Assessor Education

To be appointed as an assessor in Iowa, the candidate must be on the register of individuals eligible for appointment. Iowa Code § 441.6(1). To be added to the register, all applicants must pass an examination. Iowa Code § 441.5(7). To be eligible to take the examination, all applicants must have the following:

1. A high school diploma or equivalent. Iowa Code § 441.5(3).
2. Two years of appraisal-related experience. Iowa Code § 441.5(5).
   1. Applicants without this experience may receive provisional appointment by completing an additional provisional course of study. Iowa Code § 441.5(6).
3. Completion of the preliminary education requirements. Iowa Code § 441.5(3).

There are three ways to meet the preliminary education requirements (Iowa Admin. Code r. 701—103.3(2)):

1. Completion of the Iowa Assessment and Taxation Review course offered by the Institute of Iowa Certified Assessors.
2. Completion of the Iowa Laws Course offered by the Iowa Department of Revenue, plus an approved appraisal course.
3. Completion of a current Iowa Certified Assessor designation.

All preliminary education requirements must be completed within five years prior to the date of the examination. Iowa Admin. Code r. 701—103.3(2)“b”. Applicants must answer at least 70 percent of the questions on the examination correctly in order to be placed on the register. Iowa Code § 441.5(5).

Applicants without two years of experience in need of provisional appointment must complete the following provisional course study requirements within eighteen months of being appointed assessor (Iowa Code § 441.5(6)):

1. Complete course 2-200: Listing and Pricing Residential Properties offered by the Iowa Department of Revenue.
2. Complete Course 2-300: Listing and Pricing Commercial Properties offered by the Iowa Department of Revenue.
3. Attend the Assessors Fall School conference, hosted annually by the Iowa State Association of Assessors and the Iowa Department of Revenue. 

All eligible individuals shall remain on the register for a period of two years following the date of certification granted by the Director. Iowa Code § 441.5(7). The date of certification is the date of receipt of test scores. Individuals who have not served as an assessor for six consecutive years must successfully retake the examination every two years to remain on the register. Because all preliminary education requirements must be completed within five years prior to the date of the examination, it is possible that the preliminary education requirements must be completed again in order to retake the examination (if they were originally completed more than five years ago). As part of the Department’s Executive Order 10 rule update, the Department intends to remove this five year requirement for those currently serving as assessor. Incumbent assessors who have served six consecutive years as an appointed assessor shall be placed on the register without further testing. Iowa Code § 441.5(8). 

The requirements to be reappointed as an assessor are the same as the requirements to be appointed, with the addition of continuing education requirements. Iowa Code § 441.8(1).

For continuing education, each assessor must complete one hundred fifty hours of classroom instruction during their six year term. Of these hours, ninety hours must be tested. For an assessor fulfilling a partial term, the number of hours is prorated. Iowa Code § 441.8(4).

The requirements to be appointed and reappointed as a deputy assessor are similar to the assessor requirements with a few differences:

1. Deputies have the option of taking either the assessor exam or the deputy exam. Individuals who pass the assessor exam will be placed on both the assessor register and the deputy register.
2. There is no option to receive provisional deputy appointment with temporary certification. In other words, candidates who pass the deputy exam are given a regular certification for a deputy assessor position.
3. Deputy terms begin on the day of appointment rather than a fixed term.
4. For continuing education, deputies must complete ninety hours of classroom instruction during their six year term. Of these hours, sixty hours must be tested. Iowa Code § 441.8(5).

An assessor who is appointed or reappointed by the conference board must be confirmed by the Director of Revenue before they can assume office. 

Once the Department is notified by the conference board of the appointment, the appointee will receive a request for information from the Department necessary to complete a background check. This must be submitted promptly to the Department. Iowa Admin. Code rr. 701—103.15(4)”b” and 701—103.16(3)“b.”

When deliberating confirmation, the director must consider any charges or evidence of misconduct, nonfeasance, malfeasance, or misfeasance by the appointee. Iowa Admin. Code rr. 701—103.15(4)”a” and 701—103.16(3)”a”. A determination must be issued within 30 days of receipt of the notice of appointment from the conference board.

If the Director rejects the appointment, the examining board must conduct a new examination and submit a new recommendation to the conference board. Iowa Code § 441.6(3).