PVA Stands for Property Valuation Administrator. The Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) replaced the old title of “County Tax Commissioner”, or what most people call the Tax Assessor.
The PVA office is to administrate “ad valorem” taxes. Ad valorem is Latin for “according to value” which bases taxes on the value of the property. The Kentucky Constitution describes property tax as a tax on wealth rather than a tax on the individual.
Section 172 of the Kentucky Constitution requires all property to be assessed at Fair Cash Value, as of the assessment date January 1, unless specifically exempted. Kentucky law provides for direct supervision of all PVA’s by the Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet / Kentucky Department of Revenue (DOR). Each year the DOR must perform studies on the PVA in each county to determine if constitutional and statutory requirements have been met.
The PVA’s tax roll must meet required assessment levels and adhere to required standards of equity before the PVA’s tax roll is accepted, and before tax rates may be set or tax bills can be printed. Remember the PVA office does not set tax rates.
The Goal of the PVA
"Fair Cash Value" according to the Constitution of Kentucky says "All property, not exempted from taxation by this Constitution, shall be assessed for taxation at its fair cash value, estimated at the price it would bring at a fair voluntary sale; and any officer or other person authorized to assess values for taxation, who shall commit any willful error in the performance of his/her duty, shall be deemed guilty of misfeasance, and upon conviction thereof shall forfeit his/her office, and be otherwise punished as may be provided by law."
The PVA Does NOT:
The PVA Does:
207 West Lexington Street
P.O. Box 244
Harrodsburg, KY 40330
Mon - Fri - 8am - 4:30pm