The Tax Department is responsible for obtaining, developing, analyzing, and maintaining records      necessary for the appraisal, assessment, billing, collection, and listing of taxes associated with real    and personal property within the jurisdiction of the County and municipalities according to the state of North Carolina General Statutes. The Tax Department is required to provide information and research as well as maintain records for the North Carolina Department of Revenue. It also provides statistical information for General Assembly analysts. The department also serves as the staff liaison to the Board of Equalization and Review.

The Tax Department has five functional offices made up of Administration, Appraisal (real property), Collections, Land Records and Listing (personal and business personal property).

The 2008 projected tax base as of June 30, 2008  for the county is $29,071,789,319.  This number does not unclude exempt parcels.   The number of parcels, including exempt parcels is $97,237.  

New Hanover was the first county in the state to conduct an in-house revaluation in 1983. The last revaluation was effective January 1, 2007 while the next will be effective January 1, 2011.

The Land Records Office was one of the first in the state to implement the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping of property maps for tax purposes in 1995 and continues to be in the forefront of technological improvements.

The Collections Office maintains one of the highest collection rates (98%) in the state.