How to Check Your Property Tax Assessment Online: Find Your County
TL;DR
Every county makes property tax assessment records available online. Go to your county assessor's website and search by address or parcel number. You will find your assessed value, property details (square footage, bedrooms, lot size), exemptions applied, and tax history. Checking your assessment takes 5 minutes and is the first step in determining whether you are overpaying. If the property details on file are wrong or the assessed value is too high, you have grounds for a correction or appeal.
Where to Look
Your property tax assessment is public record. The office that maintains it goes by different names depending on your state:
- County Assessor (most Western and Midwestern states)
- Property Appraiser (Florida)
- Tax Assessor (many Southern states)
- Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) (Kentucky)
- Board of Assessors (Massachusetts, some New England towns)
- Department of Assessments and Taxation (Maryland - SDAT)
Search "[your county name] property tax assessment" or "[your county name] assessor" to find the website.
What to Search By
Most county assessor websites let you search by:
- Property address: The simplest method. Enter your street address.
- Parcel number (APN/PIN): Found on your tax bill or deed. The most precise search method.
- Owner name: Search by last name. Useful when you do not know the parcel number.
What You Will Find
A typical online assessment record shows:
| Information | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Assessed/Market Value | Is this close to what your home is actually worth? |
| Land Value | Is the lot value reasonable for your area? |
| Improvement Value | Does this match the quality and size of your home? |
| Square Footage | Does this match your actual living area? |
| Lot Size | Is the acreage or square footage correct? |
| Year Built | Is this accurate? |
| Bedrooms/Bathrooms | Does the room count match? |
| Property Class | Residential, commercial, agricultural? |
| Exemptions | Are your homestead/senior/veteran exemptions showing? |
| Tax History | How have your taxes changed over time? |
Common Errors to Look For
- Wrong square footage: The most common factual error. Even 100-200 extra square feet can inflate your assessment.
- Extra rooms or features: Assessor shows a finished basement, extra bathroom, or pool that does not exist (or was removed).
- Wrong property class: Classified as commercial when it is residential, or as non-homestead when you live there.
- Missing exemptions: Your homestead exemption is not showing up.
- Wrong year built: An older home recorded as newer may be assessed at a higher value.
Comparing Your Assessment to the Market
The most important question is whether your assessed value is in line with what similar homes are actually selling for. After checking your record:
- Look up recent sales of similar homes within a half mile
- Compare their sale prices to your assessed value
- If your assessment is more than 5-10% above comparable sales, you may be over-assessed
Our free property tax analyzer does this comparison automatically. Enter your address and get an instant analysis of how your assessment compares to local market data. If your property looks over-assessed, we will show you how much you could save through an appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Check Your Property Tax Assessment Online: Find Your County?
Every county makes property tax assessment records available online. Go to your county assessor's website and search by address or parcel number. You will find your assessed value, property details (square footage, bedrooms, lot size), exemptions applied, and tax history.
Where to Look?
Your property tax assessment is public record. The office that maintains it goes by different names depending on your state:
What to Search By?
Most county assessor websites let you search by:
What You Will Find?
A typical online assessment record shows:
What should I know about comparing your assessment to the market?
The most important question is whether your assessed value is in line with what similar homes are actually selling for. After checking your record: