Lancaster County property owners, check your mailboxes. The County officially mailed out its Change of Assessment Notices on June 15, 2026.
Because the county operates on an 8-year reassessment schedule, your property value hasn’t been broadly adjusted since 2018. This countywide update is designed to bring all property values up to 100% of current fair market value, ensuring the local tax burden is distributed fairly.
If you are holding your notice and trying to figure out what comes next, here is exactly what you need to know and do.
Warning: Do Not Calculate Your Next Tax Bill Yet!
The most vital piece of information on your notice is the new estimated market value, but you cannot apply your current 2026 millage (tax) rate to this new number. Doing so will show a falsely inflated tax liability.
By Pennsylvania law, millage rates must adjust downward across the county, your municipality, and your school district during a reassessment year so that taxing bodies do not collect more total revenue than they did the previous year.
Will your individual taxes go up? There is no simple way to predict your exact net tax change until the new, lowered 2027 millage rates are finalized later this year. Your final bill could go up, down, or stay the same depending on how your specific property’s value shifted compared to the county average.
Your Reassessment Checklist: 2 Quick Steps
Step 1: Ask Yourself the “Sale Question”
Look at the County’s new estimated market value on your notice. Ask yourself: “Could I reasonably sell my home or property for this amount in today’s real estate market?”
- If YES: No further action is required on your part. Your value is set for the 2027 tax year.
- If NO: If you believe the estimate is significantly higher than what your property is actually worth, you have the right to file a formal appeal.
Step 2: Know Your Deadlines if Disagreeing
If you intend to fight the assessment, the clock is ticking. You are entering a time-sensitive window:
- The Deadline: Because this is a Reassessment Change of Assessment Appeal, your application must be filed within 40 days of June 15th (which makes the ultimate deadline August 3, 2026, as the first business day following August 1st).
- The Cost: There is no filing fee for appeals submitted during the year a countywide reassessment notice is issued.
Quick Guide: How to File an Appeal
If you decide to appeal, you must formally submit an application to schedule a hearing.
Where to File
Submit by mail or in person to the Board of Assessment Appeals:
150 North Queen Street, Suite 310, Lancaster, PA 17603.
Who Signs
The official form must be signed by the owner of record, a principal officer (for corporations/partnerships), or someone holding a valid Power of Attorney.
The Hearing
Hearings last 5 to 15 minutes. You will be put under oath to state your opinion of your property’s value. You must present concrete evidence; failing to show up or bring proof can result in your case being dismissed.
What Counts as Winning Evidence?
The Board will not accept general complaints about taxes being too high. To successfully argue your case, you should provide:
- A formal appraisal completed by a certified appraiser.
- A recent deed confirming what you paid for the property in a fair, open-market (“arms-length”) sale.
- Closing data or records of recent sales of highly similar properties in your immediate neighborhood.
- A Market Value Analysis Report put together by a local licensed realtor.
- (For commercial properties) Income and expense reports, rent schedules, or active leases.
Are You Eligible for Property Tax Relief?
Lancaster County offers several programs that may ease your property tax responsibilities, especially if your assessment went up:
- Senior Citizens: Contact the Lancaster County Office of Aging at 1-800-801-3070 to learn about property tax and rent rebate programs.
- Disabled Veterans: Reach out to the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs at 1-800-547-2838 for potential real estate tax exemptions.
- Clean and Green (Act 319): If you own 10 or more acres dedicated to agricultural or forest use, you can apply to have your land taxed at its “use value” rather than its development/market value.
- Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (Act 1): Owner-occupied primary residences can receive property tax reductions funded by local gaming revenues.
Still have questions? Call us at 717-857-7772 or email us at committedtoclose@capstonelandtransfer.com
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