Fairfield & Solano County Tax Appeal Deadline Nov. 30

Direct answer: For a 2026 regular assessment appeal in Solano County, file between July 2, 2026 and Monday, November 30, 2026. Submit the county's Assessment Appeal Application with a $35 non-refundable fee per parcel to the Clerk of the Board, 675 Texas St., Fairfield, CA 94533.

How assessments work in Solano County

Like every California county, Solano assesses real property under Proposition 13: your base year value is locked in when you buy or complete new construction and can rise at most 2% a year unless you sell, build, or the Assessor corrects an error. If your home's market value has fallen below that trended base year figure — a real possibility for anyone who bought near a local market peak — the Assessor's Office can issue a temporary Proposition 8 decline-in-value reduction for that roll year.

Solano County certifies its own regular-assessment appeals filing period to the State Board of Equalization (BOE) each year under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 1603. The BOE's statewide "County Assessment Appeals Filing Period for 2026" letter lists Solano's certified deadline as November 30, 2026.

Whether you should appeal

Appeal if your Notice of Assessed Value is higher than what your home could reasonably sell for as of January 1, 2026, or if comparable homes on the same roll are assessed at a lower share of market value than yours. You're appealing the assessed value the Assessor put on file — not your tax bill directly, and not the roughly 1%-of-value base rate California law sets, plus any local voter-approved bonds.

Build your case around three to five recent, comparable sales near your property that closed close to January 1, 2026, plus documentation of any condition issues (deferred maintenance, storm or fire damage, a botched remodel) the Assessor's roll doesn't reflect. If those comps support a lower value than what's on your notice, the $35 fee is a small bet against a bill that could otherwise stand for years under Prop 13's rise cap.

Step-by-step how to file

1. Get the application. Download the current Assessment Appeal Application from Solano County's Clerk of the Board / Assessment Appeals page (solanocounty.gov), or request one at (707) 784-6100 / clerk@solanocounty.gov.
2. Fill it out completely, including your Assessor's Parcel Number, the value on your notice or bill, and your own opinion of value.
3. Attach the $35 fee per parcel, payable to Solano County.
4. File by November 30, 2026. Deliver or mail it to the Clerk of the Board, 675 Texas St., Fairfield, CA 94533. If November 30 falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day — 2026's is a Monday, so no extension applies.
5. Wait for your hearing notice, which the Clerk sends roughly 45 days ahead of the scheduled date; return any enclosed confirmation card by its own deadline or risk losing your slot.
6. Prepare seven copies of your exhibits for the Assessment Appeals Board hearing — comps, an appraisal if you have one, photos, and repair estimates.

What happens after

The Appeals Board can lower, confirm, or raise the assessed value based on the evidence both sides present; Solano's board has up to two years from your filing date to hear the case, with roughly a 10-12 month average wait. A reduction lowers your bill for the roll year under appeal and typically carries forward unless the underlying condition changes. If you disagree with the outcome, a property tax refund claim in Superior Court is the next legal step, though most homeowners never need it.

Local tips

Solano spans very different micro-markets — Vacaville, Fairfield, Vallejo, Benicia, Rio Vista, and unincorporated areas all move differently. Pull comps from your own city and, where possible, your own subdivision, not a countywide average. If you bought in the last year or two, your own arm's-length purchase price is strong evidence, since it's what set your current Prop 13 base year value in the first place. For a value drop tied to market softness rather than an assessor error, ask about an informal Prop 8 decline-in-value review with the Assessor's Office — it can resolve some cases without a hearing and without the $35 fee.