Yellowstone Property Tax: Rates, Deadlines & Appeals (2026)

For most Yellowstone County homeowners, the 2026 second-year appeal deadline for the 2025–2026 Montana reappraisal cycle was June 1, 2026; if you received a new classification/appraisal notice or an AB-26 decision, the deadline is generally 30 days from the date on that notice or decision. File a formal county appeal on MTAB-401, Appeal to the County Tax Appeal Board, with the Yellowstone County Clerk & Recorder; file an informal Form AB-26, Request for Informal Classification and Appraisal Review, directly with the Montana Department of Revenue’s Billings office.

How assessments work in Yellowstone County

Yellowstone County does not have a county assessor setting your home value. Montana’s Department of Revenue (DOR) values property statewide, and Yellowstone County bills and collects the tax after local governments, schools, cities, and districts set mill levies.

The current residential cycle is 2025–2026. For Class 4 residential property, Montana’s adopted reappraisal rules say the market value date is January 1, 2024. That means your appeal should prove what your home was worth on that valuation date—not what it sold for in late 2026 or what your tax bill feels like.

For 2026 taxes, Montana also changed the residential tax-rate structure. A qualifying principal residence, called a homestead for tax-rate purposes, uses tiered rates: 0.76% on the first $378,000 of market value, 0.90% on $378,001–$756,000, 1.10% on $756,001–$1,511,999, and 1.90% above that. Non-primary homes and short-term rentals generally face a 1.90% Class 4 residential rate. This is separate from appealing value: a wrong value is appealed through AB-26/CTAB; a missing homestead reduced rate is handled through DOR’s homestead enrollment/refund process.

Your tax is roughly:

market value × applicable Montana tax rate = taxable value
taxable value × total mills ÷ 1,000 = tax before special assessments

Yellowstone’s total mills vary a lot by where the parcel sits. The county’s FY 2025–2026 mill sheet shows Billings inside city / School District 2 at 761.94 mills, Laurel inside city at 739.22 mills, Lockwood at 613.28 mills, and Yellowstone Education Center at 410.38 mills. Always use the levy district on your own tax statement.

Whether you should appeal

Appeal if you can point to a specific valuation problem. Good reasons include: DOR has the wrong square footage, basement finish, garage, condition, acreage, remodel status, or comparable sales support a lower January 1, 2024 value. A statement like “my taxes are too high” is not enough; AB-26 instructions specifically ask for evidence such as physical-characteristic errors, purchase price, comparable sales, or a fee appraisal.

Start with the DOR property record card and your Yellowstone County tax record. Then build a short packet:

• your DOR notice and geocode;
• photos of deferred maintenance, damage, or outdated areas;
• contractor estimates, if condition is the issue;
• closing statement or appraisal, if you bought near the valuation date;
• comparable sales near January 1, 2024; and
• a simple requested value for land and improvements.

Sales prices in Montana are not broadly public in the same way as many states. The AB-26 form lets residential owners request DOR’s information packet and additional residential sales data, but you may have to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Published local success-rate data is limited. Yellowstone County does publish one useful local benchmark: it says DOR resolves roughly 75% of disputes by explaining the mass-appraisal system or correcting property-record errors before a formal appeal becomes necessary. I did not find an official Yellowstone County median reduction or CTAB homeowner win-rate report, so do not assume an average percentage reduction.

Worked example: suppose a Billings School District 2 homeowner has a 2026 homestead value of $450,000, and the best January 1, 2024 evidence supports $410,000. Using the 2026 homestead rate tiers, the taxable value at $450,000 is $2,872.80: $378,000 × 0.76% plus $72,000 × 0.90%. At $410,000, taxable value is $3,? wait—the correct taxable value is $3,160.80? No: $378,000 × 0.76% = $2,872.80, plus $32,000 × 0.90% = $288.00, total $3,160.80. The original $450,000 taxable value is $2,872.80 + $648.00 = $3,520.80. Difference: $360.00 taxable value. At 761.94 mills, the estimated annual savings is $274.30 before special assessments. If the disputed value is entirely within one bracket, savings can be estimated as value reduction × tax-rate tier × mills ÷ 1,000.

Step-by-step how to file

1. Choose informal, formal, or both. AB-26 is an informal DOR review. MTAB-401 is the formal county appeal. Yellowstone County encourages AB-26 because DOR can correct property record errors and often resolves issues before a hearing.

2. Use the right form. Informal review: Form AB-26, Request for Informal Classification and Appraisal Review. Formal county appeal: MTAB-401, Appeal to the County Tax Appeal Board. Withdrawal after settlement: AB-63, Withdrawing Your Appeal.

3. Meet the deadline. For the full 2025–2026 residential cycle, you had 30 days from the classification/appraisal notice. For a second-year-only challenge, Yellowstone’s rule is June 1 of the second year—June 1, 2026 for this cycle. If DOR issued an AB-26 determination, file MTAB-401 within 30 days from that determination letter.

4. Where to file AB-26. Submit AB-26 to the Montana Department of Revenue, 175 North 27th Street, Suite 1400, Billings, MT 59101. The official instructions say to return it to the DOR office shown on your classification/appraisal notice.

5. Where to file MTAB-401. Yellowstone County says to mail or submit the completed tax appeal form to the Clerk & Recorder’s Office. County contact listings show mailing to Yellowstone County Clerk & Recorder, P.O. Box 35001, Billings, MT 59107. For in-person delivery, verify the current physical office before going; county listings have shown the Clerk & Recorder at 316 N. 26th St., Billings and also a temporary/alternate listing at 2825 3rd Ave. N., Room 408, Billings.

6. Copies and fee. MTAB-401 instructs you to make two copies, send the original and one copy to the Clerk & Recorder, and keep one copy. I found no Yellowstone County or MTAB filing fee for AB-26 or MTAB-401.

What happens after

The proper local appeal authority is the Yellowstone County Tax Appeal Board—often called the CTAB. It is a seven-member county board, separate from DOR, that hears appeals of DOR property tax assessments.

If you filed AB-26, DOR reviews your property individually. You can ask DOR to decide on the documents only or meet with an appraiser; the instructions say DOR may inspect the property and will mail a determination letter. If you still disagree, you can appeal to CTAB within 30 days from the DOR determination.

If you filed MTAB-401, the county board secretary schedules a hearing with you and DOR. The form says the board will contact you to arrange the hearing and then provide a decision by mail within 3 days after the hearing. The county’s annual notice says the board’s session generally runs July 1 through December 31.

Bring enough copies: MTAB guidance recommends five copies of printed materials and two copies of photographs. Expect a practical, evidence-focused hearing: you explain the error, DOR explains the valuation, board members ask questions, and the board grants, denies, or partially grants a value change. If you lose, you may appeal to the Montana Tax Appeal Board using MTAB-801 within 30 days after receiving the CTAB decision.

If taxes come due while your appeal is pending, pay on time and under protest if you want any refund. Yellowstone County’s protest form goes to the Treasurer, not the CTAB.

Local tips

• Do not wait for the tax bill. The appeal clock starts from the DOR classification/appraisal notice or AB-26 determination, not from the Yellowstone County tax bill.
• Use your actual levy district. Billings inside-city parcels are not taxed like Laurel, Lockwood, Huntley, Shepherd, or rural county parcels.
• Check homestead enrollment separately. If this is your principal residence for at least seven months, verify the DOR homestead reduced rate. If you received the 2025 rebate and still own/live in the same home, DOR says you may already be enrolled for 2026; 2027 enrollment is open May 4, 2026 through March 1, 2027.
• PTAP may matter more than an appeal. Low-income homeowners should check Montana’s Property Tax Assistance Program, which can reduce the Class 4 tax rate by 30%, 50%, or 80% depending on income.
• Appeal value, not mills. CTAB cannot remove a voter-approved school levy or city mill. It can only address whether DOR’s classification or value is wrong.

Yellowstone County Property Tax Rate

No single countywide total tax rate applies to every parcel; for the Yellowstone County countywide portion only, the FY2027 final budget lists TOTAL COUNTYWIDE MILLS at 142.17 mills. The same FY2027 county mill levy comparison shows the countywide-mills impact as $108.05 on a $100,000 market value home, $324.15 on a $300,000 home, and $692.48 on a $600,000 home.

Source: https://www.yellowstonecountymt.gov/Finance/Budget/budget27/MillLevyCompFY27.pdf

When Are Property Taxes Due in Yellowstone County?

Real estate taxes: 1st half due November 30; 2nd half due May 31; all taxes are due by 5 PM Mountain Time, and if the due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the next business day is the due date. Real estate taxes are payable in two halves: November 30 and May 31.

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.yellowstonecountymt.gov/Treasurer/property-taxes.asp

Property Tax Exemptions in Yellowstone County

• Homestead Reduced Tax Rate — Homeowners who occupy the property as their principal residence for at least 7 months of the year, are current on property taxes, and meet eligible ownership rules.. For Tax Year 2026, tiered reduced rates for qualifying homesteads are 0.76% on the first $378,000 of market value, 0.90% on $378,001-$756,000, 1.10% on $756,001-$1,511,999, and 1.90% on any value over $1,512,000. Yes, enrollment required; DOR also provides a status/verification tool. Apply by For 2027 tax year applications, enrollment period is May 4, 2026 - March 1, 2027.. (Source: https://revenue.mt.gov/property/property-tax-changes/homesteads-and-long-term-rentals)
• Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) — Residential homeowners on a fixed or limited income who own or are under contract to purchase a home, mobile home, or manufactured home; live in it as a primary residence for at least seven months; and meet DOR income limits.. Reduced property tax rate of 80%, 50%, or 30% of the normal tax rate; DOR’s property tax help page states PTAP applies to the first $418,000 of the home’s market value. Yes; apply electronically or by paper Form PTAP. Once active, DOR sends annual status letters while the owner continues to own and live in the home. Apply by April 15; if missed, DOR says the application will be considered the following year.. (Source: https://revenue.mt.gov/property/property-tax-help/ptap)
• Montana Disabled Veteran Assistance Program (MDV) — Disabled veterans or unmarried surviving spouses; the veteran must have 100% disability from a service-connected injury, and applicants must meet ownership, occupancy, VA documentation, and income requirements.. Reduced property tax rate of 100%, 80%, 70%, or 50% of the normal tax rate, depending on income and marital/surviving-spouse status. Yes; apply electronically or by paper MDV form. Applicants must meet income and ownership/occupancy requirements every year, but an active application remains active while the owner owns and lives in the home. Apply by April 15; if missed, DOR says the application will be considered for the following year.. (Source: https://revenue.mt.gov/property/property-tax-help/mdv)
• Disabled First Responder (DFR) Assistance Program — Disabled first responders, or their unmarried surviving spouses, where the first responder has 100% disability from a service-related injury and the applicant meets ownership, occupancy, documentation, and income requirements.. Reduced property tax rate of 100%, 80%, 70%, or 50% of the normal tax rate, depending on income and marital/surviving-spouse status. Yes; apply with the Disabled First Responder Property Tax Relief Application - Form DFR. Applicants must meet income and ownership/occupancy requirements every year. Apply by April 15; if missed, DOR says the application will be considered for the following year.. (Source: https://revenue.mt.gov/property/property-tax-help/disabled-first-responder)
• Montana Elderly Homeowner/Renter Credit — Montana homeowners or renters age 62 or older who lived in Montana at least nine months, rented/owned/leased a Montana home for at least six months, and have total household income under $45,000.. Refundable income tax credit up to $1,150; the amount is calculated from household income, rent, and property tax. Yes; claim through the TransAction Portal or by filing Montana Form 2 and Schedule 2EC. (Source: https://revenue.mt.gov/property/property-tax-help/montana-elderly-homeowner-renter-credit)
• Land Value Property Tax Assistance Program for Residential Property — Residential property owners whose land value is disproportionately higher than the value of the home/buildings, where the home is the primary residence, the home is on five acres or less, and the land has been owned by the owner or a family member within the third degree of consanguinity for at least 30 consecutive years.. Property tax assistance for qualifying residential property where DOR’s appraised land value is 150% greater than the appraised value of the home and other buildings; the DOR property record will flag potentially qualifying parcels. Yes; mail the application and supporting ownership-history documents to the local DOR field office. Reapplication is required each property valuation cycle. Apply by DOR’s current page states Tax Year 2025 applications were due within 30 days from the classification/appraisal notice; if missed, owners could apply by March 1, 2026 for Tax Year 2026.. (Source: https://revenue.mt.gov/property/property-tax-help/land-value-property-tax-assistance-program)

How to Look Up Your Property Record in Yellowstone County

You can look up your property's official record at https://www.yellowstonecountymt.gov/treasurer/PropertySearch/index.asp?SearchBy=Address. Yellowstone County’s Tax & Assessment Data Search provides property records, current assessed values, and tax information, searchable by address, tax code, and other criteria.