Howard County Property Tax Record Search

Howard County property tax records are kept by the Auditor, Assessor, and Treasurer offices at the Howard County Administrative Center at 220 North Main Street in Kokomo. All three offices share the same building and the same hours, which makes in-person visits straightforward. The Howard County Auditor's Office actively encourages property owners to call about potential deductions, noting that a phone call could save you from missing a benefit you qualify for. Online search tools are available through both the county portal and the Beacon GIS platform.

Howard County Online Property Search

Howard County has two online tax search options. The Auditor's portal at auditor.howardcounty34.us lets you search Howard County property tax records by parcel number, owner name, or address. The Treasurer's portal at treasurer.howardcounty34.us focuses on tax payment information. Both run on the DataPitStop platform and are freely available without a login.

Howard County also participates in the Beacon GIS platform. The Howard County Beacon portal at beacon.schneidercorp.com provides parcel maps, ownership data, and assessed value information in an interactive map view. You can search by name, address, or parcel number and click any parcel to pull up its full record. The Beacon system is particularly useful if you want to view a parcel visually and compare it against neighboring properties.

The Indiana Gateway Tax Bill Lookup is also available as a statewide backup. It pulls official Howard County bill data directly from Indiana's Department of Local Government Finance system. All three search options are free to use.

Howard County Auditor Office

The Howard County Auditor's Office is in Room 222 at the Howard County Administrative Center, 220 N Main St, Kokomo, IN 46901. The phone number is 765-456-2215. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Auditor's official page is at the Howard County Auditor's Office website through the state's county portal.

The Howard County Auditor's website specifically notes: "Please call our office at 765-456-2215 if you think you may be eligible for any of the deductions listed on this page. Calling could save you from having to" miss out on a deduction. This is practical guidance worth taking seriously. Indiana's deduction system has multiple layers, and some property owners who qualify for a benefit simply have not filed because they did not know about it. A phone call to 765-456-2215 can clarify whether you should be getting more off your bill than you currently are.

The Auditor's Office calculates all Howard County property tax statements, processes deed transfers, and maintains the official ownership records for every parcel in the county. When real estate changes hands in Kokomo or anywhere else in Howard County, the deed transfer flows through the Auditor so ownership and deduction records can be updated for the new owner.

Howard County Assessor Office

The Howard County Assessor's Office is in Room 101 at the same building, 220 N. Main Street, Kokomo. The phone number is 765-456-2226 and the email is assessor@howardcounty.in.gov. The official website is at the Howard County Assessor's page. The Assessor sets the assessed value of all real property in Howard County as of the January 1 assessment date each year.

Howard County uses sales data, cost data, and income analysis to determine property values depending on property type. Residential properties are primarily valued based on comparable sales of similar homes in the same market area. If you receive an assessment notice and believe your value is too high, you can contact the Assessor's Office at 765-456-2226 or by email at assessor@howardcounty.in.gov to request an informal review. The informal review process is typically faster and easier than a formal appeal, and many disputes are resolved at this stage.

If the informal review does not result in a correction you agree with, you can file a formal appeal with the Howard County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals. The appeal deadline is June 15 of the year the assessment notice was issued. From there, unresolved cases go to the Indiana Board of Tax Review and ultimately the Indiana Tax Court.

Howard County Auditor Office Screenshot

The screenshot below is from the Howard County Auditor's Office page where Howard County property tax records, forms, and deduction information are available:

This page is the official source for Howard County Auditor contact information, deduction forms, and guidance on property tax matters in Kokomo and throughout the county.

Property Tax Deductions in Howard County

Indiana Code IC 6-1.1-12 establishes all the deductions available to Howard County property owners. The homestead deduction is the most widely used. It applies to a primary residence and reduces the assessed value. The supplemental homestead deduction adds a further reduction on top of the base amount, and the two together can significantly lower the taxable value of a home in Kokomo or anywhere else in Howard County.

Other deductions include the Over 65 deduction, the Over 65 Circuit Breaker Credit, the blind or disabled deduction, and the Totally Disabled Veteran deduction. Howard County veterans with a service-connected disability rating may qualify for additional reductions under state law. There is also a deduction for homeowners who have installed solar energy systems or geothermal heating. The Howard County Auditor specifically encourages residents to call 765-456-2215 to find out which deductions apply to their situation before missing the filing window.

All deduction applications must be filed with the Howard County Auditor by January 5 of the year following the assessment year. The forms are available from the Auditor's Office or through the Indiana DLGF website, which publishes the full property tax benefits guide each year.

Tax Payment Deadlines and Treasurer's Office

The Howard County Treasurer's Office is also at 220 N. Main Street in Kokomo and can be reached at 765-456-2213. Spring installments are due May 10 and fall installments are due November 10. These deadlines are set by Indiana law and apply across the state. Missing the May 10 deadline results in a 5% penalty on the unpaid spring balance. If the amount remains unpaid after June 10, the penalty climbs to 10%.

Pay in person at the Treasurer's Office in the Howard County Administrative Center during regular business hours. Mail payments to 220 N. Main Street, Kokomo, IN 46901, made out to the Howard County Treasurer. The postmark date is what counts for mailed payments. If you are close to a deadline, use a method with a verifiable postmark. Online payment options may be available through the county's website as well; contact the Treasurer at 765-456-2213 to confirm current methods.

Indiana Law and Howard County Property Taxes

Howard County property tax records and all related processes are governed by Indiana Code Title 6, Article 1.1. The deduction rules are in IC 6-1.1-12, the billing and payment rules are in IC 6-1.1-22, and the appeal process runs under IC 6-1.1-35.

The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance sets property tax policy and reviews Howard County's certified tax rates each year. The DLGF also manages the Indiana Gateway portal, which provides public access to local government financial data and tax bill lookup tools for Howard County. Both the DLGF and the county offices in Kokomo are available resources when you have questions about your Howard County property tax records.

Nearby Counties

Howard County is located in north-central Indiana with Kokomo as its county seat. The links below lead to property tax record pages for surrounding counties.