LA County tax decline-in-value review deadline November 30

I’m reaching out this month about an important deadline that’s fast approaching. I wanted to remind you that you have until November 30 to file an application for a Decline-in-Value Review (DIV) if you believe the market value of your property has fallen below the assessed value as of January 1, 2026.

Also, property owners who wish to challenge their 2026 property tax assessment have until midnight (PST) on November 30, 2026, to file a Regular Assessment Appeal with the Los Angeles County Assessment Appeals Board. More on that later.

To file the DIV, complete the Decline-in-Value Review Application (Form RP-87), which is available on our Decline-in-Value webpage under the Forms tab. You may submit the application online for your convenience. The DIV applications are accepted from July 2 through November 30.

What Is a Decline-in-Value Review?

If you believe your property’s market value as of January 1 is lower than its assessed value, you may qualify for a temporary reduction in your assessed value under California law.

California’s Proposition 13 established a property’s base year value for property tax purposes and generally limits annual increases in assessed value to no more than two percent unless ownership changes or new construction occurs.

In 1978, California voters approved Proposition 8, which allows for a temporary reduction in assessed value when a property’s market value falls below its assessed value. This is commonly referred to as a Decline-in-Value Review.

Remember that a decline-in-value reduction is temporary. As market values recover, assessed values may increase accordingly. As a result, property owners who received reduced assessments in prior years may see their property taxes increase by more than two percent in years when market values rise.

The Process

On your claim form, provide information that supports your opinion that the market value for your property is less than the assessed value. The best supporting documentation is information on sales of comparable properties. Select two comparable sales that sold as close to January 1 as possible, but no later than March 31. While submitting comparable sales helps determine your property’s market value, we will accept and process applications submitted without comparable sales.

An appraiser will review your claim form and the information you provide. Other sales information available to the Assessor also may be considered. If the market value as of January 1 is less than the trended base value, your assessed value will be lowered to the market value for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. The adjusted value will be reflected on your annual tax bill.

If the current market value is higher than the trended base value, no change in assessed value will be made.

Finally, I encourage you to visit the Assessor’s Decline-in-Value webpage for additional information about eligibility requirements, more on the review process with examples, and how property values are assessed.

Please note: If the filing deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, an application mailed and postmarked the next business day will be considered timely filed.

Assessment Appeal Deadline Also Ends This Month

Property owners who wish to challenge their 2026 property tax assessment have until midnight (PST), November 30, 2026, to file a Regular Assessment Appeal with the Los Angeles County Assessment Appeals Board.

The Los Angeles County Assessment Appeals Board is the county’s quasi‑judicial body that resolves property assessment disputes between taxpayers and the Assessor’s Office, ensuring fair and impartial decisions on property tax values.

You may file applications online through the Assessment Appeals Board website. The regular filing period runs from July 2 through November 30 each year and applies to both real and personal property assessments.