Fairfield County Property Tax: Deadlines & Appeals (2026)

If you own a home in Fairfield County, you do not file a county appeal: Connecticut property tax is administered by each city or town, and the appeal goes to that municipality’s Board of Assessment Appeals (BAA). The next regular residential appeal deadline is February 20, 2027 for the October 1, 2026 Grand List; because that date falls on a Saturday, do not wait—deliver by Friday, February 19 unless your town’s BAA has published an email or other Saturday-receipt method. State law sets the rule as written/electronic filing “on or before February twentieth,” with a possible March 20 deadline only if the assessor receives an extension to file the Grand List. (cga.ct.gov)

How assessments work in Fairfield County

Fairfield County has no county assessor, county tax collector, or countywide tax rate. Connecticut says property assessment is a municipal function; the local assessor is responsible for the Grand List, and each municipality sets its own mill rate. (portal.ct.gov)

For most homes, the assessment is 70% of fair market value as of the assessment date, October 1. Your tax bill is generally:

taxable assessment after exemptions × mill rate ÷ 1,000.

So a $600,000 market-value home is normally assessed at $420,000 before exemptions. If the local real estate mill rate is 27.95 mills, the annual tax would be $420,000 × 27.95 ÷ 1,000 = $11,739. Connecticut towns revalue real property at least every five years; OPM’s current schedule is town-by-town, not countywide. In Fairfield County, recent or current revaluation years differ sharply: Greenwich and Westport completed 2025 revaluations, while Stamford’s assessor page says Stamford is currently scheduled for 2027. (cga.ct.gov)

That means neighbors in different Fairfield County towns can be on different valuation cycles and mill rates. Westport reported that its 2025 Grand List would be used for FY 2026-2027 budget calculations and that residential real estate assessments increased 60% within the real estate Grand List after revaluation; Bridgeport’s FY 2026-2027 real and personal property mill rate is 27.95 mills after its 2025 revaluation cycle. (westportct.gov)

Whether you should appeal

Appeal if you can show the assessor’s market value, not merely your tax bill, is wrong. Good residential grounds in Fairfield County usually fall into one of three buckets:

1. Wrong property data: the card shows too much living area, a finished basement that is not finished, the wrong grade/condition, too many bathrooms, or missed damage.
2. Comparable sales support a lower October 1 value: use sales near your town and neighborhood, adjusted for size, condition, waterfront, school district, lot utility, and renovation level.
3. Unequal treatment: very similar homes are assessed materially lower after accounting for differences.

Do not build your case around “my taxes went up too much.” A revaluation can raise assessments while the mill rate falls; the BAA decides valuation, not the municipal budget. Danbury’s BAA guidance is blunt: “too high” is not a valid cause without support, and comparable sales should be adjusted to show comparability. (assessor.danbury-ct.gov)

Published success rates are limited. I found no official Fairfield County-wide approval rate or median residential reduction. Bridgeport did publish that its BAA reviewed 1,447 appeals for the 2025 Grand List and evaluated documentation, appraisal reports, and comparable sales data, but the minutes do not publish a reduction rate. Greenwich budget materials showed 98 appeals for the 2025 Grand List, including 30 residential appeals, but not median reductions. (bridgeportct.gov)

Step-by-step how to file

1. Pull your property record card. Start with your town assessor’s online database or office. In Greenwich, field cards are available from the Assessor’s Office; many Fairfield County towns also use Vision Government Solutions or similar systems. (greenwichct.gov)

2. Decide the value you are asking for. CT appeal forms ask for the owner’s opinion of value or requested value. Use the market value as of the relevant October 1 Grand List date, then remember that the assessment is 70% of that value.

3. Use your town’s exact BAA form. There is no Fairfield County form. Official examples:

• Greenwich: “Petition to the Board of Assessment Appeals,” returned to Board of Assessment Appeals, Town of Greenwich, 101 Field Point Road, Greenwich, CT 06830-2540. Greenwich’s page says appeal forms are submitted directly to the BAA, not the Assessor’s Office, and lists BAA email contact. (greenwichct.gov)
• Bridgeport: “2025 Grand List Board of Assessment Appeal Application” / property assessment appeal application, submitted to the Assessor’s Office/BAA at 45 Lyon Terrace, Room 105, Bridgeport, CT 06604. (bridgeportct.gov)
• Stamford: “Board of Assessment Appeals application form,” available online and in the Stamford Government Center lobby between February 1 and February 20; Stamford states the spring form must be submitted to the Assessor’s Office by 4:30 p.m. on February 20, or March 20 if a Grand List extension is granted. (stamfordct.gov)
• Danbury: “2025 Board of Assessment Appeals Application,” with in-person delivery to the Assessor’s Office by the town’s published office deadline or USPS-stamped mail by February 20; Assessor’s Office, 155 Deer Hill Avenue, Danbury, CT 06810. (assessor.danbury-ct.gov)
• Westport: “Application to Board of Assessment Appeals”; the form says two copies go to Westport Town Hall, Board of Assessment Appeals, 110 Myrtle Avenue – Room 104, Westport, CT 06880. (westportct.gov)

4. File by the method your town allows. State law permits written or email filing “in a manner prescribed by” the BAA, but the local instructions control. There is no county portal. Some towns allow email or online/form-center submission; others emphasize mail or in-person filing. None of the official BAA forms/pages reviewed for this guide listed a BAA filing fee; expect costs only if you buy an appraisal, hire a representative, or later file in Superior Court.

What happens after

The appeal authority is the Board of Assessment Appeals for your city or town. For residential real estate, the BAA generally must hear the appeal, notify you of the date/time/place by March 1, hold the hearing in March, and complete its duties by the last business day of March. (cga.ct.gov)

A typical Fairfield County residential hearing is short. Bring one organized packet: the appeal form, property card with errors marked, 3–5 adjusted comparable sales, photos, contractor estimates for serious condition issues, and any appraisal. The board can leave the assessment alone, reduce it, or increase it. Westport’s page expressly notes those three outcomes. (westportct.gov)

If you cannot attend, check local rules. Greenwich says a substitute may appear with a letter of authorization. For large commercial, industrial, utility, or apartment property assessed over $1 million, the BAA may elect not to conduct a hearing; that exception usually does not affect a typical single-family homeowner. (greenwichct.gov)

Decisions are mailed. Greenwich says applicants are notified approximately two weeks after hearings conclude; state summaries describe a right to appeal an adverse BAA decision to Superior Court, generally within two months of the notice/action. (greenwichct.gov)

Local tips

Use the right mill rate. Fairfield County comparisons are misleading unless they are town-specific. Bridgeport’s FY 2026-2027 real estate/personal property rate is 27.95 mills, while Stamford has separate FY 2026-2027 district rates, including 25.14 mills in Tax District A and 24.31 mills in Tax District C. (bridgeportct.gov)

Worked savings example: suppose a Bridgeport homeowner’s 2026-2027 taxable assessment is $420,000, implying a $600,000 market value. The homeowner proves the correct October 1 value is $550,000, so the assessment should be $385,000. Reduction: $35,000. At Bridgeport’s 27.95 mill rate, savings are $35,000 × 27.95 ÷ 1,000 = $978.25 per year, or about $489 per semiannual installment.

Check exemptions separately from appeals. Connecticut does not have a broad Florida-style homestead exemption. But Fairfield County homeowners should check: the state Homeowners’ Elderly/Disabled Circuit Breaker credit, filed with the assessor February 1-May 15; local senior/disabled programs such as Stamford’s and Bridgeport’s; veterans’ exemptions, including additional veterans’ exemption Form M-59 in Bridgeport; and disability exemptions. The Circuit Breaker credit can be up to $1,250 for married couples and $1,000 for single applicants, subject to income limits. (portal.ct.gov)

For 2027 countdown purposes: unless your town publishes a valid extension, use February 20, 2027 as the next regular residential BAA filing deadline for the October 1, 2026 Grand List. Because it is a Saturday, confirm your town’s accepted filing method before February begins.

Fairfield County Property Tax Rate

No countywide Fairfield County mill rate exists; Connecticut property-tax mill rates are set by cities/towns, with OPM publishing reference mill-rate data by municipality and taxing district.

Source: https://portal.ct.gov/opm/knowledge-base/articles/general-services/what-is-opms-role-in-property-taxes-and-refunds

When Are Property Taxes Due in Fairfield County?

No countywide Fairfield County property-tax payment due date exists; Connecticut cities/towns manage property-tax bills, and state law leaves the installment schedule and due date(s) to each municipality. Municipalities may make property taxes due in a single installment, two semiannual installments, or four quarterly installments, as designated locally under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-142.

This is not the same as the assessment appeal deadline above. The appeal deadline is your window to contest your assessed value; the payment due date is when the resulting tax bill must be paid. Missing one does not affect the other, but missing either has real consequences — one forfeits your right to appeal for the year, the other can trigger penalties and interest.

Source: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_204.htm#sec_12-142

Property Tax Exemptions in Fairfield County

• Elderly/Disabled Homeowners' Circuit Breaker Tax Relief Program — Connecticut resident owners of real property who are 65 or older, or totally disabled, and whose annual income does not exceed the state program limits.. Credit calculated by the local assessor and applied to the real-property tax bill; up to $1,250 for married couples and up to $1,000 for single persons, on a graduated income scale. Yes, through the municipal Assessor's Office. Apply by February 1 to May 15. (Source: https://portal.ct.gov/opm/igpp/grants/tax-relief-grants/homeowners--elderlydisabled-circuit-breaker-tax-relief-program)
• Totally Disabled Tax Relief Program — Property owners who are permanently and totally disabled, at least 18 years old, and receiving Social Security disability benefits or comparable qualifying government disability retirement benefits.. Up to a $1,000 assessment exemption per person; may be applied to real estate or motor vehicles owned by the applicant. Yes, proof of total disability must be provided to the municipal Assessor's Office. Apply by Before the date the assessor files the Grand List. (Source: https://portal.ct.gov/opm/igpp/grants/tax-relief-grants/totally-disabled-tax-relief-program)
• Veterans' Basic and Additional Tax Relief — Certain honorably discharged wartime veterans who actively served at least 90 days, or eligible survivors; additional relief is available to veterans/disabled veterans who qualify for the basic exemption and meet income limits.. Basic $1,000 property-tax assessment exemption; income-qualified applicants may receive an additional state exemption totaling up to 200% of the local exemption. Yes; DD-214 or certified copy must be filed in the town land records, and income-qualified applicants file biennially with the Assessor's Office. Apply by DD-214 before October 1; income-based application between February 1 and October 1. (Source: https://portal.ct.gov/opm/igpp/grants/tax-relief-grants/additional-veterans-tax-relief-program)
• 100% Service-Connected Permanently and Totally Disabled Veteran Exemption — Connecticut resident veterans with a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs determination of a 100% permanent and total service-connected disability rating; the OPM form also identifies qualifying spouse/widow/widower/child trust situations for deceased veterans.. Property-tax exemption under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-81(83) for qualifying property claimed on OPM Form D-2. Yes, annually to the local municipal Assessor's Office with required documentation. Apply by Not later than January 1 annually. (Source: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/opm/igpp-data-grants-mgmt/igpp-forms/d2-100-permanently-and-totally-disabled--fillable.pdf)
• Blind Person Property Exemption — Connecticut residents who are blind, subject to Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 12-89, 12-90, and 12-92.. $3,000 assessment exemption for property belonging to the blind person, or if needed, property of a spouse domiciled with the person. Yes, proof is filed with the municipal assessor under the statutory process. (Source: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/sup/chap_203.htm#sec_12-81)
• Public Act 490 Use-Value Assessment for Farm, Forest, or Open Space Land — Owners of qualifying farm, forest, or open-space land; the local tax assessor determines qualification after application. Forest land generally requires 25 acres or more and a Qualified Forester's Report.. Assessment at current use value rather than fair market/highest-and-best-use value for local property-tax purposes. Yes, to the municipal tax assessor; forest-land applications require a Qualified Forester's Report. Apply by September 1 to October 31; if the town is in a revaluation year, until December 30. (Source: https://portal.ct.gov/doag/commissioner/commissioner/public-act-490---the-basics)

How to Look Up Your Property Record in Fairfield County

You can look up your property's official record at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/068a00e313bf439a8753838234fd517f/. Connecticut's statewide Parcel Viewer uses parcel files and standardized property-assessment/CAMA data collected from municipalities through regional councils of governments; OPM notes spatial accuracy and completeness vary by COG and municipality.