How to Appeal Property Taxes in Delaware County, Pennsylvania (2026 Guide)

Delaware County’s 2026 annual residential assessment appeal deadline for the 2027 tax year is August 1, 2026. File the 2027 Annual Assessment Appeal — Residential (Four or Fewer Living Units) with an original signature and a $50 check or money order to the Delaware County Board of Assessment Appeals, Government Center Building, 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063. There is no portal, email, or fax filing for assessment appeals; mail or hand-deliver only.

How assessments work in Delaware

Delaware County’s current assessment roll is built on the countywide reassessment that took effect January 1, 2021. That reassessment followed a 2017 court order and was performed with Tyler Technologies for roughly 200,000-plus parcels. Since then, most homeowners are not reassessed every year just because market prices rise; instead, the annual appeal process is where an owner, school district, municipality, or other party with standing can challenge whether the assessment is too high or too low.

For 2026 bills, Delaware County publishes a county millage rate of 4.6090 mills. Your total bill usually combines three rates: county, municipal, and school district. For example, the county’s 2026 rate sheet lists Media Borough / Rose Tree Media School District at a combined 22.5507 mills: 4.6090 county + 2.0000 borough + 15.9417 school.

The county tax formula is simple: assessment × millage ÷ 1,000. But deciding whether the assessment is fair is less simple. Pennsylvania’s State Tax Equalization Board publishes common level ratios and the Department of Revenue publishes related valuation factors; for documents accepted July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Delaware County’s published factor is 1.83. In practical appeal screening, that means you should compare your assessment to the market evidence, not just to what you paid in 2021.

Whether you should appeal

Appeal only if your evidence supports a lower assessment. Delaware County’s rules say the assessment is presumed correct and the burden of proof is on the appellant. The Board expects competent evidence such as a Pennsylvania-licensed appraisal or a recent arm’s-length sale of the property within one year of the valuation date. The rules specifically say a broker price opinion or market value analysis is not sufficient evidence.

A quick screening test: find your current assessment in the Delaware County Real Estate Tax System, then compare it to recent sales of similar homes in your municipality and school district. If the assessment looks high after applying current ratio/factor logic, an appeal may be worth the $50 filing fee. If your evidence is weak, remember that appealing opens the property to revaluation; the form warns that the assessment may be lowered, raised, or left the same.

Worked example using Media’s actual 2026 combined rate: suppose a Media homeowner is assessed at $320,000, but a strong appraisal supports current fair market value of $500,000. Using the published 1.83 factor as a screening tool, $500,000 ÷ 1.83 suggests an assessment around $273,224. If the Board reduced the assessment from $320,000 to $273,224, the reduction would be $46,776. At Media’s total 2026 rate of 22.5507 mills, the annual tax savings would be about $1,055 before any homestead effect: $46,776 × 22.5507 ÷ 1,000. The county-only portion would be about $216 at 4.6090 mills.

Delaware County does not appear to publish a current official success rate, median reduction, or average homeowner savings for annual residential appeals. Do not rely on attorney mailers that imply a guaranteed reduction.

Step-by-step how to file

1. Download the right form. For a typical owner-occupied house, twin, rowhome, condo, or small rental of four or fewer living units, use 2027 Annual Assessment Appeal County of Delaware — Residential (Four or Fewer Living Units). The official PDF is: https://www.delcopa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-03/2027ResidentialApplication_1.pdf. The Board page also links Commercial and Exemption forms: https://www.delcopa.gov/treasurer/boa.

2. Get your folio number. Delaware County uses a parcel/folio number such as the county’s example format “34-00-05432-01.” Look it up in the county’s Real Estate, Homestead Status & Tax Records system linked from the Board and Property Taxes pages.

3. Fill in the appeal clearly. The residential form asks for the folio number, owner name, mailing address, phone, appealed property address, municipality, reason for appeal, and your opinion of value. A separate appeal form is required for each folio.

4. Sign with an original signature. The county is strict: all appeals must contain an original signature. Facsimiles and electronic filings are not acceptable. If the property is in an LLC or corporation, the rules require representation by a Pennsylvania-licensed attorney. If the property is in a trust, include documentation showing authority to appeal.

5. Add the fee. Residential annual appeals require a $50 nonrefundable processing fee. The 2027 residential form says to make the check or money order payable to Treasurer of Delaware County and to use a separate payment for each appeal filed. Commercial and exemption appeals are $100; interim and countywide reassessment appeals do not require a fee.

6. File by the real deadline. The rule is annual appeals are due August 1 of the year preceding the year on appeal. For the 2027 tax year, the form states: Deadline to Appeal: August 1, 2026. Because August 1, 2026 is a Saturday and the county office is normally open Monday–Friday, hand-deliver by Friday, July 31, 2026 if you do not want to depend on a postmark. If mailing, go to a Post Office counter and request a manual postmark, certificate of mailing, certified mail, registered mail, or counter-purchased postage.

Mail or hand-deliver to:

Delaware County Board of Assessment Appeals
Government Center Building
201 West Front Street
Media, PA 19063

What happens after

The appeal authority is the Delaware County Board of Assessment Appeals. After you file, the Board sends notice of the hearing date to the property owner, appellant, attorney listed on the form, and taxing districts at least 20 days before the scheduled hearing.

For residential annual appeals, expect an in-person hearing unless the Board specifically allows another format. The 2027 residential form says all hearings will be held in person, with reasonable accommodations upon timely request. The rules also reserve the Board’s ability to hold virtual or telephone hearings, but Delaware County does not publish a paper-only residential option. If you fail to appear, the rules say the appeal will be dismissed as abandoned.

At the hearing, be concise. Bring the appraisal or sale evidence you rely on, plus photos or documents showing condition problems if relevant. The rules say three copies of any appraisal should be submitted with the appeal or brought to the hearing. Only the property owner or a Pennsylvania-licensed attorney may present the appeal.

The county rules say notice of the result will be mailed after the hearing, but they do not promise a specific number of days for individual residential decisions. If you disagree with the Board’s decision, an appeal must be filed within 30 days from the Board’s issuance of findings with the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas through the Office of Judicial Support; the county notes there is a court filing fee.

Local tips

Check homestead status before you spend money on an appeal. Delaware County’s Homestead/Farmstead page says the school-tax homestead exclusion is for a primary residence, applications are requested through your school district during the December 15–March 1 enrollment period, there is no application fee, and completed applications go to the Board of Assessment, c/o Homestead Coordinator, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063. The county says it mails a response within 30 days.

Also check the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program if you are 65 or older, a widow/widower 50 or older, or a person with disabilities 18 or older. For 2026, Pennsylvania lists a household income limit of $48,110 and a maximum standard rebate of $1,000, with applications for 2025 taxes due by December 31, 2026.

Finally, if your problem is the 2026 county tax increase rather than your assessment, look at Delaware County’s 2026 Real Estate Tax Deferral Program. It can defer eligible increases caused by county millage increases, not increases caused by a change in your assessment, and applications are due to the County Treasurer by October 31, 2026.

Delaware Property Tax Rate

2026 Delaware County real estate tax rate: 4.6090 mills countywide.

Source: https://www.delcopa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/TaxRate_0.pdf

When Are Property Taxes Due in Delaware?

County real estate tax bills are mailed February 1; taxes are payable at full amount from April 2 through June 1, and with a 10% penalty until December 31. 2% discount if paid within 60 days after mailing, by April 1.

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://delcopa.gov/treasurer/currenttaxyear

Property Tax Exemptions in Delaware

• Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion Program — Homeowners whose dwelling is primarily used as their permanent home; applications are handled through the homeowner’s school district and submitted to the Delaware County Board of Assessment.. Reduces the assessed value of homestead-approved properties, lowering school property tax; the exclusion amount/savings varies by school district. Yes, application through the local school district; no application fee. Apply by March 1 annually; open enrollment December 15 through March 1.. (Source: https://www.delcopa.gov/treasurer/homestead)
• 2026 Delaware County Real Estate Tax Deferral Program — Eligible Delaware County property owners with household income of $46,520 or less who have owned and occupied the qualifying property for at least 12 months, have required fire/casualty insurance, owe no outstanding property tax or special assessments, and have written approval from all owners/trustee as applicable.. Defers the County real estate tax increase above the 2025 base-year tax that results from the 2026 millage increase; deferred amounts become a lien and are generally due on sale/transfer or death unless repaid earlier. Yes, apply each year the County approves an increase to the County real estate tax millage rate. Apply by 2026-10-31. (Source: https://www.delcopa.gov/treasurers-office/2026-delaware-county-real-estate-tax-deferral-program)
• Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program — Pennsylvania homeowners and renters age 65 or older, widows/widowers age 50 or older, and people with disabilities age 18 or older, with annual household income of $48,110 or less.. Standard rebate of $380 to $1,000 depending on income; some homeowners may qualify for supplemental rebates. Yes, annual application required. Apply by 2026-12-31 for 2025 Property Tax/Rent Rebates.. (Source: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/revenue/ptrr)
• Disabled Veterans’ Real Estate Tax Exemption — Pennsylvania resident veterans, and certain surviving spouses, who meet mandatory service, ownership/occupancy, disability, and financial-need criteria, including principal-dwelling ownership/occupancy and qualifying service-connected disability status.. Real estate tax exemption for qualifying disabled veterans meeting the program criteria. Yes, apply through the County Director of Veterans Affairs. (Source: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/pa-vetconnect/state-veterans-programs/financial-assistance/retx)
• Delaware County Open Space Covenant Plan / Clean and Green — Open Space Covenant Plan: owners of 10 or more acres of qualifying farmland or open space who agree to retain the property in its current condition for at least 10 years. Clean and Green/Act 319: open-space land capable of producing agricultural products, assessed according to soil productivity; administered by the Delaware County Board of Assessments.. Reduced property tax assessment for qualifying farmland/open-space land. Yes, contact Delaware County Planning for Open Space Covenant Plan information and the Delaware County Board of Assessments for Act 319/Clean and Green. (Source: https://delcopa.gov/planning/programsandinitiatives/landStewardshipAssistance)

How to Look Up Your Property Record in Delaware

You can look up your property's official record at https://delcorealestate.co.delaware.pa.us/PT/. The Delaware County Real Estate Parcels & Tax Records System provides access to assessment-office property records searchable by address or parcel ID, including owner/site information, building information, folio and map numbers, tax records, and homestead status.