Assessment appeal prep, on one page

What an appeal can change

You can appeal the assessor's value (the "actual value"), how the property is labeled (its classification), or the details on file. An appeal usually can't lower the tax rate itself (the mill levy) or a tax that voters approved. A metro district's charge is part of your tax rate, not part of the value — so a valuation protest usually can't touch it.

The notice of valuation

Start with the notice — the letter the county mails you with your home's value. Check four things: the value the county set, how the property is labeled, the details on file, and the protest deadline printed on it. Keep the notice.

The evidence that helps

• Comparable sales — recent sale prices of homes like yours, from the right time window.
• Photos of condition problems, plus any appraisal information.
• Record errors — a wrong square-footage number, a wrong finished-area count, or the wrong property type.
• Nearby values — proof that similar homes close by are valued lower.

Keep the case about value. A protest that just says "taxes are too high" usually misses the mark.

The deadline and where to file

Colorado gives you a short window in the spring, right after the value notices go out. Many counties set an early June deadline for real property, but the date printed on your notice is the one to trust. File with the county assessor for the property, using the assessor's current protest instructions — the county sets the filing method, the evidence rules, and how they respond.