- Agency
- Sedgwick County Appraiser's office, business personal property section
- Paperwork
- An annual personal property rendition, including one that reports the property as sold
- The clock
- Due by March 15 each year for property you owned or leased on January 1
Watch for: Assuming the sale ends the duty. The county needs a signed statement that the property is no longer yours before it removes it from the roll.
What the rendition is
Sedgwick County taxes business personal property such as machinery, equipment, furniture and tools that earn income or are depreciated for federal tax. Owners report it each year on a rendition.
The county publishes the deadline as March 15, and renditions are expected to be postmarked by that date.
Why the January 1 date matters
If you owned or leased taxable property on January 1, you report it by the deadline. A sale in February still leaves a January 1 owner with a filing duty for that year.
That timing can surprise sellers who think a closing in the new year hands off every obligation.
Filing after you sell or close
The county appraiser's guidance says a business owner who sells or closes must still submit a rendition the following year, so the office can take the property off the roll.
The office cannot remove property without a signature on file from the taxpayer saying it is no longer theirs. Plan to sign and return the form even if you own nothing taxable anymore.
What buyers do
A new owner reports the equipment it bought under its own name, starting with the first January 1 it owns it. Buyers often ask sellers for the property list and any recent rendition copies.
Keep your asset list current. It also feeds the price allocation in your sale.
Exemptions and rates
Some business property may qualify for exemptions, and rates depend on the type of property and the taxing district. Ask the appraiser's office what applies to your equipment rather than guessing.
If your shop or store sits outside Wichita, the county that sends your bill may differ. Towns such as Andover cross county lines.
If you closed in the middle of the year
A sale in, say, August still leaves you with the next March filing. Put a reminder in your calendar the day you close, because no reminder will come from the buyer.
Your accountant can fold this into the final year work, along with the closing statement and the allocation schedule.
Practical steps
- Pull last year's rendition and compare it with your asset list
- Write down what was sold, to whom and when
- Calendar March 15 for the year after closing
- Keep copies of anything you sign and return
Related reading
Equipment heavy owners should read how buyers treat machines in the aircraft parts machine shop page. The state side of closing out is in the tax clearance guide.
When you are ready to see a price range, find your price range.
This page is general information and not tax or legal advice. Confirm deadlines, forms and exemptions with your CPA, your attorney and the Sedgwick County Appraiser's office.