Frequently Asked Questions
Filter by Department
Assessor Auditor Conservation E-911 Engineer's Office & Secondary Roads General Relief & Assistance Recorder Treasurer Veterans Affairs Show AllAssessor
Property tax payments are payable July 1 and delinquent after September 30 for the first half and March 31 for the second half. View our Property Tax page for full details.
The short answer is no. Not the same percentage up and/or down. All property classes pay taxes on a percentage of the assessed value. This is referred to as Assessment Limitation or Rollback. The current Rollback percentage for 2024 values is 73.86% for agricultural, 47.43% for residential. For commercial & industrial, it is 47.4316% for the first $150,000 of assessed value, then 90% for the value that exceeds $150,000.
The total taxable value for a classification, such as residential, can only increase 3% statewide. In the fall of this year, the Iowa Department of Revenue will determine what percentage of the assessed value is taxable. With the 2025 changes in assessed values increasing statewide, we anticipate these rollback percentages to decrease very similarly to what occurred in 2023.
As an example, we can review exactly what occurred in 2023 from a 23% overall increase in Clayton Co. This example assumes a taxing district does not adjust its levy rate.
| Residential | Assessed Value | Rollback | Taxable Value | Levy Rates | Tax/Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prior year | $100,000 | 54.65% | $54,650 | $30/1000 (.030) | $1,640 |
| 2023 value 23%+ | $123,000 | 46.34% | $56,998 | $30/1000 (.030) |
| Agricultural | Assessed Value | Rollback | Taxable Value | Levy Rates | Tax/Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prior year | $50.000 | 91.64% | $45,820 | $30/1000 (.030) | $1,375 |
| 2023 value 22%+ | $61,000 | 71.83% | $43,816 | $30/1000 (.030) | $1,314 |
If a taxing jurisdiction does not adjust their levy rate accordingly to valuation changes, they will be taxing more or less depending on overall taxable value changes.
The entire state has seen dramatic increases in the real estate market over the last 4 years. Ultimately, we do not know how an individual’s taxes will be affected as we do not know the tax levy, the exact state rollback, or legislative changes that will take place.
The assessment process could decrease values by 25%, but the taxable value will still want to increase by 3% each year. Rollback will continue to rise until it reaches 100%.
Example of decreases in values.
| Residential | Assessed Value | Rollback | Taxable Value | Levy Rates | Tax/Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prior Year | $100,000 | 54.65% | $54,650 | $30/1000 (.030) | $1,640 |
| 25% decrease | $75,000 | 75.05% | $56,288 | $30/1000 (.030) | $1,688 |
This shows that even if the assessments decreased, the rollback % will adjust, and the taxable and taxes would not change to the same percentage as the assessment. What this means is that ultimately, Levy Rates are what determine taxes. The assessment process is a base to maintain equity in properties, so taxes are a fair share.
This process is called equalization and is intended to adjust the values of all property within a class according to sales & data of those like and similar properties. The sales & data used are from and applied within Clayton County only. The Iowa Code states that all property must be valued at market value in odd-numbered years. Agricultural property is valued on productivity. This will be happening throughout the state for 2025. If an assessor does not adjust the values and the data shows they should have, the Iowa Department of Revenue will increase them in the fall of 2025 in an equalization order. The assessment process wants to stay away from these orders as they are a flat increase/decrease to properties and not as accurate of a representation of each district within the county. Since 1975, assessments have been at market value by Iowa code. In a mass appraisal system, it is certainly possible that an individual property may have been assessed too low or too high.
The assessor’s office does not control the increase or decrease of equalization, as it’s dictated by the current market and regulated by the state. Therefore, we can’t argue the percent increase as it’s set by the actual sales from a prior year.
Sales from the jurisdiction are used to determine the total value that is required for an entire classification. The sales are compared to the assessments and a sales ratio is created. If a home sells for $250,000 and is assessed at $200,000, that is an 80% sales ratio, or under-assessed by 25%. All normal arm’s length sales for the year are considered and approved by the Iowa Department of Revenue and a median (middle) sale is used to determine what the increase will be to ALL property in that class. The assessor’s office does not determine what properties are being sold or purchased at. That is determined by the seller and buyer and reported on their Declaration of Value submitted to the state. Ultimately, your property’s assessed value is dictated by how all other property sells. That’s why it’s important to view actual sales and listings to see how they compare to the assessment of that given property. For assessments to decrease or maintain the same value in this process, we would need to see most of the sales less than or at the assessed values.
This is a similar situation to the question above. While making changes such as new construction to a property can increase or decrease the value of that individual property, the sales information from a jurisdiction indicates what occurred in the market. Since the assessor is required to be at market value on all property, if the market indicates that housing prices increased, it is likely that most properties would have to increase.
An assessor uses the information from the sales in their jurisdiction to determine changes. This often means the entire class of property will need to increase a certain amount, but the assessor also looks at other information from those sales and applies that information to their mass appraisal system. One town may have had sales that showed the town required a greater increase than another town. Same situation for urban property compared to rural property. Also, the assessor updates the cost manual, depreciation tables, and land rates, which depending on the type of construction, year built, and location/size of land, can make small differences.
The assessment process is a mass appraisal system and is not a perfect process for each individual property. Ideally, we want to be within 5% of market value. We understand properties change over time, both up and down, because of physical, economical, and other changes. With 30,000+ parcels, we are only as accurate as the listing information on each parcel, and we don’t site visit each parcel every year. It is important that you know what the value of your individual property is before we assume this. We recommend that an owner consider the following:
- Review your property listing information either on Beacon, or you can request a Property Record Card from Andy or Tammy.
- Consider increases in cost & replacement cost, new economic supply & demand in the area, and new construction of similar property.
- Review sales & listings of similar properties. Sites like Zillow and Realtor.com show current and past listings. Beacon has a Comp Search feature in Comparables that can find like & similar properties. There is also a sales list of the 2024 sales in Clayton Co available on Beacon in the announcements.
- If you have good information compiled from sales, comparable property, or even an appraisal from 2023 or 2024, we can use that in an informal process or can be used to file an appeal to the Board of Review for their consideration.
No. Property owned by railroads and utility companies is valued by the Iowa Department of Revenue and certified for taxation to the county auditor. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Any property owner or aggrieved taxpayer who is dissatisfied with the assessment may file a protest against such assessment with the Board of Review on or after April 2, to and including April 30 of the year of the assessment. The Board of Review meets for hearings during the month of May. The Board of Review petition form is available at the Beacon site under the Announcements. The protest must be confined to one or more of the following grounds:
- That said assessment is not equitable as compared with like/similar property.
- That property is not assessed at the value authorized by law. Market value stated.
- That the property is misclassified or exempt.
- That there is an error in the assessment.
- That there is fraud or misconduct in the assessment, which shall be specifically stated.
The Board of Review or the Assessor's office does not hear appeals on taxes.
The Rollback Rate is an annual statewide rate set annually for each property class by the Iowa Department of Revenue. In effect, the rate of growth in value for a given property class may be limited by the rate of growth in value of another property class. Somewhat similar to two people tied together in a three-legged race, neither property class can get too far ahead of the other one. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The Iowa Department of Revenue imposes equalization orders in odd-numbered years against each property class for each local assessor. Sometimes called “the assessor’s report card,” the equalization order is used to increase or decrease 100% actual values when those values are not sufficiently accurate. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The Department receives a copy of the Declaration of Value required to be filed with the county recorder when real estate is sold. Actual sales values are then compared to the Assessor’s 100% actual values. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Taxable value is the value used to calculate taxes and on which the tax askings of the various Levy Authorities are based. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Taxable value for most property is calculated by multiplying the Rollback Rate for the correct property class by the equalized 100% actual value. Taxable value for gas and electric utility property is calculated by the Iowa Department of Revenue. One exception is agricultural land within an incorporated city. City ag land is subject to a different tax levy rate limit than other property classes within a city, and ag land parcels are assigned to a separate city ag tax district. The result is that the various ag parcels within a city ag tax district do not have to be geographically contiguous. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Auditor
Election FAQsCredits & Exemptions
The Homestead Credit is a tax credit funded by the State of Iowa for qualifying homeowners, and is generally based on the first $4,850 of Net Taxable Value. In the case of a Disabled Veteran Tax Credit, the value of the Homestead Credit is increased to the entire amount of the Taxable Value of the property. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The Homestead Credit is calculated by dividing the homestead credit value by 1,000 and multiplying by the Consolidated Tax Levy Rate. That amount may then be reduced by the county to the same amount at which the State of Iowa has approved funding. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Veterans who served in active duty during certain periods of time and who were honorably discharged are eligible to receive a Military Exemption on their property taxes. Pursuant to Iowa law, the Military Exemption value is determined by the dates the veteran served in active duty. Values for most veterans are $1,852, or $3,704 in the case of a husband and wife who both qualify. The value for World War I veterans is $2,778. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The Military Exemption value is subtracted from the Taxable Value of a property prior to the calculation of taxes. To know how much your tax bill was reduced by the Military Exemption, divide the value by 1,000 and multiply the remainder by the Consolidated Tax Levy Rate. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The assessor has forms that you need to complete, sign, and file for the Homestead Credit and/or Military Exemption. That office can also tell you the qualifications for each. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Real Estate
A Levy Authority is a governmental entity with statutory authority to levy property taxes. These entities include counties, cities, school districts, townships, community colleges, local assessors, and others. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
A legal description is a description of real estate that is used in legal documents such as abstracts, deeds, mortgages, etc. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Real estate parcels are annually assigned a property class by the assessor or the Iowa Department of Revenue. Property classes include Agricultural, Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Railroad, Utility, and Gas and Electric Utility. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
An administrative real estate description is a description of real estate used by county offices for real estate assessment and taxation administrative purposes. Typically, it will be similar to a legal description, but may contain abbreviations or other summaries. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
A tax increment financing area (TIF Area) is usually created by a city or county for use as an economic development tool. A community college can also create a TIF Area for a new jobs training program. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
TIF Area is defined in the ordinance adopted by the city or county. A TIF Area may need to be broken into multiple TIF Tax Districts because of different Consolidated Tax Levy Rates or due to an amendment to the TIF Area, such as happens in an annexation. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
A city or county must adopt an urban renewal plan and then an ordinance for the division of TIF taxes. The process prescribes public notice and public hearing requirements. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Taxes levied on the base value are distributed by the county treasurer to the Levy Authorities in the same manner as regular (non-TIF) Tax Districts. Taxes levied on the increment value are paid to the TIF Authority. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The TIF Authority is the governmental body that created the TIF Area. Usually a city, it could also be a county, a community college, or a rural improvement zone. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The amount of increment taxes depends on the relative proportion of base value to increment value in the TIF Area, and also on whether or not the TIF Authority requests all of the available TIF increment taxes in a given year. You can see the distribution of your taxes on your tax bill. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
No. Debt levies for counties, schools, and cities are applied against both base and increment value, as are physical plant and equipment levies for school districts. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
To answer this question, it is useful to assume a situation in which two real estate parcels are exactly the same in the following respects: each has the same valuation, Property Class, tax credits exemptions, and Consolidated Tax Levy Rate. The only difference between the two is that one is in a TIF Area and the other is not. The result is that both properties will pay exactly the same amount of taxes. The difference in a TIF Area is not how much you pay in taxes, but who receives the taxes. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
TIF tax revenues are used to repay debt incurred for qualifying urban renewal projects within a TIF Area. Projects are for the purposes and activities listed in Code of Iowa Sections 403.6 or 403.12 and should also be included in the city’s urban renewal plan. TIF debt for an urban renewal project can take the form of rebate agreements, internal loans, general obligation bonds, or TIF revenue bonds. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Taxes
Yes, except that utilities defined as gas & electric utilities pay excise taxes. Railroad and utility values are included in the tax base for the respective Levy Authorities, and both real estate and excise taxes are paid to those Levy Authorities. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The procedure for changing the mailing addresses for tax bills will vary from county to county. Contact your county treasurer to determine what you need to do. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Generally, a Tax District is a geographically contiguous area defined by boundaries of schools, townships, and cities when overlaid with one another. As such, it is a contiguous area within which the Tax Levy Rates are the same for all parcels. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
An ag dwelling is a residence that sits on land classified as agricultural, such as a house on a 40-acre tract of farmland. Iowa law requires the value of the house to be taxed as residential property, while the value of the farmland is taxed as agricultural property. For certain tax administrative purposes, many counties create a separate tax parcel for an ag dwelling. In the case of an ag dwelling within city limits, this allows the county to apply the regular (full) city tax rate to the ag dwelling and the city ag (lower) tax rate to the land. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
The assessor, county auditor, and county treasurer are part of the tax cycle in that, in general, each has various administrative responsibilities for a given assessment year. In addition, the county recorder records various real estate documents, including subdivision plats, mortgages, surveys, and conveyances such as deeds, etc. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Your taxes are apportioned by the county treasurer to Levy Authorities such as the school district, city or township, and county in which your real estate parcel is located. If your property is in a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Area, most of your taxes are probably apportioned to a TIF Authority, such as a city. You can see the distribution of your taxes on your tax bill. For more information, please call the Auditor's Office at 563-245-1106.
Conservation
No, we do not allow the use of these vehicles in our parks, trails, or campgrounds unless special permission has been given by certified staff.
Yes, dogs are welcome in all our parks and on the trails, but they must be on a leash at all times. The areas we do not let domestic animals in are the native animal exhibit and the Welcome Center at Osborne Park.
Yes, we will take meat that is unseasoned and non-smoked. It must still be good for human consumption, so nothing that has thawed to room temperature. or overly old.
Three of our county parks (Motor Mill, Buck Creek, & Pleasant Ridge) allow bow hunting, but first you must register during business hours at the Osborne Welcome Center. You will need to provide your driver's license and hunting license and fill out a short application form.
All reservations can now be made online by visiting the County Parks Website. Find Clayton County, and all our available facilities will be listed. Reservations need to be made at least three days in advance.
You can call the Manchester Fish Hatchery at 563-927-3276 to be put in contact with a local DNR officer.
If you find a baby animal that appears to be on its own, don’t worry. Generally, one of its parents is nearby, watching. Many people “rescue” wildlife babies they believe to be abandoned. But when you take that “orphaned” rabbit out of the nest or that raccoon out of the tree, you’re taking that baby away from its parents, its natural setting, and a chance to live in the wild. Many times, taking an animal out of the wild greatly reduces its chances of survival.
If you know for a fact that the animal is injured and/or orphaned, it will need to be placed with a certified wildlife rehabilitator. For our area, we would have you contact Tracy Belle at Wildthunder 319-961-3352.
The nature center located within the Osborne Welcome Center is open:
April - October
Monday - Saturday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sundays: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
November - March
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Closed weekends
Primitive sites only have a fire pit and picnic table, and the park will have a latrine-type toilet with no running water. Osborne Campground is the only one with electric and running water located at each site, except for the primitive tent sites.
Call the local FSA/NRCS at 563-245-1713.
The trout streams are stocked by the DNR hatcheries. You can contact the Big Springs Hatchery by calling 563-245-2446.
E-911
Anyone living in the rural areas of Clayton County, or anyone with a business or other actively used site, is required by County Ordinance to have an address marker that is uniform to the County 911 system. Additionally, any time a sign is lost or damaged, it is the property owner’s responsibility to fill out an application for a replacement.
Each household, cell phone, or business pays a monthly fee of $1.00 on each telephone line that appears on their phone bill. If you have a landline, the full dollar goes to the Clayton County E911 fund. A portion of the $1.00 charge on your cell phone goes directly to Clayton County E911, and a portion goes to the state 911 program.
An application is made on the Geopermits website (link). The 911 Coordinator will review the application, and an address assignment will be made. Signs are ordered at the end of each quarter, and notification will be made when they are ready for pick up or once the county installs the sign, depending on your installation choice in the application.
If you have questions regarding the application, please reach out to 911 Coordinator Samantha Rumph at 563-245-1251 or 911@claytoncountyia.gov.
If you are located within the city limits of any town in Clayton County, reach out to your city clerk for address assignment.
The current fee for a marker is $75.00 if the property owner installs the sign themselves and $150.00 if they would like Clayton County personnel to do the installation. The fee includes your sign, post, and hardware.
The Clayton County Communication Center is able to communicate with the hearing/speech impaired by using a TTY/TDD interface. If a caller uses a TTY/TDD, the caller should place the phone receiver in the TTY and dial 911. After the call is answered, press the TTY keys several times. This may help shorten the time necessary to respond to the call. Give the dispatchers a moment to respond. If a deaf or hearing/speech impaired caller doesn’t have a TTY/TDD, the caller should call 911 and stay on the line. Not hanging up leaves the line open, the caller’s address is displayed on the dispatcher’s screen, and help will be sent. Clayton County also has the ability to receive text to 911 as an option.
911 is the number to call for emergency services (police, medical, and fire). A 911 call goes over dedicated phone lines to the 911 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the area the caller is calling from, and trained personnel then send the emergency help needed. The very first 911 service in the nation was implemented in Haleyville, Alabama, in February of 1968.
Engineer's Office & Secondary Roads
Dust Control
Please submit a Service Request Form. Contact the vendors below directly. Questions regarding dust control and the material used should be directed to the vendor. Clayton County will not guarantee the effectiveness of the dust control. Any issues regarding the quality of the product should be addressed to the vendor.
Vendors:
- Three Rivers FS | Elkader | 563-245-2320
- Dust Busters | West Union | 563-380-2740
- NE Iowa Dust Control | Calmar | 319-432-1990
Generally, we try to leave dust control areas alone between the first application and October 1. However, there are times that we deem it necessary to maintain the road through your dust control in order to keep a smooth and safe road surface. This is especially true when there is heavy rain and we are experiencing washouts.
General Information
Visit the Iowa County Engineer Service Bureau website for information about road closures and construction projects.
Road Closures & Projects Road Notifications
Statewide information can be found at Iowa DOT's 511 website.
Please submit a Service Request Form or contact our office.
The Secondary Road Department possesses an easement in order to maintain the road for public usage. The amount of right-of-way varies from road to road. If you need to know a specific ROW for a road, please call the office at 641-792-5862. Landowners may not place, or cause to be placed, an obstruction within any county right-of-way per Iowa Code Chapter 318 Sections 4 & 5.
The County mows in order to maintain sight distance, vegetation, shaded roadways, undergrowth, removal of snow traps, and clear zones. The County will not mow on any personal property; only the right-of-way.
Snow Removal
No, salt and sand are only applied to hard-surfaced roads due to the damage they can cause to rock roads. Gravel roads that become slick are maintained with a motor grader to provide better traction.
Your mailbox and post should be able to withstand potential discharge from snowplows. Please take time in the fall of the year to evaluate your mailbox’s integrity. Mailboxes must meet the standards of the United States Postal Service. Inferior posts and mounts will not be repaired. Mailboxes that have been physically damaged due to direct contact by County machinery will be replaced.
No. Property owners are responsible for maintaining access to mailboxes.
Normal hours of operation for snow and ice removal are from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. The Clayton County Engineer or their delegated representative may, under their professional judgement, adjust these hours. Clayton County will respond to emergency situations as outlined in the Snow and Ice Removal Policy.
Clayton County services Paved roads in its primary efforts and Unpaved (Gravel) roads secondarily. Both parts of the roadway system are done in the most efficient and effective way possible. This may mean that each snow removal event may start and stop in the same location as the previous snow events.
Restoring access on gravel roads is a slow process because motor graders are not built for speed, and a typical route covers approximately 80 center lane miles or approximately 160 lane miles. After a severe storm, it may not be possible to cover the entire area until the second or third day. Homeowners are encouraged to plan accordingly for the winter season.
General Relief & Assistance
In some cases, the County can assist. Therefore, it is encouraged that residents engage the county early to avoid disconnection of services and contact their provider to request an extension.
No. Community Action is a separate non-profit organization that assists Clayton County residents with a number of community and social service programs.
Assistance may be provided to applicants meeting income guidelines and resource limitations. This requirement applies to all categories set forth in the ordinance. A requirement for all categories is that an applicant is a resident of the county.
The County's general relief program can assist eligible residents with basic necessities such as rent, food, utilities, and medical assistance.
Recorder
DNR
Yes, you will be required to have a habitat stamp until you reach the age of 65.
If the length is 13 feet or greater, it needs to be registered.
No, boat trailers are licensed in the Clayton County Treasurer’s Office.
December 15.
General Information
No, passports are done in the Clayton County Auditor’s Office.
No, please contact the Clayton County Assessor’s Office at 563-245-2533.
No, tradename forms are only for a person or a co-partnership conducting a business. Corporation and LLC information can be obtained from the Secretary of State.
Recording
No, please contact the Clayton County Abstract CO at 563-245-1430.
No
A Century Farm is officially recognized as a farm that has been continuously owned by a single family for 100 years or more.
Vital Records
No, please contact the Clayton County Clerk of Court office at 563-245-2204.
Yes, the license is valid in any county in the state of Iowa.
No, there is no requirement to register at this time. For more information, please review the Officiant Pamphlet.
Clayton County Genealogical Society
119 North Main St.
P.O. BOX 846
Elkader, Iowa 52043
Phone: 563-245-1065
Email: ccgs@alpinecom.net
Hours: Thursdays 10 am - 4 pm
Treasurer
Driver's License
Drive tests are scheduled by appointment only. Please call 563-245-3200.
You may appear at our DL Station from 8:00 am to 11:45 am and from 12:30 pm to 3:45 pm daily.
Veterans Affairs
The VA provides an array of benefits that are based on a number of factors. You may visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website or come by our office to discuss eligibility requirements for a specific benefit.
Unfortunately, we're unable to provide a definite date. The timeframe depends on government resources, potential roadblocks, processes, and your desired outcome. However, our office will do everything we can to support navigating the process in a manner that is expedient for you.
Services are provided at no cost to you.
This depends on the type of benefit you're applying for, but for starters, we will need a copy of your DD214.
A DD214 is the form number associated with your Certificate of Discharge or Report of Separation that summarizes a veteran's military service.
Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Request Your Military Service Records page to learn more about requesting a DD214 and/or your military service record.
Yes, in 1973, there was a fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), and some military records were destroyed or affected. However, the NPRC has deployed efforts to reconstruct and salvage military records. You may learn more by visiting the National Archives' 1973 Fire page or assist the NPRC with reconstructing your record by visiting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Reconstruct Military Records page.
Please call the VA Benefits Line at 1-800-827-1000.
There are different types of identification cards. To determine your eligibility and request a card, please visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Veteran ID Cards page. Additionally, you may consider contacting the County Treasurer's Office to ask about having the Veteran Designation placed on your state-issued driver's license and/or identification card.
Yes, if you are a veteran, you’ll need to sign up for Medicare to enjoy these benefits. Both Medicare and VA benefits are available to those eligible, and for many, you can sign up for Medicare three months before turning 65. This is known as your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period, and you can avoid paying late enrollment penalties by enrolling during this time frame.