Property Tax Appeal Deadlines by State: Don't Miss Yours
Every property tax appeal guide buries the lede, so I will put it first: comps matter, evidence matters, but nothing matters if you file late. Miss your property tax appeal deadline and in most states you wait a full year for another shot, paying the inflated bill the whole time. Here are the deadlines that matter and the traps around them.
Property Tax Appeal Deadlines by State: The Ones People Search For
Deadlines are set by state law but often administered county by county, and the names change too: Texas calls it a protest, New York calls it a grievance, Ohio calls it a complaint. The date is what matters.
Texas: May 15 (or 30 days after your appraisal notice is mailed, whichever is later). Filed as a protest with your county appraisal district. Texas allows protests every year, which is why it has the most active appeal culture in the country.
New York: third Tuesday in May in most towns (grievance day), though New York City and some jurisdictions differ. The window is narrow and local.
Florida: 25 days after the TRIM notice is mailed (Truth in Millage notice, usually August or September). The Value Adjustment Board cannot extend it. A late petition needs a good-cause statement the VAB attorney accepts, which is a long shot.
Illinois: 30 days after publication, and it varies by township. In Kane County for 2026, Campton Township's deadline is October 26 and Plato Township's is October 21. You have to check your specific township.
Georgia: 45 days after the assessment notice.
Ohio: March 31 for the Board of Revision complaint.
California: November 30 (or September 15 in counties where the assessor mails all notices by August 1), or 60 days after a supplemental notice. It genuinely varies by county; the state Board of Equalization publishes the full county list each year.
New Jersey: April 1 (May 1 in revaluation years; January 15 in Monmouth, Gloucester, and Burlington counties).
Pennsylvania: varies by county. Montgomery County enforces August 1, Bucks County requires filing by August 3, and Philadelphia runs under its own Real Estate Tax Review Board with the first Monday in October (October 5, 2026).
Why the Deadline Is So Brutal
In most jurisdictions, missing the appeal deadline does not mean a late fee or a stern letter. It means you accept the assessed value for the entire cycle. In states with annual reassessment that is one year of overpayment. In places that reassess every few years, or in extreme cases every ten, it can be much longer.
The timing also fights human nature. The deadline often arrives months before the tax bill. In Illinois, Kane County warns that waiting until the tax bill arrives is generally too late to begin the ordinary Board of Review complaint process, because the 2026 assessment year applies to taxes payable in 2027. The bill is the consequence, not the starting gun.
My advice is boring and effective: the day your assessment notice arrives, put the deadline in your calendar with a two-week advance reminder. Then start gathering comps immediately. Evidence takes longer to assemble than anyone expects, and a deadline crunch is how good appeals become sloppy ones.
File Early, File Completely
Two things separate successful appeals from dismissed ones, and neither is brilliance.
Use the informal review if your county offers one. Many counties let you sit down with an appraiser before any formal hearing. In Texas, most protests settle at the informal stage without ever reaching a formal hearing. Do not skip the easy win.
Respect the evidence exchange rules. Some states require you to share your evidence before the hearing. In Florida, the petitioner must provide the property appraiser with a list of evidence, copies of all documents, and a witness summary at least 15 days before the hearing. Show up with surprise evidence and the board may not consider it.
And a final consideration: decide early whether you are hiring help or going DIY, because appeal companies need lead time too. A contingency firm cannot build your packet the night before the deadline.
Example: a $40,000 over-assessment at a 2 percent effective tax rate costs you $800 a year. Miss one deadline in a three-year reassessment cycle and that is $2,400 gone, which dwarfs whatever the appeal would have cost in time or fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I miss my property tax appeal deadline?
In most states you lose the right to appeal that year's assessment entirely and must wait for the next cycle. A few jurisdictions allow late filing for good cause, but the bar is high and extensions are rare.
Is the appeal deadline the same every year?
Often, but not always. Fixed-date deadlines like Texas's May 15 are stable; notice-triggered deadlines like Florida's 25 days after TRIM move with the mailing date. Revaluation years and county rule changes can shift dates, so verify annually.
Can I appeal if I just bought the house?
Yes, and a recent purchase price close to the assessment date is strong evidence. If you paid less than the assessed value, that sale is arguably the best comp in existence. Check your deadline first; buying a house does not extend it.
Do I still have to pay my property taxes while the appeal is pending?
In most states, yes. Florida, for example, requires petitioners to pay all non-ad valorem assessments and at least 75 percent of the ad valorem taxes before delinquency, or the board must deny the petition. An appeal is not a payment holiday.
Is an Appeal Worth It for You?
Run your numbers through the calculator to see estimated yearly savings before you spend time on the paperwork, then check your state's appeal deadline.
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