About PVA

PVA is the acronym for Property Valuation Administrator.

The Kenton County Property Valuation Administrator’s office has an assessment roll of over $16 billion. Our mission is to provide courteous, accurate and efficient services for the benefit of Kenton County and its citizens.

About the Administrator

The Kenton County PVA is a locally elected official who is charged with assessing all property - both real and personal - at 100% fair cash value unless specifically exempted. The PVA’s most complex task is to estimate fair cash value for all property in the county, taking into consideration the property’s size, shape, location, use, and condition. Tracking ownership changes, maintaining maps, updating building characteristics, and administering proper exemptions for real property are also ongoing responsibilities of the PVA office.

Section 172 of the Kentucky Constitution requires the PVA to assess all property at 100% fair cash value as of the assessment date of January 1, unless specifically exempted.  Fair cash value, or fair market value, is defined as the price a property would bring at a fair and voluntary sale between a willing buyer and a willing seller, with neither party under duress, given a reasonable amount of time on the market.  The PVA’s task is to analyze the market and ensure that assessments of properties follow the market determined by buyers and sellers.

Taxation

Your Property Valuation Administrator’s office does not set property tax rates, nor does it collect property taxes. The office assesses the "fair market value" of property to be taxed. There are two components that determine your property tax bill: assessed value and tax rate. Taxing authorities such as city, county, and state governments, as well as school boards, determine the tax rate.

Assessment

Section 172 of the Kentucky Constitution requires the PVA to assess all property at 100% Fair Cash Value as of the assessment date January 1. Thus, taxation is the rule and exemption is the exception. Examples of such exceptions include the Homestead Exemption for property owners age 65 and older, the Disability Exemption for individuals who are totally disabled, and certain religious, educational and government properties. Formal applications must be submitted to the PVA office or the Kentucky Department of Revenue before any exemptions can be granted.

PVA responsibilities also include listing assessments of all tangible personal property as of January 1 of each year. Tangible returns must be filed annually by May 15. Returns postmarked after May 15th are forwarded to the Kentucky Department of Revenue, Office of Property Valuation for billing. Statutory penalties of 10% for voluntary listings and 20% for involuntary listings will be applied.

The Kentucky Department of Revenue provides standardized values for all automobiles, recreational vehicles, watercraft, et cetera for property tax purposes. The PVA may make value adjustments due to high mileage or costs to repair damage incurred in the tax year.

Mission

Our mission is to provide courteous, accurate and efficient services for the benefit of Kenton County and its citizens. In that effort, if there is information which may be of benefit to you that does not currently appear herein, please contact us via email.