Thurston County, WA Property Tax Appeals: Nov 16, 2026

Thurston County, Washington homeowners who disagree with their 2026 value must file a petition with the Board of Equalization by 5 p.m. on Monday, November 16, 2026. The Assessor mailed the 2026 Official Property Value Change Notices on September 16, 2026. The Board is not accepting online, electronic or emailed submissions this year. Mail it, ship it, or deliver it to 3000 Pacific Avenue SE, Olympia. The petition needs a handwritten signature and a copy of the front page of your Value Notice.

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

2026 deadline and where to file

Status as of October 10, 2026.

• Petition deadline: 5 p.m., Monday, November 16, 2026.
• Value Notices mailed: September 16, 2026.
• How to file: US Postal Service, FedEx or UPS, or in person at Thurston County BOE, 3000 Pacific Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501. Drop boxes are in the Atrium parking lot and outside the BOE office, Room 241. Online, electronic and emailed filings are not accepted for 2026.
• Postmark warning: the county says mail picked up in Olympia is sent to Tacoma for processing, so a petition mailed late on deadline day will likely be postmarked the next day and be untimely.
• Include: a handwritten signature, and a copy of the front page of your Value Notice showing your name, parcel number, assessed values and the filing deadline. Do not send the original notice or the back page.
• One petition per parcel.
• Office hours during the period: limited days from October 26, with full days on Friday, November 13 and Monday, November 16. The county's 2026 BOE page lists them.

A prior successful appeal does not carry forward. Each year's petition stands on its own.

How assessments work in Thurston County

Washington assesses real property at 100 percent of market value as of January 1 of the assessment year, and the Assessor's valuation is presumed correct. The burden of proof is on you. Kitsap County's Board of Equalization describes the standard as clear and convincing evidence that the value is wrong, and Thurston County uses the phrase "clear, cogent and convincing." The question for the Board is the market value of your property, not the size of your tax bill. Kitsap's board states there is no provision in state law to directly appeal the amount of your property taxes. Thurston County's Board of Equalization has an Appeal Preparation Guide for Residential Appeals.

Exemptions and their deadlines

• Senior citizens and disabled persons exemption: for a primary residence owned and occupied. It exempts all excess levies, may exempt part of regular levies, and freezes the taxable value of the home. Thurston County lists age 61 or older by December 31 of the previous year, or disabled at any age, or a disabled veteran with a VA rating of 80 percent or more (40 percent beginning in 2027). Combined disposable income cannot exceed $59,000 ($83,000 beginning in 2027).
• Deferral programs: the senior and disabled deferral and the limited-income deferral postpone payment. The Department of Revenue pays on your behalf and the deferred amount becomes a lien to be repaid.
• Residential remodeling exemption: a three-year tax break for home improvements.

Thurston County's Property Tax Relief Programs page has applications. The state Department of Revenue says each county sets its own income limits.

How to appeal, step by step

1. Pull your Value Notice and parcel record. Save the front page of your Value Notice. The assessed value, parcel number and deadline are on it, and you must include a copy with your petition.
2. Call the Assessor's office first. The Assessor can explain how your value was set. Calling does not extend the November 16 deadline.
3. Gather evidence of market value on January 1. Comparable sales, sales of your property, contractor estimates for repairs, appraisals using local sales, and photos of conditions that lower value are the kinds of evidence the Kitsap board lists.
4. File the petition with the Board of Equalization. Complete the Petition from the BOE Forms page, sign it by hand, attach a copy of the front page of your Value Notice, and get it to the BOE by 5 p.m. on November 16. Mail early. Questions: the Clerk of the Board at 360-786-5135.
5. Attend the hearing. The Board decides on the evidence you submit and sworn testimony at the hearing.
6. If you disagree with the Board. You may appeal to the Washington State Board of Tax Appeals, which Kitsap County describes as also an informal process.

What property taxes cost in Thurston County

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020-2024 five-year estimates) puts the median real estate tax paid by Thurston County homeowners at $4,209 a year, against a median home value of $480,300. That is an effective rate of about 0.88% 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 80,487 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 Thurston County Board of Equalization. We do not file for you or represent you, and we are not attorneys, accountants or a tax firm.

Contacts

• Thurston County Board of Equalization: 3000 Pacific Avenue SE, Room 241, Olympia, WA 98501 · 360-786-5135 (TDD 711 or 1-800-833-6388) · email is the preferred contact for questions only, not for filing