Lancaster County’s first countywide reassessment since 2018 is now real, and if you got your notice in the mail, your reaction was probably something like: That can’t be right.
In Lancaster City and Columbia, average property values jumped 167% and 141%, respectively, from their last assessed values. Even in quieter suburban areas — Manheim Township, Lititz, Hempfield — homeowners are seeing increases of 50%, 80%, or more and wondering whether their new assessment actually reflects what their home is worth.
Here’s what matters right now: you have the right to appeal, and the deadline is August 3, 2026.
That’s 26 days from today. If your assessment feels off, here’s what you need to know to act before that window closes.
Is Your Assessment Actually Wrong? Start Here
Before you file anything, run a quick gut-check.
A reassessment is supposed to reflect your home’s fair market value as of January 1, 2025 — what a willing buyer would pay a willing seller, in an arm’s-length transaction, on that date. That’s the target. If your notice says your home is worth more than it would have sold for in January 2025, you may have a case.
A few questions worth asking:
- Are there recent sales of similar homes in your area that sold for less than your assessed value?
- Does your assessment include square footage, bedroom count, or features that are inaccurate?
- Is there a condition issue the assessor wouldn’t have known about — deferred maintenance, a structural problem, a location factor?
- Does your property have unique characteristics that make the comparable approach difficult to apply accurately?
You don’t need a bulletproof legal argument to file. You need credible evidence that your assessed value is higher than market value. If you’re not sure, it’s worth filing anyway — you can present your case and see what the Board says.
One more thing to understand: an appeal doesn’t automatically mean lower taxes. By Pennsylvania law, Lancaster County’s taxing bodies are required to adjust their millage rates downward so the overall tax base remains revenue-neutral after the reassessment. What an appeal does is ensure your share of the tax burden is based on an accurate value for your specific property — not an inflated one.
How to File Your Lancaster County Property Assessment Appeal
The process is more straightforward than it sounds.
Step 1: Get the appeal form.
Download the 2027 Reassessment Appeal form from the Lancaster County Assessment Office website at co.lancaster.pa.us. It’s a fillable PDF. You can also pick up a paper copy at 150 N Queen Street, Suite 310.
Step 2: Fill it out completely and sign it.
The form asks for your property information, your contact details, and your reason for appealing. Keep your reasoning simple: “The assessed value is higher than the fair market value of my property as of January 1, 2025.” You don’t need to attach evidence to the form itself — that comes at the hearing.
Step 3: Submit before August 3, 2026.
You have three options:
- Online: Use the fillable form on the Assessment Office website — the fastest method
- By mail: Send to Lancaster County Assessment Office, 150 N Queen Street, Suite 310, Lancaster PA 17603 — must be postmarked by August 3
- In person: Deliver to 150 N Queen Street, Suite 310 — note the building entrance is on Chestnut Street — by 5:00 PM on August 3
Questions? Contact the Assessment Office at paquestions@lancastercountypa.gov or (717) 390-7742.
Step 4: Gather your evidence before your hearing.
Filing the appeal locks in your deadline protection. The hearing comes later. Between now and your hearing date, build your case:
- Comparable sales (comps): Recent sales of similar homes in your neighborhood, ideally within 6–12 months of January 1, 2025, at prices below your assessed value. You can find these on Zillow or Redfin, or work with an agent who can pull MLS data.
- A licensed appraisal: Not required, but this is the strongest evidence you can present.
- Property condition documentation: Photos of deferred maintenance, structural issues, or other factors that reduce your home’s value relative to similar properties.
- Errors in your assessment record: Check the Assessment Office’s data on your home — square footage, bedroom count, lot size — at the Lancaster County online portal. If anything is wrong, document it.
Step 5: Attend your hearing.
The Board of Assessment will schedule your hearing and notify you of the date and time. You’ll present your evidence. The Board may reduce your assessment, keep it as-is, or in rare cases adjust it upward — though upward adjustments at informal residential hearings are uncommon.
Should You Hire Help?
For most residential homeowners, the DIY approach works well — especially if you have clear comparable sales to point to.
Where professional help makes sense:
- High-value properties where even a small percentage difference means significant annual tax savings
- Complex situations like commercial mixed-use, investment properties, or properties with unusual features that make comps hard to find
- Cases where you’re not confident in the data — a real estate attorney who specializes in assessment appeals or a licensed appraiser can build a more compelling case
If you’re a homeowner wondering whether your assessed value lines up with what your home would actually sell for today, that’s a question I can help you think through. I look at comparable sales data every day, and walking through recent comps in your neighborhood takes about 15 minutes.
What This Means If You’re Buying or Selling Right Now
The reassessment affects active buyers and sellers too — not just current owners.
If you’re selling: Your assessed value won’t directly set your listing price — that’s determined by the market. But buyers will ask about property taxes, and the honest answer right now is that 2027 tax bills are not yet calculable. The millage rates for 2027 haven’t been set. You’ll want to be upfront about that rather than pointing to the current year’s tax bill as a reliable predictor.
If you’re buying: When evaluating a home, don’t assume the current property tax bill is what you’ll pay in 2027. The new assessed value combined with the adjusted millage rate will produce a different number — possibly higher, possibly lower, depending on how that property’s assessment changed relative to others in the county. Ask your agent to help you estimate what the 2027 liability might look like.
For a fuller picture of how the reassessment works and what it means for property values, the posts on Lancaster County Property Reassessment: What Homeowners Need to Know and Understanding Property Assessments in Lancaster County cover the mechanics in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deadline to appeal my Lancaster County property assessment?
The appeal deadline for the 2027 reassessment is August 3, 2026. Notices were mailed June 15, 2026, and appeals must be filed within 40 days of that mailing date. Your appeal must be postmarked or hand-delivered to the Lancaster County Assessment Office by 5:00 PM on August 3.
If I appeal and win, will my property taxes definitely go down?
Not necessarily — it depends on your specific outcome relative to your neighbors. Lancaster County taxing bodies are required by Pennsylvania law to adjust their millage rates downward so the overall tax levy remains revenue-neutral after a reassessment. If your appeal reduces your assessed value below what similar properties are assessed at, your share of the tax burden shifts in your favor.
What evidence do I need to appeal my property assessment in Lancaster County?
The strongest evidence is recent comparable sales — homes similar to yours that sold for less than your assessed value near January 1, 2025. A licensed appraisal is the gold standard. You can also document factual errors in your assessment record (wrong square footage, incorrect bedroom count) or provide documentation of condition issues that reduce your home’s market value.
Can I appeal my property assessment even if I’m not sure it’s wrong?
Yes, and filing is low-risk. The appeal process costs nothing for residential homeowners, and the Board of Assessment reviews your evidence before deciding. The quickest check is to compare what similar homes in your area sold for in early-to-mid 2025 against your assessed value. If those sales are meaningfully below your new assessment, you have a reasonable basis to appeal.
What happens if I miss the August 3, 2026 appeal deadline?
Once the appeal window closes, you lose the right to challenge the 2027 reassessment. You can file a standard yearly appeal after the 2027 tax year begins, but that process involves different grounds and timelines. If you think you have a case, it’s worth filing now rather than waiting.
The August 3 deadline is coming up quickly, and this is one of those situations where acting sooner is better than scrambling at the end. The form is straightforward, the filing is free, and the hearing is your chance to make sure the numbers are accurate before they become final.
If you’re trying to figure out whether your new assessed value makes sense given what homes in your area are actually selling for, I’m happy to pull some comparable sales and walk through it with you. Reach out anytime.
About Craig Hartranft
Craig Hartranft is a top-ranked Lancaster County REALTOR® and Founder of The Craig Hartranft Team, Berkshire Hathaway’s #1 real estate team in Lancaster County, with 460 homes sold and $195M+ in sales in 2025, plus over 1,400 five-star reviews across Google and Zillow.