Copyright ©2024 Forrest County, MS
The Tax Collector’s office is located in the newly renovated Tax Services Building located at 601 N. Main Street in downtown Hattiesburg.
The Tax Collector is responsible for collections of all property taxes on the following classes of property:
Due by February 1st of each year. Property taxes are collected on all real property in Forrest County, as well as Business Personal Property. The property is appraised by the Tax Assessor and compiled for the tax rolls, which are turned over to the Board of Supervisors. The public is then given a chance to review the assessments and file protests on any assessment considered unfair or incorrect. After the protest period, the tax rolls are approved by the Board of Supervisors and Mississippi Department of Revenue. After the rolls are completed, the Tax Collector applies the applicable assessment ratios and calculates the taxes based on the tax levy set by the Board of Supervisors and/or the governing board of the City of Hattiesburg and the City of Petal.
After the Tax Collector receives the tax rolls and the taxes are calculated, statements are mailed either to the mortgage companies or to individual taxpayers. If a taxpayer wishes to change their mailing address, please complete the Address Change Form.
Taxpayers should notify the Tax Collector of all changes in address or mortgage status.
Ad valorem taxes and motor vehicle privilege taxes are collected at the time of registration of all motor vehicles. Ad valorem taxes on motor vehicles include county, municipal and separate school district taxes. A license plate is issued and is renewable annually. The Tax Collector processes the Mississippi Title applications and collects sales tax on casual purchases of motor vehicles. A new registration must be obtained within 30 days of a purchase of a motor vehicle. When a person moves into this state from another state, a Mississippi registration must be obtained within 30 days of the move.
Ad valorem taxes on a mobile home include county, municipal and separate school taxes. A mobile home must be registered within seven days of purchase and taxes are due within 90 days. Thereafter, taxes are due February 1st of each year. All purchases from a dealer must be titled, while with purchases from individuals titling is still optional until the first title is issued. Registration is $ 1.00 and must be completed before utilities can be supplied by the utility companies. A taxpayer can declare a mobile home as real property and have it assessed on the Realty roll by paying a $35.00 fee.
The Department of Revenue (DOR) directs the county to maintain current ownership maps of the county. DOR also requires the county to fly new arial photography every ten years. Forrest County had new ariel photography flown in the beginning of 2022. The mapping department works the deeds that are recorded in the Chancery Clerk’s Office. The process of updating your new deed information usually takes up to a year to see your property in your name once you purchased the property. The mapper is working the deeds that were filed from the previous year for our current year Land Roll.
Click the button below to submit an address change request to our office.