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Kern County · CaliforniaAppeal Your Kern County Property Tax.
The Kern County Assessor's office in Bakersfield values every property on California's January 1 lien date. When that assessed value overshoots the market, file both: an informal Prop 8 decline in value review with the assessor (fast, often resolves without a hearing) and a formal Assessment Appeals Board filing with the Clerk of the Board (protects your right to a hearing).
Kern County Assessor
Source: California State Board of Equalization county directory.
Where to File in Kern County
Deadline verified against the California BOE county assessment appeals filing periods list. Always confirm current-year details with the Kern County Clerk of the Board before filing.
Kern County Prop 8 Filing Steps
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Check if your property qualifies
Run your address or APN through vulorean.com. If your assessed value exceeds current market value as of January 1, you have a viable Prop 8 claim.
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Get your Vulorean valuation report
A market value opinion as of January 1 with comparable sales. Choose DIY or Concierge.
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Submit your appeal
Kern has no online informal form — request the informal review by phone, and file the formal appeal with the Assessment Appeals Board.
DIY Call (661) 868-3485 for the informal review. Fill out the formal Application for Changed Assessment using your Vulorean report.Concierge Your rep requests the informal review and prepares the formal appeal. Sign the Agent Authorization Form (included with your report - purchase to access) so they can act for you.- Formal appeal form: Download Application for Changed Assessment (PDF) (included with your report - purchase to access)
- Property tax reappraisal landing page: kerncounty.com — Decline in Value Review (Prop 8)
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File your appeal
Submit the formal appeal to the Kern County Assessment Appeals Board.
DIY Mail or deliver in person to Clerk of the Board, 1115 Truxtun Ave, 5th Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301, or email aabclerk@kerncounty.com.Concierge Your rep submits the appeal on your behalf. -
Await response
If approved, you will be notified. If a hearing is scheduled, you may need to attend.
DIY Watch for a response by mail. Attend any scheduled hearing or send a representative.Concierge Your rep monitors the response and handles any hearing.
Kern County reminder: California's Prop 13 caps annual taxable value growth at 2%, so a successful appeal keeps paying dividends every year your market value sits below the Prop 13 base. Prop 8 is the complement. It lets you capture temporary market dips. Both paths run through the Kern County Assessor in Bakersfield.
When You Probably Qualify for a Kern County Reduction
- Your current assessed value is above recent sales of comparable homes in Kern County
- You bought in Kern County in the last 12 months below the county's assessed value
- Your Kern Assessor parcel record has errors, wrong square footage, added features that don't exist, or incorrect grade
- Your home has unrepaired damage, structural issues, foundation settling, or major deferred maintenance
- Your neighborhood's market softened but the Kern Assessor hasn't adjusted
Kern County Appeal Package · $55 Flat
We pull your Kern County Assessor record, build comparable sales, and produce a filing ready BOE-305-AH appeal in 48 hours. You keep 100% of the savings.
Start My Kern County Appeal →Kern County Property Tax FAQ
When does Kern County mail assessment notices?
California counties, including Kern, typically mail notices in June or July. Your window to file BOE-305-AH opens July 2 and closes November 30 in Kern County, per the California BOE county filing periods list. Confirm current-year dates with the Kern Clerk's office.
Do I have to use an attorney?
No. The California Assessment Appeals Board is designed for pro se homeowners. Filing BOE-305-AH is a two page form and hearings are informal. Most Kern County homeowners file and represent themselves.
Will my Kern County taxes go up if I appeal?
No. California appeal outcomes at the Assessment Appeals Board are strictly reductions or no change. Prop 13 caps assessed value growth at 2% per year regardless.
Is Prop 8 the same as Prop 13?
No. Prop 13 is the base year rule that caps annual assessment growth. Prop 8 is the companion rule that lets the assessor (or you) temporarily drop your value below the Prop 13 base when the market falls. When the market recovers, your value can rise back up to the Prop 13 cap, but not above it.