Faulkner County tax assessor: what homeowners need to know

Last updated 2026-07-10

What does the Faulkner County tax assessor actually do?

The Faulkner County Assessor is an elected official who discovers, lists, and values every piece of real and personal property in the county. Houses. Commercial buildings. Raw land. Business equipment and vehicles too. The office does not set your tax rate and does not collect a dollar of tax. Rates come from the Quorum Court. Collections run through the County Collector. Confuse those three jobs and you'll aim your appeal at the wrong office.

Valuation happens on a rolling cycle. Arkansas law requires county assessors to physically review each real property parcel at least once every three years ^[1]. Between those on-site reviews, the assessor updates values with market data, building permits, and recorded sales. Add a room or put up a metal building, and the permit tips off the assessor. Expect a bump before your three-year cycle comes back around.

The office sits at 806 Locust Street, Suite 101, Conway, AR 72034. Phone is (501) 450-4905. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Janet Troutman Ward is the current assessor and has held the office for several terms. The county website at faulknercounty.org carries the parcel search tool, the forms, and the exemption applications ^[2].

How does Arkansas calculate assessed value, and what is the 20% rule?

Arkansas does not tax you on 100% of your home's market value. It taxes 20% of it. Under Arkansas Code Annotated § 26-26-1101, residential property is assessed at 20% of its "true market value," and the statute directs that "all real and tangible personal property subject to taxation shall be assessed" at that ratio ^[3]. Commercial and industrial property use the same 20%. Agricultural land runs on a use-value system instead of market value.

So if the assessor decides your home would sell for $250,000, your assessed value is $50,000. Your bill then comes from multiplying that $50,000 by the millage rates set by the school district, county, and any special improvement districts.

Here's how the math flows:

Step	Example
Appraised (market) value	$250,000
Assessment ratio	20%
Assessed value	$50,000
Total millage rate (example: 45 mills)	0.045
Gross tax bill	$2,250
Less homestead credit ($375 max)	-$375
Net tax owed	$1,875

Millage rates in Faulkner County depend on your school district. The Conway School District, which covers the largest slice of the county, carried a total rate near 44 to 47 mills in recent years. Verify the current number on your tax bill or with the collector, because rates get set every year ^[4].

Here's the part people miss. The assessor's "appraised value" is their estimate of what your property would sell for as of January 1 of the assessment year. That's the number you challenge if it's wrong. Not the assessed value. Not the millage.

Key deadlines for Faulkner County property assessments and appeals

Miss a deadline in Arkansas property tax and you lose your appeal rights for the whole year. No exceptions. Write these dates down and set reminders.

Event	Deadline
Personal property assessment filing	May 31 each year
Real property assessment notices mailed	Typically late spring/early summer
Informal appeal to assessor	Within 30 days of your change notice
Formal protest to County Equalization Board	Within 30 days of notice, or by July 1 if no specific notice [5]
Equalization Board hearings	August (varies by year)
Circuit Court appeal after Board ruling	30 days from Board's written decision
Tax bills due (no penalty)	October 15
Delinquent penalty begins	October 16

The May 31 personal property deadline catches people every single year. Own a business, a boat, an ATV, or other taxable personal property and miss that date? Arkansas law requires the assessor to tack on a 10% penalty ^[6]. There's no waiver for forgetting.

Real property works differently. The assessor mails a change notice when your value moves. You then have 30 days from that notice to protest informally. If your value stayed flat and you got no notice, the July 1 general cutoff is your shot at getting on the Equalization Board's docket.

What exemptions are available in Faulkner County?

Arkansas has several exemptions that cut your tax. The one that matters most to ordinary homeowners is the homestead property tax credit. It knocks up to $375 per year off the net bill on a primary residence ^[7]. That's a credit against the actual tax, not a cut in assessed value.

You file for the homestead credit once. After that first filing, it renews automatically as long as the home stays your primary residence. Move, and you're supposed to tell the assessor. The application lives on the Faulkner County Assessor's website ^[2].

Beyond homestead, here are the main ones:

Disabled Veteran Exemption. Arkansas exempts 100% of the assessed value of the principal residence for veterans the VA rates 100% permanently and totally disabled ^[8]. Surviving spouses may qualify too. This is the most generous exemption in the state. Check it carefully if it might apply to you.

Senior Freeze (Act 1268 of 2023). Arkansas lets counties freeze assessed values for homeowners 65 or older who've owned and occupied a principal residence for at least a year, and Faulkner County participates ^[11]. The freeze locks the assessed value, not the rate. Your bill can still climb if millage goes up, but the assessed-value piece is fixed.

Widow/Widower and Disability Exemptions. Partial exemptions tied to income and circumstance. The amounts are modest, usually a few hundred dollars off assessed value, but they're free to apply for.

Nonprofit and Church Property. Charitable, religious, and educational properties can win a full exemption. They apply through the assessor and have to pass strict use tests.

Apply early. Most exemption applications need to be on file before January 1 of the tax year you want the benefit. The assessor's office works them first come, first served, and spring gets backed up.

How do you look up your Faulkner County property assessment online?

The Faulkner County Assessor's parcel search sits at faulknercounty.org under the Assessor section ^[2]. Search by owner name, parcel number, or property address. It returns the appraised value, assessed value, property characteristics (square footage, year built, bedroom count), and the land description.

Print or screenshot the record before you touch anything. Check three things right away:

1. Are the physical facts right? Wrong square footage, an extra bath, or a finished basement listed where you have a crawlspace all inflate your value. 2. Is the appraised value higher than what the place would actually sell for today? 3. Do comparable sales in your neighborhood back up that value?

The Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division (ACD) keeps statewide assessment data and publishes annual ratio studies that grade how accurate each county's values are ^[9]. If the county's median assessment ratio sits above 20%, that helps your appeal.

For deeds and sales data, the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk keeps a searchable recording index. The county GIS viewer and Zillow can round out your research. Anchor your comparables to recorded sales, though, never Zestimates.

How do you appeal your Faulkner County property tax assessment?

There are three levels. Start at level one and climb only if you have to.

Level 1: Informal review with the assessor's office. Call or visit before your 30-day window closes. Bring evidence: photos of condition problems, recent sales of similar homes, contractor estimates for deferred maintenance. Staff can fix errors and adjust values without any formal hearing. A lot of assessments get corrected right here, free, in one conversation. Most homeowners skip this step. Don't.

Level 2: County Equalization Board. If the informal review goes nowhere, file a written protest with the County Equalization Board. Arkansas Code §§ 26-27-301 through 26-27-317 governs the process ^[5]. You file, the board schedules a hearing (usually August), and you present in person. The board can raise, lower, or leave your assessment alone. Bring comparable sales, photos, and any appraisal. Hearings are informal, but testimony is sworn.

Level 3: Circuit Court. Lose at the board and still convinced the value is wrong? Appeal to Faulkner County Circuit Court within 30 days of the board's written decision ^[12]. This level usually needs a lawyer and only pencils out when the savings are big (commercial properties or higher-value homes).

For most homeowners doing a DIY appeal, levels 1 and 2 are the whole game. The evidence that wins is simple: three to five recent sales of comparable homes (same school district, similar size and age, sold in the past 12 months) that sold for less than the assessor's appraised value on your property. The TaxFightBack DIY appeal kit walks through how to pick and format comparable sales for Arkansas county boards, which is the piece most people get wrong.

What loses: arguing your taxes are too high because money's tight, that you can't afford it, or that your neighbor pays less. The board can only weigh whether the appraised value matches market value. Keep your case there.

One practical move: when you file with the Equalization Board, get proof in writing. An email confirmation or a stamped copy of your protest. Clerks are helpful, but you want evidence you filed on time.

What evidence actually wins a Faulkner County appeal?

The Equalization Board is answering one question: does the assessor's appraised value equal what a willing buyer would pay a willing seller on January 1? Every piece of evidence you bring should point at that.

Comparable sales (comps). The backbone. Pull three to five arm's-length sales of homes like yours, sold in the past 12 months, in your neighborhood or a close match. The Faulkner County Circuit Clerk's recording index has deed data. The MLS has sales, if you or a friendly agent can reach it. Zillow and Realtor.com list sold prices. For each comp, show the address, sale date, sale price, square footage, and main features. Then run the price per square foot and lay it against what the assessor is implying for your place.

Your property's condition. A cracked foundation, a roof at end of life, outdated wiring, other defects the assessor's record ignores. Document them with dated photos and contractor repair estimates. Assessor records tend to assume average condition. Below-average condition is a legitimate reason to cut value.

A recent appraisal. Bought or refinanced in the last 12 to 18 months with a licensed appraisal below the assessor's appraised value? That carries real weight. Boards take licensed appraisals seriously.

Errors in the record. Wrong square footage, wrong bedroom count, a finished basement you don't have. Easy corrections. Bring measurements or the builder's floor plan.

What doesn't work: verbal guesses at value, gripes about the tax rate, comps from another county, or asking the board to just take your word. These are local citizens who want documents.

Nobody publishes clean data on Faulkner County appeal win rates. Statewide, Arkansas homeowners who show up with documented comparable sales do win reductions in a meaningful share of cases, but the county doesn't release hearing outcome statistics. That's an honest gap, not a hidden number.

How does personal property assessment work in Faulkner County?

This trips up folks who move here from states that don't tax personal property. Arkansas taxes it every year. For individuals, that's vehicles, boats, trailers, ATVs, and aircraft. For businesses, it's equipment, inventory, and furniture.

Each year you file an assessment form with the Faulkner County Assessor by May 31 ^[6]. Own a vehicle on January 1 and you owe tax on it for that year, even if you sell it in February. The assessor values vehicles from a published schedule built on Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division guidelines, which track NADA clean loan values adjusted for age.

You can file your personal property assessment:

• In person at the Conway office
• By mail
• Online through the assessor's website (check faulknercounty.org for the current e-filing option)

After you file, the Collector sends a personal property tax bill in late summer, due October 15. Miss the May 31 filing and the 10% late penalty lands automatically.

Here's what many people don't realize: you need proof of paid personal property tax to renew your Arkansas vehicle registration. The county handles it through its online systems and the DMV, but move counties or let a year lapse and registration turns into a headache. Sort it out early.

Business personal property runs on the same May 31 deadline. Businesses file a detailed asset list with cost and acquisition year, and the assessor applies Arkansas ACD depreciation tables to reach taxable value.

What are current property tax rates in Faulkner County?

Millage in Faulkner County depends on where your property sits. School districts carry different rates, and municipal and special district levies stack on top.

The table below shows approximate total millage by school district for recent years. These are historical figures. Rates get set annually, so verify with the Faulkner County Collector before you plan around them ^[4].

School District	Approximate Total Mills (recent years)
Conway School District	44-47 mills
Greenbrier School District	40-44 mills
Vilonia School District	40-44 mills
Mayflower School District	41-45 mills
Guy-Perkins School District	38-42 mills

To turn mills into a rate, divide by 1,000. Forty-five mills is $45 per $1,000 of assessed value. On $50,000 assessed, that's $2,250 before credits.

Faulkner County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Arkansas. Conway's population grew more than 25% between 2010 and 2020, according to Census data ^[10], and that growth has pushed home prices up hard. Higher prices mean the assessor's market value estimates climbed too. That's a big reason so many homeowners are staring at bigger bills.

The homestead credit offsets up to $375 of your net tax no matter which district you're in ^[7].

How does the Faulkner County Equalization Board work?

The Board of Equalization is a citizen panel, usually five members, appointed to hear property tax protests. Arkansas Code §§ 26-27-301 through 26-27-317 sets out how it operates ^[5].

Members are appointed by the county judge and serve staggered terms. They aren't tax pros or attorneys. They're local residents. Hearings are informal on purpose. You show up, take an oath, present your evidence, and the board asks questions. The assessor's office may send someone to defend the original value, or may not.

Faulkner County hearings generally run in August. After you file your written protest, you get a notice with your specific date and time. Each parcel typically takes 15 to 30 minutes.

The board votes at or shortly after the hearing and issues a written decision. Disagree, and you have 30 days to appeal to Circuit Court.

A few practical notes. Arrive early. Bring five copies of everything (one per board member, one for the assessor's rep, one for you). Speak plainly and stick to market value. The board can't touch your tax rate or hand out an exemption. It can only change the appraised value.

What happens after your Faulkner County appeal is decided?

If the board cuts your appraised value, the assessor updates your record, recalculates your assessed value (20% of the new appraised value), and the adjusted figure flows to the tax bill the Collector mails in late summer.

If the board rules against you and you still believe the value is wrong, you have 30 days from the date of the written decision to file a petition in Faulkner County Circuit Court under Arkansas Code § 26-35-901 ^[12]. Now you're in litigation. That means attorney's fees and a longer clock. For most residential cases the math doesn't work unless the value and potential savings are large.

Win at the board and the assessor can appeal to Circuit Court too, if the assessor thinks the board got it wrong. Rare, but it happens on high-value commercial properties.

Here's what people forget after winning: check your actual tax bill when it arrives in late summer. Confirm it reflects the corrected value. Record-update errors happen, and you want to catch them before October 15, not after.

Want to see how this stacks up against appeals in other large counties? Our guides on the bibb county tax assessor and madison county tax assessor cover similar board-based systems in neighboring states.

How do Faulkner County assessments compare to other Arkansas counties?

Every Arkansas county uses the same 20% assessment ratio under state law, so the ratio itself never varies county to county. What varies is how closely each county's appraised values track real market prices.

The Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division publishes an annual ratio study that grades each county on accuracy by comparing recent sale prices against the assessor's appraised values ^[9]. A ratio near 20% signals good accuracy. Lower ratios mean the county is under-assessing. Higher ratios mean it's over-assessing relative to state standards.

In Faulkner County, recent ACD ratio studies have generally put the county near state standards. But the rapid Conway price appreciation since 2020 created a lag. Some older assessments may sit below market while properties reassessed after a sale land closer to current market. If your home sold in the last three years at a high price and the assessor reset your value to match, your taxes probably jumped. If nearby homes haven't been reassessed yet, there's a temporary inequity that can support an appeal on uniformity grounds.

Arkansas law requires all properties to be assessed uniformly at the same ratio ^[3]. Show the assessor is valuing your property at a higher effective rate than comparable nearby properties, and that's a separate basis for appeal on top of the raw market value argument.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Faulkner County Assessor's office located?

The Faulkner County Assessor's Office is at 806 Locust Street, Suite 101, Conway, AR 72034. Phone is (501) 450-4905. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office handles real property and personal property assessments, exemption applications, and informal appeal reviews.

What is the deadline to appeal my Faulkner County property assessment?

For a formal protest to the County Equalization Board, file within 30 days of receiving an assessment change notice, or by July 1 if you got no specific notice. For personal property, the filing deadline is May 31. Miss these dates and you lose appeal rights for that tax year.

What percentage of market value is residential property assessed at in Arkansas?

Residential property in Arkansas is assessed at 20% of its appraised market value, as required by Arkansas Code Annotated § 26-26-1101. A home appraised at $300,000 has an assessed value of $60,000. Your tax bill comes from applying the local millage rate to that $60,000 figure.

How do I apply for the homestead property tax credit in Faulkner County?

File a one-time application with the Faulkner County Assessor's Office. After the initial filing, the credit renews automatically each year as long as you occupy the property as your primary residence. It reduces your actual tax bill by up to $375 per year. Applications are at the Conway office or on the county website at faulknercounty.org.

Do 100% disabled veterans pay property taxes in Faulkner County?

No. Under Arkansas law, veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled by the VA are fully exempt from property taxes on their principal residence. Surviving spouses may also qualify. You apply through the Faulkner County Assessor's Office and provide VA documentation of your disability rating.

Is there a property tax freeze for seniors in Faulkner County?

Yes. Following Arkansas Act 1268 of 2023, Faulkner County participates in the senior assessment freeze. Homeowners 65 or older who have owned and occupied their principal residence for at least a year can freeze their assessed value. Tax rates can still change, so the bill isn't fully frozen, but the assessed value portion is locked.

What is the personal property tax deadline in Faulkner County?

May 31 each year. You file an assessment listing all taxable personal property you owned as of January 1, including vehicles, boats, trailers, and ATVs. Miss May 31 and Arkansas law requires a mandatory 10% late assessment penalty. Filing is available in person, by mail, or online through the assessor's website.

How do I look up my Faulkner County property assessment online?

Go to faulknercounty.org and open the Assessor section to use the parcel search tool. Search by owner name, address, or parcel number. Results show appraised value, assessed value, and property characteristics. Print or screenshot the record before starting an appeal so you have a baseline of what the assessor has on file.

Can I appeal my Faulkner County taxes without hiring a lawyer or tax agent?

Yes, and most residential homeowners do. The informal review with the assessor and the County Equalization Board hearing are both built for self-represented owners. You bring comparable sales, photos, and any appraisal, then present directly to the board. Legal representation becomes worth it mainly for high-value commercial appeals.

What is the total property tax rate in Conway, Arkansas?

Total millage in the Conway School District has run roughly 44 to 47 mills in recent years. On a $50,000 assessed value (a $250,000 home), that produces a gross tax of about $2,200 to $2,350 before the homestead credit. Verify the current rate with the Faulkner County Collector since rates are set annually.

How often does Faulkner County reassess property?

Arkansas law requires a physical review of each parcel at least once every three years. Between physical reviews, the assessor updates values using market data, sales, and building permit records. Pull a permit for an addition or new structure and expect reassessment sooner than the three-year cycle.

What happens if I miss my Faulkner County tax bill due date?

Property taxes are due October 15. Pay after that and a 10% penalty is added plus interest. Taxes that stay delinquent long enough can lead to a tax lien and, after several years, a tax sale of the property. The Faulkner County Collector's office handles payment arrangements in limited hardship situations.

Can I appeal my Faulkner County assessment if I just bought the property?

Yes. A recent purchase at a price below the assessor's appraised value is strong evidence for an appeal. The sale must be arm's-length (not a foreclosure, family sale, or other distressed deal) to count as representative of market value. Bring your closing disclosure and deed to the informal review or board hearing.

How does Faulkner County assess new construction?

New construction goes on the tax rolls as of January 1 of the year following completion, or when a certificate of occupancy is issued, whichever comes first. The assessor uses construction cost data and comparable sales of similar new homes to set appraised value. Partial-year construction is assessed for the portion of the year it was complete.

Sources

1. Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division, Real Property Reappraisal Rules: Arkansas law requires county assessors to physically review each real property parcel at least once every three years.
2. Faulkner County Arkansas, Assessor's Office: Faulkner County Assessor's Office location (806 Locust Street, Suite 101, Conway), phone, hours, parcel search tool, and exemption application forms.
3. Arkansas Code Annotated § 26-26-1101, Arkansas General Assembly: Residential property in Arkansas is assessed at 20% of true market value; all properties must be assessed uniformly at the same ratio.
4. Faulkner County Collector's Office, Tax Rate Information: Millage rates in Faulkner County vary by school district and are set annually; Conway School District rates have run approximately 44-47 mills in recent years.
5. Arkansas Code Annotated §§ 26-27-301 through 26-27-317, Arkansas General Assembly: Arkansas County Equalization Board procedures, protest filing requirements, and 30-day Circuit Court appeal deadline after board decision.
6. Arkansas Code Annotated § 26-26-201, Arkansas General Assembly: Personal property assessment deadline is May 31; a mandatory 10% late assessment penalty applies if the deadline is missed.
7. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Homestead Property Tax Credit: The Arkansas homestead property tax credit reduces the net property tax bill by up to $375 per year on a primary residence.
8. Arkansas Code Annotated § 26-3-306, Arkansas General Assembly, Disabled Veteran Exemption: Veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled by the VA are fully exempt from property taxes on their principal residence in Arkansas.
9. Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division, Annual Ratio Study: The Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division maintains statewide assessment data and publishes annual ratio studies comparing sale prices to assessed values by county.
10. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census, Conway city, Arkansas: Conway's population grew more than 25% between 2010 and 2020, driving significant home price appreciation in Faulkner County.
11. Arkansas Act 1268 of 2023, Arkansas General Assembly: Arkansas Act 1268 of 2023 allows counties to freeze assessed values for homeowners age 65 or older who have owned and occupied their principal residence for at least one year.
12. Arkansas Code Annotated § 26-35-901, Arkansas General Assembly, Circuit Court Appeals: Homeowners have 30 days from the Equalization Board's written decision to file a property tax appeal in Circuit Court.