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The Lake County Director of Equalization is appointed by the Lake County Board of Commissioners.

The function of the Director of Equalization Office is to annually value all real property in Lake County at its full and true value. The Director of Equalization and staff are responsible for discovering, listing, and valuing all real property within Lake County. They are also responsible for linking real properties to their respective owners and placing assessed values and owners' names on the assessment roles. Types of properties included in the assessment process are: residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural classes of property.

The Director of Equalization has a number of additional responsibilities which include providing equalization between classes of property; deciding on adjustments to properties; reviewing all abatements; administering all state laws pertaining to the ad valorem property tax assessment; providing for the review and appeal of assessments; testifying in court on assessments; and deciding on tax exemptions and tracking each exemption.

The Director of Equalization and appraisal staff must be certified by the South Dakota Department of Revenue in order to assess real property for tax purposes. After initial certification appraisers must be re-certified every five years. Requirements for re-certification include; attending and passing the annual Department of Revenue sponsored school; attending workshops, and attending the South Dakota Association of Assessing Officers Conferences.

Staff

Rick Becker

Director of Equalization Send an Email

Deb Blanchette

Deputy Director of Equalization Send an Email

Chris Downs

Field Appraiser Send an Email

Ashley Allgaier

Administrative Assistant Send an Email

Contact Information

Main Office

Address:
Lake County Equalization
200 E Center St
Madison SD 57042

Phone:
605-256-7605
Fax:
605-256-7626

Office Hours:
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Monday – Friday (excluding Holidays)

Announcements

County Offices Closed
Wednesday, April 8, 2020

County offices will be closed on Friday, April 10, 2020, in observance of Good Friday.
Real Estate & Mobile Home Taxes - First Half
Wednesday, April 1, 2020

First half of Real Estate and Mobile Home Taxes due by the end of April. Please bring your tax notices with you. Tax payments must be made for the exact amount only.
Tax payments may be sent to the Treasurer's Office at 200 E. Center St, Madison, SD 57042 and MUST be postmarked by April 30. Please send your tax stubs to ensure proper credit to the correct parcels of land. Please note: Payments received or postmarked after April 30th will reflect a late fee and interest.

County Response to COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Friday, March 27, 2020

The Commission adopted a plan for continuity of county operations in response to the COVID-19. Currently county offices are open and available to do in-person business by APPOINTMENT only. Please review the release here for specific details. This plan was updated on 3/24/2020 - click here for specific details.
Voter Registration
Thursday, March 26, 2020

Lake County offices are open and available to provide in-person essential services to the public by appointment only. Voter registration forms may be mailed. There is a locked drop box in the north vestibule of the courthouse where forms can be dropped off. The box is checked every two hours. For voters that want to deliver their form in person, please call 605-256-7600 for an appointment.
County Board of Equalization
Monday, March 23, 2020

The County Board of Equalization will meet in the commission meeting room on Tuesday, April 14th, in accordance with SDCL 10-11-25. All persons considering themselves aggrieved by said assessment are required to submit written notice tot he County Auditor no later than Tuesday, April 7, 2020.
Renew Drivers License or Vehicle Licenses Online
Wednesday, March 18, 2020

For driver’s license renewals: https://dps.sd.gov/driver-licensing

In order to renew vehicle license online, you do need to have a SDDL or SDID. Renew online at: https://mysdcars.sd.gov
The self-service terminal (STS) kiosk machines are also available for vehicle license renewals. It doesn’t matter what county you reside in, anyone with a SDDL or SDID can renew with a STS kiosk machine.

Load Limits - Effective 3/02/2020
Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Seasonal road restrictions will become effective at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, March 2, 2020, due to the unusual warm weather conditions. Click here to view the list of restrictions. Seasonal road restrictions will remain in effect until lifted by the Lake County Highway Superintendent.
NOTICE OF DEADLINE
Monday, January 13, 2020

For Filing Nominating Petitions for the Primary Election and for Filing Independent Candidate Petitions - Click HERE to view the Notice.

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