Allegheny County Property Tax Appeal — Pennsylvania

The deadline for filing a 2026 tax assessment appeal will be September 2, 2026, because September 1st is a holiday. The Ordinance also limits the time period for filing to 60 days before the deadline, creating a narrower window for interested property owners and taxing jurisdictions to file appeals. Appeals must be filed between July 3 to September 1. This earlier deadline allows the county to finalize assessments before January 1, 2026, helping both taxpayers and taxing districts budget more effectively. Forms typically become available in July through the county website.

You can file your property tax appeal online through the Allegheny County Real Estate Portal at the county's official website. Appeal forms are available during the annual filing window on the official Allegheny County Assessment Website: 🔗 Allegheny County Property Tax Appeal Form The online system allows you to complete and submit your appeal electronically between July 3 and September 2, 2026 for the 2027 tax year. Make sure to have your property information and supporting documentation ready before starting the online filing process.

The Allegheny County Homestead Exclusion excludes the first $18,000 of your assessed market value for county homeowners. This means if your home is assessed at $100,000, you only pay county taxes on $82,000. To qualify, the property must be your primary residence, and you must apply by March 1 each year. Applications must be received by the Allegheny County Office of Property Assessment by March 1 to be eligible for the reduction in the current tax year. Individual municipalities may offer additional homestead exclusions beyond the county's $18,000 reduction.

Despite being named a "formal hearing", it is rather informal. In the pre-COVID era, hearings were in an office-like room with a hearing officer, an individual with a real estate background, who will accept the evidence presented and write a report with their opinion. You'll present your evidence such as comparable sales, property condition documentation, and appraisals to support your proposed assessment. The hearing officer reviews all evidence and typically issues a decision within 30-60 days. The Hearing Officers that you will appear before, as well as the Board of Property Assessment Appeals & Review (BPAAR) members that oversee the personnel and procedures, are NOT County employees. They are independent contractors who have agreed to apply their fields of experience and expertise (Real Estate Agents and Brokers, Attorneys, Appraisers, Architects and other RE related professions) and provide independent, impartial valuations for the appeals submitted to the county.

Your potential savings depend on how much your current assessment exceeds your property's actual market value adjusted by the Common Level Ratio (CLR). For the 2027 tax year, Allegheny County's CLR is 50.14%. For 2026, the CLR is 50.1%, meaning: If your property is worth $100,000 in the current market, it should be assessed at only $50,100 (100,000 × 0.501). With the county's median effective tax rate of 2.59%, reducing your assessment by $50,000 would save approximately $1,295 annually. Many property owners see reductions of 10-30% or more, especially if their property hasn't been reassessed since the 2012 base year. Successful appeals often result in significant tax savings for multiple years.

For a successful appeal, you'll need evidence showing your property's current market value is lower than what the assessment suggests. Supporting documents might include: appraisals, comparable sales, repair estimates, photos, and more. The most compelling evidence includes recent sales of similar properties in your neighborhood, a professional appraisal, photos documenting any property defects or needed repairs, contractor estimates for major repairs, and income/expense statements for rental properties. All evidence must be received by the County at least 10 days prior to your scheduled hearing. Additionally, evidence will not be returned, as it will remain part of the official hearing file.

Yes. In Allegheny County, you can appeal your property assessment every year, either: ... Appeals must be filed before the deadline (e.g., September 1, 2026 for 2026 appeals). The primary method of reducing your tax burden is through the annual tax appeal process. Every year, property owners can appeal their property assessment if they believe it does not reflect current fair market value. There's no limit to how often you can appeal, as long as you meet the annual deadline. Each appeal applies to that tax year and continues forward until another change is made.

The Common Level Ratio (CLR) is crucial for property tax appeals in Allegheny County because it converts current market values to the 2012 base year assessment values. For example, in 2026, Allegheny County's CLR will drop to 50.1%. For 2026, the CLR is 50.1%, meaning: If your property is worth $100,000 in the current market, it should be assessed at only $50,100 (100,000 × 0.501). If your home is worth $100,000 today, and you are appealing a 2026 assessment, the County should not be assessing it at $100,000. Instead, your proper assessment would be: $100,000 × 0.501 = $50,100. No, you must file a tax assessment appeal to get the benefit of the reduced CLR ratio. If you do not file an appeal, no one will file an appeal for you and you will not benefit from the reduced CLR.