Murfreesboro & Rutherford County, TN Property Tax Appeals

Rutherford County, Tennessee homeowners start an appeal by calling the Property Assessor's Office at (615) 898-7750 for an informal review. If you still disagree, the next step is a hearing before the County Board of Equalization. The Assessor's page says those appeals are only conducted in June and that appointments begin the first week of May. The county's 2026 public notice says the Board's hearings began July 7, 2026, and warns that failing to appeal to the Board makes the assessment final with no further right of appeal.

Rules for the rest of Tennessee are in our Tennessee property tax appeal guide.

2026 deadline and where to file

Status as of October 10, 2026.

• Informal review: call (615) 898-7750, visit 319 N. Maple Street, Suite 200, Murfreesboro, or mail a request. A real property appraiser reviews your property information, corrects errors and discusses the value.
• County Board of Equalization: the Assessor's Appeals page says appeals are conducted only in June of each year, with appointments opening in the first week of May.
• 2026 notice: the county's 2026 public notice says the Board began hearing on July 7, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and continues each weekday as needed.
• Consequence of missing it: per the county notice, failure to appeal to the Board makes the assessment final without further right of appeal.
• State Board of Equalization: on or before August 1 of the tax year or within 45 days of the date the local board's notice was sent, whichever is later.

The two county pages give different timing, so call the Assessor early in 2027 and ask for your appointment dates in writing.

How assessments work in Rutherford County

Tennessee's county assessor sets appraised values and classifications, and the county Board of Equalization hears complaints and can change a disputed assessment. The records are open for inspection before the Board meets. Rutherford County's notice cites Tennessee Code 67-5-508 and says an owner or an authorized agent (TCA 67-5-1407) may appear before the Board. Rutherford provides a CBOE appeal form and a letter of authorization form for representatives.

The Tennessee Comptroller's State Board of Equalization says a disputed assessment generally must first be appealed to the county board or it becomes final. It describes the informal assessor review as helpful but not an appeal, so you must still preserve your rights with the county board.

Exemptions and their deadlines

• State property tax relief: Tennessee reimburses part or all of the property taxes paid by low-income elderly and disabled homeowners, disabled veteran homeowners and their surviving spouses. It is a payment from the state, not an exemption: you still get your bill and must pay it. Relief applies only to your primary residence, and a spouse's income is required for eligibility. You apply through your county trustee.
• Voucher: once approved, you present the relief voucher to the collecting official before the deadline date along with any balance due.

The state's tax relief page lists the program rules. Ask your county trustee for the current income limits and filing date.

How to appeal, step by step

1. Pull your appraisal and record. Open the Rutherford County Assessor property search and save your appraised value and classification. Check the property facts against what you know.
2. Call the Assessor of Property. Call (615) 898-7750 for an informal review. A real property appraiser can correct errors. The informal review is not an appeal.
3. Schedule the Board of Equalization hearing. Book the Board of Equalization appointment through the Assessor (615-898-7750) and fill out the CBOE appeal form from the Board page. Do not wait for the informal review to finish before booking.
4. Bring evidence of market value. Recent sales of similar homes, an appraisal, photos and repair estimates. The Board hears your complaint and can change a disputed assessment.
5. Read the Board's notice. The county board sends notice of its decision. You may accept it or appeal.
6. State Board of Equalization. File through the State Board's online filing service on or before August 1 of the tax year or within 45 days of the date the local board's notice was sent, whichever is later. A filing fee applies.

What property taxes cost in Rutherford County

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020-2024 five-year estimates) puts the median real estate tax paid by Rutherford County homeowners at $1,839 a year, against a median home value of $382,600. That is an effective rate of about 0.48% of home value (median tax divided by median value). It is a countywide figure: your own rate depends on your city, school district and special districts, so read the rate on your actual bill. About 83,895 homes in the county are owner-occupied. Source: Census Reporter, tables B25103 and B25077.

Check your value before you file

Start with the free Grove Hopper over-assessment check: enter your address and we compare your assessment to the data and tell you whether an appeal looks worth your time. If it does, we prepare your appeal documents. You review, sign and file them yourself with the Rutherford County Board of Equalization. We do not file for you or represent you, and we are not attorneys, accountants or a tax firm.

Contacts

• Rutherford County Property Assessor: 319 N. Maple Street, Suite 200, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 · (615) 898-7750
• State Board of Equalization: (615) 401-7883