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Pennsylvania Property Tax GuideAppeal and Lower Your Pennsylvania Property Tax.
Pennsylvania runs one of the oldest and most fragmented property tax systems in the country. Many counties have not conducted a countywide reassessment in 15, 20, even 40 years. The state compensates using the common level ratio, which creates a specific appeal opportunity most homeowners never use.
How the Pennsylvania Appeal Process Works
- Get your assessed value from your county's Board of Assessment Appeals website.
- Look up the common level ratio (CLR) for your county at the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.
- Compute your implied assessed value: (current market value) × CLR. If this is below your actual assessment, you likely qualify.
- File an appeal with the county Board of Assessment Appeals before the deadline.
- Appeal hearing, informal, present comparable sales and your CLR calculation.
- Board of Viewers or Court of Common Pleas if further appeal is needed.
Major Pennsylvania Counties, Deadlines & Portals
- Allegheny County (Pittsburgh): alleghenycounty.us/real estate. Annual appeal deadline March 31.
- Philadelphia: phila.gov/opa. First Level Review by the start of May; formal appeal to BRT by Oct 1.
- Montgomery County: montcopa.org/boa. Deadline September 1.
- Bucks County: buckscounty.gov/assessment. Deadline September 1.
- Delaware County: delcopa.gov/assessment. Deadline September 1.
- Chester County: chesco.org/assessment. Deadline August 1.
- Lancaster County: lancastercountypa.gov/assessment. Deadline August 1.
The common level ratio trick. PA uses base year assessments, so your assessment might be based on 1995 values. The CLR converts today's market value back to that base year. If your current market × CLR is less than your assessment, you have an almost automatic appeal, even when you cannot find better comparable sales.
When You Probably Qualify for a Reduction
- Your market value × common level ratio is below your current assessment
- Comparable sales on your block are lower than your implied assessed value
- Your home has unrepaired damage or deferred maintenance
- You recently purchased for less than the assessor's implied market value
- Your parcel record has errors (square footage, lot size, bedrooms)
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Start My PA Appeal →Pennsylvania Property Tax Appeal FAQ
Will appealing raise my assessment?
No. Pennsylvania appeals can only reduce your assessment or leave it unchanged. However, in some counties the local taxing body (school district, municipality) can file a counter appeal seeking an increase, ask before filing if your home is high value.
Is Philadelphia different?
Yes. Philadelphia uses OPA (Office of Property Assessment) with its own First Level Review and Board of Revision of Taxes (BRT) structure. Deadlines are staggered and separate from the rest of the state.
Can I appeal a commercial property?
Yes. Pennsylvania appeal rights apply to all real property classes. Commercial appeals typically require an income approach analysis in addition to comparable sales.
What happens if I skip a year?
Nothing, you keep your current assessment. Pennsylvania allows annual appeals in nearly every county, but the longer an inflated assessment stays on the books, the more you overpay cumulatively.