Lancaster City Property-Tax Appeal Deadline Is Monday

Lancaster city property owners who received a 2027 reassessment notice have until 5 p.m. Monday, August 3, 2026, to appeal if they believe the assessed value does not reflect the property’s fair market value.

The deadline applies to appeals of the assessment itself, not to a specific tax bill. Lancaster County mailed the reassessment notices on June 15, 2026, beginning a 40-day appeal period.

What the notice means

The 2027 reassessment is intended to update property values to reflect current fair market value and apply assessments more uniformly across properties and neighborhoods. The new value takes effect for the 2027 tax year.

Receiving a higher assessment does not, by itself, show what a property owner will owe in 2027. The county says there is no precise way to calculate an individual property’s future tax bill until the new millage rates are established.

What an appeal challenges

An owner appealing the notice is challenging the assessed value and whether it reflects fair market value. The appeal does not directly challenge the amount of tax responsibility or a current tax bill.

Owners should consider whether they could reasonably sell the property for the stated value in today’s real estate market. The Board of Assessment Appeals reviews information presented during the process and determines the property’s market value. The county says an assessment may be adjusted either up or down after an appeal.

County assessments, local tax rates

Lancaster County is responsible for determining property assessments. Lancaster city, the county and school districts set their own millage rates, which are used to calculate property taxes.

The county specifically warns property owners not to apply 2026 millage rates to their new 2027 assessments. County and municipal millage rates for 2027 are expected to be determined toward the end of December 2026. Millage rates for the 2027-28 school year are expected in June 2027, and the reassessment does not affect 2026-27 school taxes.

That means a reassessment notice is not the same thing as a final 2027 tax bill, and an appeal does not automatically lower a future bill.

How to file by the deadline

Complete and sign the county’s 2027 Reassessment Appeal form. The form is available through the Lancaster County Property Assessment website and can also be obtained by contacting the Property Assessment Office.

The county’s current instructions say appeal forms cannot be submitted by email and must contain the owner’s original wet signature. Mail the completed form or hand-deliver it to:

Lancaster County Property Assessment Office
150 N Queen St., Suite 310
Lancaster, PA 17603

The building entrance is on Chestnut Street. Mailed appeals must be postmarked no later than August 3. Hand-delivered appeals must reach the office by 5 p.m. August 3, 2026. The county says there is no fee for a 2027 reassessment appeal filed by the deadline.

Owners can contact the Property Assessment Office at 717-299-8381. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Property information and reassessment values can be reviewed through the county’s property search system.

What happens after filing

After an appeal is filed, the county will mail a scheduling notice. The county says 2027 reassessment appeal hearings are held Monday through Thursday from July through October at the Lancaster County Firemen’s Association, 630 East Oregon Road, Lititz. The hearings are scheduled appointments; walk-ins are not accepted.

For Lancaster city owners who believe the new value is inaccurate, the immediate action is to submit the completed, signed appeal form in time for the 5 p.m. August 3, 2026, deadline. The eventual tax bill will depend on the 2027 millage rates set by the applicable taxing authorities.

Sources

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