Home › Virginia
Virginia Property Tax GuideAppeal and Lower Your Virginia Property Tax.
Virginia gives every locality wide latitude over how property tax appeals run, so the right answer depends heavily on whether you live in Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Henrico, or a smaller jurisdiction. The common thread: every Virginia locality uses an administrative review first, Board of Equalization second structure.
How the Virginia Appeal Process Works
- Receive your Notice of Assessment, mailed January or February.
- File an administrative review with the Department of Real Estate Assessments (usually 45 to 90 days to file).
- Informal assessor meeting, resolves a large share of cases with a revised assessment.
- File with the Board of Equalization before your locality's deadline if unresolved.
- BOE hearing, short, informal, present comparable sales.
- Appeal to the Circuit Court within three years if you disagree with the BOE.
Major Virginia Localities, Where to File
- Fairfax County: fairfaxcounty.gov/taxes. Administrative review by April 1; BOE by June 1.
- Arlington County: arlingtonva.us/real estate assessments. BOE by April 15.
- Loudoun County: loudoun.gov/cor. BOE by June 1.
- Henrico County: henrico.us/assessor. BOE by April 1.
- Chesterfield County: chesterfield.gov/RealEstateAssessments.
- Virginia Beach: vbgov.com/assessor.
- Prince William County: pwcva.gov/finance.
Don't skip the administrative review. In most Virginia localities, filing directly with the BOE without first completing an administrative review with the assessor is grounds for dismissal. The admin review is also where the majority of cases settle, if the assessor offers a reduction, take it or counter; you rarely need to go to the BOE.
When You Probably Qualify for a Reduction
- Your assessment jumped more than market trends support (Northern Virginia especially)
- Recent sales of similar homes on your street came in lower than your assessment
- Your parcel record lists improvements you don't have (finished basement, deck, pool)
- Your home has flood history, foundation issues, or unrepaired damage
- You bought the home in the last 12 months below the new assessed value
Get a Virginia Appeal Package in 48 Hours
We pull your locality's record, build comparable sales, and produce a filing ready administrative review or BOE petition for $50 flat.
Start My Virginia Appeal →Virginia Property Tax Appeal FAQ
Will appealing raise my assessment?
Virginia BOEs can adjust in either direction, though homeowner initiated appeals rarely result in increases. If your evidence is weak, the BOE typically affirms the existing assessment rather than raising it.
Are Virginia cities different from counties?
Independent cities (Richmond, Alexandria, Norfolk, etc.) have their own BOE structure, substantively similar but procedurally separate from the surrounding county.
Can I file a Circuit Court appeal directly?
Yes. Virginia law allows three years to file a court appeal of an assessment, but most homeowners start with the admin review and BOE to exhaust the faster administrative route.
How often does Virginia reassess?
Annually in most larger localities (Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Virginia Beach). Smaller counties run 2- to 6 year cycles.