Addresses

The Assessor is responsible for maintaining two addresses associated with each parcel of property in Jackson County.

First Address - Mailing Address

The first address associated with a property is the mailing address of the owner to whom all notices and tax bills for the property are sent. We obtain most of our mailing addresses from recorded documents that transfer ownership of property. Property buyers need to work with their title company to insure the correct mailing address for the property appears on the document. Other significant sources of mailing address changes come from the tax collector when tax bills are paid and post office notices of mail forwarding. We also receive mailing address changes directly from property owners. It is the responsibility of the property owner, not the county, to keep mailing addresses current and correct. The law presumes that a property owner knows there is a tax due whether or not they receive a bill.

Second Address - Situs or Physical Address

The second address associated with each parcel of property is the situs or physical address of the property. In Jackson County, situs addresses are assigned to all parcels that are taxable by their city or county planning departments.

For most homeowners the mailing address and the situs address are the same. For many business and rental properties, the mailing address and the situs address are different. One parcel can have multiple situs addresses such as an apartment complex with separate addresses for each unit or block of units. In manufactured home parks there can be a single street address with different space numbers for each home as the situs address.

Assignment of Addresses

While the assessor maintains mailing and situs addresses, the situs address is assigned by the local agency which has jurisdiction. In the unincorporated areas of Jackson County the Planning Department assigns situs addresses. In the cities, the agency responsible for address assignment is usually Planning and Development. Most new street names are suggested by the project developer, approved by the local agency and then filed with the final plat of the subdivision. Addresses on existing streets or roads such as Broadway are assigned when a new home is built according to a system developed by the agency with jurisdiction for that section of the road. The United States Postal Service works in cooperation with local agencies to update USPS address databases and provide Zip Code lookup on the internet. 

FAQs

What is the difference between a location address and a mailing address on my tax bill?

Location refers to the address for your individual parcel, which is created by your local city. This is different from your mailing address, which is where the county sends all assessment/tax correspondence. The mailing address is the address you provide us on your deed or personal property tax declaration. For the majority of homeowners these are the same.

What if my location address is incorrect on the county's website or my tax bill?

An incorrect location address has no impact on your property assessment, property taxes or property transfers. The county identifies properties by the legal description on your recorded document. When you buy or sell property you are actually transferring the legal description, not the address. Taxes are based on the legal description, not your address.

How do I change my location address?

An incorrect location address can only be changed once the city has notified the county. You can contact the city in which your property is located and ask them to confirm and notify the county as to the correct location address of the parcel. You may also fill out a form(PDF, 195KB).

How do I change my mailing address?

An incorrect mailing address can be changed by visiting either the downtown Kansas City or Independence courthouses. You may also fill out a form and mail it.

My location address says I live in Independence, but my mailing address says Blue Springs. Why is this?

This is because your property is within the city limits of Independence, but your mail goes through a Blue Springs zip code.