Allegheny County Property Tax Assessment: How to Appeal

Allegheny County assessments are appealed once a year, in a summer window, to the county's Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review (BPAAR). Most Pittsburgh-area homeowners learn this after the window has closed, so the most useful thing to know is when it opens and what the Board actually wants to see.

We are a research tool, not attorneys or a tax firm. Everything below comes from the county's own pages, opened on October 30, 2026. Confirm dates with the county before you act.

When to file

The county's BPAAR page says the 2027 annual appeal submission period ran from July 1, 2026 through September 1, 2026 for tax year 2027. That window has closed.

If you missed it, the county's appeals page points to a Late-Filed Appeal Form to submit first. We could not open that form, so ask the appeals office whether a late filing is possible for your situation: 412-350-4636 (INFO), Option 2, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

We did not find the dates for the next window on the county's pages. The county moved its deadline by ordinance (Ordinance 13056-24), so do not assume the old spring dates in older articles still apply. Check the Allegheny County appeals page in early summer.

How to file

Per the county's appeals page:

There is no filing fee for an annual appeal.
File online (open your parcel on the county Real Estate Portal and use the Appeal Status tab), by email, by mail, or in person. Do not fax it.
Online filers get a copy within 30 minutes. Email filers get a receipt within 2 business days.

The hearing is by phone

BPAAR hearings are held by telephone unless you arranged an in-person hearing. Residential hearing notices go out at least 14 days ahead. Per the county's 2027 Appeals Tip Sheet (revised 10/2026):

Submit your evidence at least two business days before the hearing. Pictures, PDFs and Word documents are accepted. Links and videos are not.
Give the county your phone number at least seven days before. A hearing officer calls twice within five minutes. If both calls fail, the hearing is treated as withdrawn unless you show good cause.
You get one postponement, requested in writing at least seven days before. If you skip a hearing without a timely request, the appeal is classified as withdrawn and you have no further right to appeal that year's assessment.
Hearings run about 20 minutes. No decision is made on the call. It comes by mail.

Base year or current market value

This is the part most homeowners miss. At the start of the hearing you must say which one you are asking for.

Base year (BY). Allegheny County's values rest on the 2012 reassessment. Choose this and your evidence must show what the property would have been worth in 2012, in its current condition. The tip sheet says sales close to January 1, 2012 and in the same neighborhood are most relevant.

Current market (CM). Prove today's market value, and the Board applies the Common Level Ratio (CLR) to it. The county says the CLR for tax year 2027 is 49.3%. Its own example: prove a current market value of $100,000 and the value for assessment purposes becomes $49,300.

Made-up example, same math: a home you can show is worth $300,000 today would come out at $147,900 (300,000 x 0.493). If the county's assessed figure for that parcel is above that, you have an argument. If it is below, the market route will not help you.

What counts as evidence

From the tip sheet:

Arms-length sales of your property and of comparable properties are generally the most relevant evidence.
Assessments of comparable properties are not relevant as evidence of value. "My neighbor's house is assessed lower" does not carry the hearing here.
Appraisals, photographs, repair estimates and invoices can be considered. A third-party document may carry less weight without live testimony.
The Board works under relaxed rules of evidence and does not advocate for either side.

Check your own property record before anything else: square footage, bedrooms, condition. You can get your record card free by emailing landhelp@alleghenycounty.us, per the tip sheet.

If you disagree with the decision

You can appeal the BPAAR decision to the Court of Common Pleas, Board of Viewers, within 30 days of the mailing date on the decision letter. The county lists a $135.25 non-refundable filing fee, payable by card online, or by business check or money order by mail or in person. Details are on the Appealing the BPAAR Decision page.

Some school districts and municipalities also file appeals. BPAAR holds one hearing per property even if several parties filed.

Check your number first

Not sure your Allegheny County assessment is out of line with comparable sales? Run the free check. It takes a couple of minutes, needs no account, and tells you straight when the numbers do not support an appeal.

We prepare your appeal documents. You review, sign and file them yourself.

Sources: Allegheny County BPAAR, Appeals page, Appeals Tip Sheet for 2027.