What is a Tax Rate Resolution Form?

It is the official document by which a governing body adopts a tax rate or levy; it records the vote, references legal authority, and directs certification to the county or state for collection.

Who must sign the resolution?

Typically the presiding officer and the clerk or secretary sign and date the resolution; signatures should match the official roll and meeting minutes to show authorizing authority.

Can the resolution be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures satisfying intent, consent, attribution, and retention meet the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA standards when state law permits and platform audit trails are preserved.

How long should I keep copies?

Retain certified originals for the active levy term plus at least three years; many jurisdictions and federal guidance recommend seven years for post-termination retention, and tax records follow IRC §6501(a).

What if we discover an error after adoption?

Errors are typically corrected by a subsequent corrective resolution or amended certification documented in minutes. Depending on the error, refunds, recalculations, or re-certification may be required.

What are the risks of noncompliance?

Failure to follow notice, hearing, or certification procedures can lead to delayed collections, state or county sanctions, legal challenges, and potential refund obligations to taxpayers.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Finance
Tax Rate Resolution Form

Tax Rate Resolution Form

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

TAX RATE RESOLUTION FORM

Entity Information

Entity Name: Governing Body / Board:

County / Jurisdiction:

Resolution No.:

Meeting Date:

Fiscal Year:

Tax Year:

Resolution Recitals

WHEREAS, the Governing Body of has considered the needs of the municipality and the requirements for public services for the fiscal period identified above; and

WHEREAS, under the authority granted by applicable law and charter, the Governing Body is empowered to fix and levy taxes upon taxable property within its jurisdiction; and

WHEREAS, the Governing Body has reviewed the assessed valuation as certified by the assessor and has determined the necessity of adopting one or more tax rates to meet budgetary and statutory obligations;

Resolution — Tax Rate Adoption

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Governing Body of that the following rates are hereby adopted and levied upon the taxable value of property within the jurisdiction for the tax year indicated above:

Description	Rate (per $100 of assessed valuation)	Estimated Levy Amount



Subtotal
Adjustments / Credits
Total Levy

The foregoing rates shall be levied upon the assessed valuation as certified by the assessor, and shall be computed in accordance with applicable statutes. The levy shall be apportioned to the funds and purposes stated above and applied to taxable property within the jurisdiction.

Authority, Collection, and Notification

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Financial Officer, Tax Collector, or other designated official is hereby authorized and directed to take all necessary actions to levy and collect the taxes in accordance with law, including the delivery of certified copies of this resolution to the Tax Assessor and Tax Collector.

Designated Tax Collector: Tax Collector Contact / Address:

Vote and Certification

The following vote was taken on adoption of this resolution:

Ayes:

Nays:

Absent / Excused:

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the resolution duly adopted by the Governing Body at a lawfully convened meeting at which a quorum was present and voting.

Certification Date:

Notes / Terms & Conditions

Additional Instructions or Comments:

This resolution shall take effect in accordance with governing law and shall be published or posted as required. Any modifications to adopted rates shall require subsequent action by the Governing Body.

Presiding Officer:

By:

Date:

Clerk / Secretary:

By:

Date:

What the Tax Rate Resolution Form Is and when it applies

A Tax Rate Resolution Form is the formal written action used by a governing body—municipality, county, school district, or special district—to establish or change a property tax rate or levy for a specified fiscal year. The resolution typically records the adopted millage or rate, references the controlling ordinance or statute, documents the vote, and provides directions for certification to the county treasurer or state revenue office. Many jurisdictions require a public notice and hearing before adoption; local procedural and certification deadlines vary by state and by the type of taxing authority.

Why a clear resolution matters for finance and compliance

A properly drafted Tax Rate Resolution Form creates an auditable record of the governing body’s decision, supports lawful collection of levied taxes, reduces risk of legal challenge, and clarifies administrative steps for certification and remittance to the county or state.

Who commonly prepares, approves, and receives this form

External recipients often include the county treasurer, county assessor, state department of revenue if required, and public records offices for transparency.

Municipal finance officers and city treasurers responsible for calculating levy and certifying rates to the county
County boards and commissions that adopt or ratify tax levies for county services and special assessments
School district boards and clerk offices that adopt levies and prepare documentation for voter-approved budgets

Stepwise process for preparing and adopting a Tax Rate Resolution

Follow a clear sequence to document calculations, notify the public, obtain a vote, and certify the adopted rate to the appropriate authority.

01

Draft: Prepare resolution text including rate, fiscal year, and calculation backup.
02

Notice: Publish required public notice and provide hearing information.
03

Adopt: Hold public hearing and record the governing body vote in minutes.
04

Certify: Submit certified resolution and supporting schedules to county or state.

Typical eSubmission workflow settings to configure

Configure the digital workflow to preserve audit trails, require proper authentication, and store a certified copy for public records.

Field	Configuration
Authentication	Email link, SMS code, or ID verification
Notifications	Signer reminder schedule and delivery receipts
Template	Lock calculated fields and include attachments
Storage	Encrypted archival with retention metadata

Where and how to file or deliver the adopted resolution

After adoption, follow the jurisdictional routing rules to certify and make the resolution public.

County Treasurer: Certify levy to the county treasurer for collection processing.
County Assessor: Provide supporting schedules the assessor needs for property tax computations.
State Revenue Office: File with state department when state law requires certification or reporting.
Public Records: Publish or post adopted resolution per local transparency requirements.

Digital signing and format considerations for eSubmission

Ensure the platform can produce an auditable certificate of completion, export archival PDF/A files, and meet any state e-record rules before relying on e-submission.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
File formats: PDF, DOCX, and Excel output supported
Signer authentication: Email, SMS, KBA, or ID verification options

Common timeline elements and public notice minimums

Timelines vary by state; plan early to meet local notice, hearing, and certification deadlines.

Public notice period:

Typically 7–30 days before the hearing depending on local statute

Public hearing:

Held prior to adoption to accept comment and record testimony

Adoption vote:

Formal recorded vote taken at a public meeting

Certification:

Submit certified resolution to county or state per local deadline

Effective date:

Set explicitly; often begins with the next tax year or levy cycle

Sequential milestones from draft to collection

Track key milestones so that legal notice, approval, and certification align with budget and collection cycles.

01

Draft and Legal Review

Prepare resolution text and confirm statutory compliance before public notice.

02

Public Notice Issued

Publish required notice and allow statutorily required comment period.

03

Public Hearing and Vote

Hold hearing, document comments, and record the formal vote.

04

Certification and Filing

File the certified resolution and supporting schedules with authorities.

Frequent mistakes that delay collections or invite challenge

Failing to reconcile the levy amount with the adopted budget and assessment roll, creating collection and accounting mismatches.
Using imprecise rate units (mills versus decimal percentage) that cause miscalculation of taxpayer bills and administrative rework.
Omitting required public notice or holding an improperly noticed hearing, which can render the action vulnerable to legal challenge.
Missing certification deadlines or failing to deliver documents to the correct county or state office, which can delay tax collection.

Consequences of errors or late filings

Lost levy authority: Failure to certify may prevent legal collection of the adopted levy.

Financial penalties: State or county fines for late filings or missed certification.

Refund obligations: Incorrect rates may require refunds and adjustments to taxpayer accounts.

Legal challenge: Procedural defects invite injunctions or invalidation of the resolution.

Interest accrual: Delays can cause interest or administrative costs to accumulate.

Reputational harm: Public errors can erode trust and complicate future levies.

Representative eSignature vendor pricing and capability snapshot

Vendor pricing and feature caps vary; signNow is listed first. Use plan-level details to match volume, compliance, and authentication needs.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Practical examples of typical use cases

Illustrative scenarios showing how different public entities use a Tax Rate Resolution Form.

County Finance Office

A county prepares a resolution tied to the certified assessment roll

The clerk posts a public notice and schedules a hearing
After approval, the finance office certifies the levy to the treasurer and uploads a tamper-evident certified PDF to public records for transparency and audit.

School District Board

A school board drafts a levy resolution linked to its budget vote

The resolution includes voter-approved override language when required
The district clerk signs, certifies, and delivers the resolution to the county for inclusion on property tax bills.

FAQs and practical clarifications

Answers to common questions about execution, e-signing, retention, and correcting adopted tax rate resolutions.

Need help? Contact support

What is a Tax Rate Resolution Form?
It is the official document by which a governing body adopts a tax rate or levy; it records the vote, references legal authority, and directs certification to the county or state for collection.
Who must sign the resolution?
Typically the presiding officer and the clerk or secretary sign and date the resolution; signatures should match the official roll and meeting minutes to show authorizing authority.
Can the resolution be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures satisfying intent, consent, attribution, and retention meet the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA standards when state law permits and platform audit trails are preserved.
How long should I keep copies?
Retain certified originals for the active levy term plus at least three years; many jurisdictions and federal guidance recommend seven years for post-termination retention, and tax records follow IRC §6501(a).
What if we discover an error after adoption?
Errors are typically corrected by a subsequent corrective resolution or amended certification documented in minutes. Depending on the error, refunds, recalculations, or re-certification may be required.
What are the risks of noncompliance?
Failure to follow notice, hearing, or certification procedures can lead to delayed collections, state or county sanctions, legal challenges, and potential refund obligations to taxpayers.

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