Property Inspections

Property appraisers employed by the Montana Department of Revenue work year-round in Montana neighborhoods, subdivisions, commercial districts, and rural areas completing inspections for property tax purposes.

Department staff are authorized by Montana law, 15-7-139, MCA, to enter private land to appraise or audit property for property tax purposes. To be present during the inspection, a property owner may request an appointment with an appraiser by submitting a Property On-Site Review Authorization, Form AB-27.

How Appraisers Identify Themselves

The department staff visiting your property will always knock on your door first to let you know who they are and why they need to complete an inspection of your property. Staff will identify themselves by presenting their State of Montana identification. If no one answers the door, the appraisers will leave their business card at the door and proceed with completing their inspection.

Appraisers will not make entry into buildings, structures, or personal property without the permission of the property owner or the property owner’s agent.

Tools and Methods Used

The appraisers visiting your property may have either a mobile tablet device with an electronic version of your property record or a paper copy of your property record.

Appraisers complete the following tasks during a property inspection:

• Externally measure all structures with a laser measuring device or tape measure
• Take photographs of main structure and all outbuildings
• Walk around structures, including accessing back or side yards to view the condition and characteristics of structures
• Update the property record with any new construction, remodeling, additions, or deletions, and make notes of property condition and construction quality.

If the appraisers are able to meet and talk to the property owner or the property owner’s agent, they will request verification of internal characteristics such as number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and the condition of home. Entry into the structure may be requested to evaluate conditions atypical to the property.

Duration of the Inspection

A property inspection may last anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour, depending on complexity of the property and the reason for the inspection.

Why an Inspection Might Be Conducted

Common reasons why the department staff complete property inspections:

• Verify property record data and sale information
• Add new construction to the property record
• Remove demolished structures from the property record
• Review location of improvements when parcel boundaries change
• Review property characteristics for the new valuation cycle
• Review the accuracy of property records for an informal classification and appraisal review (Form AB-26 submission)
• Review the accuracy of property records for a county or state property appeal
• Process a submitted application for agricultural land classification, natural disaster, or property tax exemption
• Review the accuracy of property records for a personal property audit