Maryland Property Tax Appeal: When Can I Appeal My Property Tax?

Maryland law permits property owners to contest their real property taxes. The process allows us the opportunity to establish, through market analysis, Maryland law, and argumentation at a hearing, that a property assessment and/or classification is incorrect.

Property values rise and fall but often the Maryland Department of Assessments & Taxation does not account for a declining market and continues to project increased property value, thus overvaluing property. In Maryland, overvaluing of property is common. When this occurs I’m able to save my clients between $500 and $3,000 on their current year property taxes, which leads to a savings of $4,000 to $25,000 over ten years. For example, when looking at the data for a client last week it was determined that the majority of the houses in her neighborhood were overvalued by 45% or more and that very few were correctly assessed. This happened because the county continued to project property value increases while, in fact, the houses have sold for much less.


Maryland Law Allows Property Tax Appeals—also known as “Petitions for Review” of property taxes—on 3 Occasions:

1. Upon receipt of an assessment notice. This occurs once every three years. We must file your appeal within 45 days of the assessment notice in order to appeal the assessment.

2. By petition for review. If you missed the opportunity to appeal your assessment notice or if you appealed but were displeased with the outcome (or your property value has decreased even further) you may file a petition for review every year between June 30 and January 1.

3. Upon the purchase of property between January 1 and June 30. If you purchase property outside this time period you are allowed to file a petition for review (#2).

Given the generous filing times, it is likely that we could appeal your property taxes now or within a few months and start saving you money on your property taxes.

For a free, confidential conversation to learn more about contesting your property taxes and a professional legal assessment of whether your property is overvalued, contact attorney Stephen J. Reichert at 410-299-4959, sreichert@reichertlegal.com or by clicking here.

Day, evening and weekend appointments are available in office or at your residence. Mr. Reichert personally serves clients and files property tax appeals throughout the entire State of Maryland.