad real property which shall be assessed at the average rate that all other commercial and industrial property is assessed : 33%

(6) Real property used for commercial and industrial purposes and buildings and other improvements located upon land devoted to agricultural use : 25%

(7) All other urban and rural real property not otherwise specifically subclassified : 30%

Class 2 shall consist of tangible personal property. Such tangible personal property shall be further classified into six subclasses, shall be defined by law for the purpose of subclassification and assessed uniformly as to subclass at the following perc entages of value:

(1) Mobile homes used for residential purposes : 11 1/2%

(2) Mineral leasehold interests except oil leasehold interests the average daily production from which is five barrels or less, and natural gas leasehold interests the average daily production from which is 100 mcf or less, which shall be assessed at 25% : 30%

(3) Public utility tangible personal property including inventories thereof, except railroad personal property including inventories thereof, which shall be assessed at the average rate all other commercial and industrial property is assessed : 33%

(4) All categories of motor vehicles not defined and specifically valued and taxed pursuant to law enacted prior to January 1, 1985 : 30%

(5) Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment which, if its economic life is seven years or more, shall be valued at its retail cost when new less seven-year straight-line depreciation, or which, if its economic life is less than seven years, shall be valued at its retail cost when new less straight-line depreciation over its economic life, except that, the value so obtained for such property, notwithstanding its economic life and as long as such property is being used, shall not be less than 20% of the retail cost when new of such property : 25%

(6) All other tangible personal property not otherwise specifically classified : 30%

(b) All property used exclusively for state, county, municipal, literary, educational, scientific, religious, benevolent and charitable purposes, farm machinery and equipment, merchants' and manufacturers' inventories, other than public utility inventories included in subclass (3) of class 2, livestock, and all household goods and personal effects not used for the production of income, shall be exempted from property taxation.

History: Adopted by Convention, July 29, 1859; ratified by electors, Oct. 4, 1859; L. 1861, p.62; L. 1923, ch. 255, § 1; L. 1963, ch. 459, § 1; L. 1974, ch. 460, § 1; L. 1985, ch. 364, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 342, § 1; Nov. 3, 1992.

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