Can my assessment go up if I appeal?

In Texas and New York, your assessed value cannot increase as a result of the appeal. In Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Virginia, an increase is legally possible but uncommon.

FairAppeal reviews each property before filing and will not file, or will withdraw, if we identify a meaningful risk. A recent sale price above the current assessed value is the most common reason we decline or withdraw.

How it works in each state

• Alaska. Your assessment cannot go up this year unless you ask the board to raise it.
• Arizona. Your county board cannot set your value above the assessor’s noticed value.
• Arkansas. Your county board can raise or lower your value on appeal.
• California. Your county board can raise or lower your assessed value, and it must give the notice its rules require.
• Connecticut. Your board can raise or lower your assessment, and it must write to you at least a week before any increase.
• District of Columbia. Your assessor’s review can raise or lower your proposed assessment, and the decision notice includes the assessor’s worksheets if the value changes.
• Florida. On a petition to lower your value, your board cannot set it above the property appraiser’s figure, unless it is correcting a newly found error in the property’s physical facts, and that correction requires a revised assessment notice.
• Georgia. Your board can lower the value you appealed, and it cannot raise that value above the assessors’ figure unless you appeal again while a two-year freeze from an earlier appeal is in effect.
• Idaho. Your county board can raise or lower your assessment, and it must notify you before any increase.
• Illinois. Your county board can raise or lower your assessment, and it must notify you before any increase.
• Indiana. Your board cannot set your value above the figure you appealed, unless the increase comes from new improvements, a major renovation, or a change in zoning or use.
• Iowa. Your local board can raise or lower your assessment, and the clerk must notify you if it raises your value.
• Kansas. Your county appraiser cannot raise your value because of the informal appeal meeting.
• Kentucky. Your county board sets your assessment at fair cash value, and it must write an opinion if it raises or lowers that value.
• Louisiana. Your parish board can raise or lower your assessment.
• Maine. Your assessors can lower your assessment to correct an error, or leave it the same.
• Massachusetts. Your assessors can lower your assessed value when it is too high, or leave it the same.
• Minnesota. Your local board can lower your assessment on your petition, and it must notify you before any increase.
• Mississippi. Your county board can raise or lower your value, and the clerk must mail you notice if your assessment is increased.
• Missouri. Your county board can raise a value that is too low, and it must give you notice of the increase.
• Montana. Your county board can raise or lower your assessment on your appeal.
• Nebraska. Your county board can raise this year’s assessment if your value is too low, and it must tell you the assessed value.
• Nevada. Your county board can raise or lower your assessed value, and it must notify you before any increase.
• New Hampshire. Your assessors can lower your assessment for good cause, or leave it the same.
• New Jersey. Your county board can raise your assessment if it is below the level allowed for your town, and your town can ask for an increase on its own.
• New York. Your board can lower your assessment or leave it the same, and it has not been allowed to raise assessments since 1981.
• North Carolina. Your county board can raise, lower, or keep the appraisal you appealed, and it must mail you its decision.
• North Dakota. Your local board can raise or lower your assessment.
• Ohio. The board can set a higher value than you have now, and if you ask to lower your market value by $50,000 or more, your school district can ask the board to keep your value or raise it.
• Oregon. Your county board can lower the value you petition, or leave it as it is.
• South Dakota. Your local board can raise an assessment, and it must notify you before any increase.
• Tennessee. Your county board can raise or lower your assessment, and it must notify you of any increase at least five days before it finishes.
• Texas. Your assessed value cannot go up unless you ask for a higher value and agree to it.
• Utah. If your value is more than 5 percent off the assessed value of comparable properties, your county board must adjust it up or down to match them.
• Virginia. Your board can raise, lower, or keep your assessment, and it must tell you and let you respond before any increase.
• Washington. Your county board can raise your assessed value, and the higher value takes effect 30 days after the board mails you its decision.
• West Virginia. Your county board must set your assessment at 60 percent of true and actual value, and it must give you five days’ written notice before any increase.
• Wisconsin. If your assessment is too low, your board must raise it, and if it is too high, the board must lower it.
• Wyoming. Your county board can keep the assessor’s value, or decide for you and send the case back.