How to Appeal Your Property Tax in Riverside County
If your Riverside County home is worth less than its assessed value as of January 1, you can ask to have that value lowered — and your property tax bill along with it. You have two ways to do it: a free online review with the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, due November 2, and a formal appeal to the Assessment Appeals Board, open July 2 – November 30 for a $30 fee. Start with the free review, and file the formal appeal alongside it so your appeal rights are safe either way.
What are the two ways to appeal my property tax?
Riverside County offers two paths: a free informal review through the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, or a formal appeal through the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board. The free review takes requests from early in the year and closes first — November 2, about four weeks before the November 30 formal deadline. The formal appeal window opens July 2. The review is filed online; the formal appeal is paper only.
What is an informal review?
Through the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
The informal review asks the Assessor's office to take a fresh look at your home's January 1 value. You fill out the Decline-in-Value Reassessment Application (Prop. 8) online, attach your comparable sales, and e-sign it — no fee, no hearing, no lawyer. Prefer paper? Print the ACR 755, sign it, and mail it to Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, P.O. Box 751, Riverside, CA 92502-0751. The Assessor's office either lowers the value or leaves it as is, so asking can't raise your assessment.
- Free to file — no fee
- Filed through the Assessor's online application, which mirrors the paper form — or print the ACR 755 and mail it
- The form holds two comparable sales; attach the rest of your evidence (the online form takes PDF, Word, Excel, and text files)
- No hearing. If the Assessor receives your request before July 1, your new value is posted on the Assessor's website after July; requests received later get a written notice.
- File in spring if you can: requests in by mid-May can be weighed before the assessment roll closes. Later requests are accepted through November 2 but may be reviewed after the roll is finalized.
Due November 2, 2026 — before the formal deadline
The free review closes about four weeks before the November 30 formal deadline, and the online application shuts off after November 2. The Assessor doesn't publish how long a review takes, but expects to finish reviews well before the November 30 appeal deadline. Mailing the paper form? Send it early. Questions go to the Assessor at (951) 955-6200.
What is a formal property tax appeal?
Through the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board
The formal appeal goes to the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board, an independent board that hears disputes between property owners and the Assessor. You file the BOE-305-AH by mail during the July 2 – November 30 window — Riverside doesn't accept appeals by fax or other electronic means. The Board schedules an in-person hearing where you and the Assessor's appraiser each present evidence. Because the Board decides on the evidence, it can lower, keep, or raise the value.
- Filing window: July 2 – November 30 each year. A mailed application counts if it's postmarked by November 30.
- $30 per parcel, mailed with your application. Riverside refunds the $30 within 30 days of the Appeals Board's final decision when the Board changes your value in your favor. Withdrawing the appeal doesn't trigger a refund.
- In person at the County Administrative Center, Riverside — before a three-member Board, or a Hearing Officer on request for homes, condos and 1–4 unit buildings. A Hearing Officer's decision is final.
- Paper filing only — one signed original per parcel
No online filing — the Clerk's online tool only prepares the form
You can prepare your form online (optional) with the Clerk's Assessment Appeals On-Line tool, which asks you to sign up with an email and password. You still print the BOE-305-AH, sign it in blue ink, and mail it with the $30 fee to: Clerk of the Board, P.O. Box 1628, Riverside, CA 92502-1628
File both — Riverside's own form says so.
“Preserve Your Appeal Rights: You may file an appeal without waiting for a response to this Prop. 8 claim … You may withdraw your appeal, without penalty, for any reason.”— Decline-in-Value Reassessment Application (Prop. 8), ACR 755
The free review doesn't extend the November 30 appeal deadline, so filing both keeps your rights safe. One catch: the $30 appeal fee comes back only if the Appeals Board lowers your value — not if you withdraw.
Riverside County right now
Free review closes November 2
The Assessor's online Decline-in-Value application shuts off after November 2. The formal appeal stays open through November 30 — file it too and your appeal rights are protected.
40 days left to file a formal appeal in Riverside County
Applications must be filed with the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board by November 30. The filing fee is $30. Miss it and the next opportunity is next year's filing window.
Not sure you have a case? Check your property free — about 60 seconds, and if you're not overassessed we'll tell you so.
Riverside County filing dates and cost, at a glance
Your 2026–27 property tax bill
Yes — you can still appeal the value on your 2026–27 bill.
Start with the free informal review: the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder takes requests until November 2. The formal appeal to the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board stays open until November 30 (a $30 filing fee). Bill due dates and what to check first.
- Informal review
- By November 2Free
- Formal appeal
- July 2 – November 30
- Formal filing fee
- $30 per parcel
Can't afford the fee? Riverside waives the $30 filing fee for applicants who receive public assistance or qualify by income. Ask the Clerk of the Board for the fee waiver request form — you sign it under penalty of perjury and send it with your application.
Want every date for Riverside County in one place — bill due dates, supplemental assessment clocks, and what to do if you miss a window? See the Riverside County property tax deadlines page. New to the process? The statewide guide to appealing property taxes in California explains the two tracks before the county specifics.
What evidence do I need for a property tax appeal?
Comparable sales — recent sales of homes like yours — are the core of any Riverside appeal. The Clerk of the Board's hearing guide says three good comps are the best evidence for a home, and every sale must have closed no later than March 31, within 90 days of the January 1 valuation date. Comps outside that window are among the most common reasons appeals fail.
For the free review, attach your comps to the online application. For a formal hearing, don't mail evidence with your BOE-305-AH — the form says so itself. Bring at least seven copies to the hearing instead.
“Similar” means comparable in:
- Building and lot size
- Bedrooms and bathrooms
- Year built and condition
- Proximity to your home
Bringing an appraisal? Bring the appraiser
An appraisal can support your case at a formal hearing, but under the Appeals Board's rules its author has to be there to answer questions unless both sides agree otherwise.
Free data source: The Assessor's RivCoView property search shows your assessment, and its Sales tab maps recent sales near your home — everything you need to pick comps yourself.
This is what Overassessed does. We find comparable sales from county records, calculate adjustments for differences in size, features, and condition, and lay out the evidence for you to review, attach, and file yourself.
The Overassessed Filing Guide includes comparable sales data, dollar adjustments, and a written value argument — everything listed above.
See what's includedHow do I file a property tax appeal step by step?
Appealing in Riverside County takes five steps, and most of the work is gathering a few good comparable sales. Here's the order to do it in.
Check your assessed value
Look up your home on RivCoView, the Assessor's free property search, and compare its assessed value with what similar homes sold for around January 1. If the market value is lower, you may have a case.
Overassessed does this for you — enter your address and we'll pull your assessment and run the comparison.
Gather comparable sales
Pick recent sales of similar nearby homes that closed no later than March 31 — the Appeals Board can't consider later sales. RivCoView's Sales tab shows recent sales for free.
The Overassessed Filing Guide includes selected comps with dollar adjustments, ready to copy onto the form.
File the free review by November 2
Fill out the Assessor's online Decline-in-Value Reassessment Application (Prop. 8), attach your comparable sales, and e-sign it — or print the ACR 755, sign it, and mail it to Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, P.O. Box 751, Riverside, CA 92502-0751. It's free, and the online application shuts off after November 2.
File the formal appeal by November 30
Don't wait for the Assessor's answer — Riverside's own Prop 8 form says you don't have to. Print the BOE-305-AH (or prepare it in the Clerk's online tool), state your opinion of value, sign it in blue ink, and mail it with the $30 fee to Clerk of the Board, P.O. Box 1628, Riverside, CA 92502-1628, postmarked by November 30. If the free review fixes your value first, you can withdraw the appeal without penalty, though the $30 fee isn't refunded on a withdrawal.
Prepare for your hearing
Your hearing notice arrives at least 45 days ahead; return its reply so the Clerk receives it at least 21 days before the hearing. Two to three weeks out, you can call the Assessor's office to talk with the assigned appraiser about a stipulated value. Unless you've signed and returned a stipulation at least three days before the hearing, attend in person in Riverside with at least seven copies of your comparable sales — if you don't appear, the appeal is denied.
Our Filing Guide gives you copy-ready values for both the Assessor's online application and the BOE-305-AH, plus a deadline tracker.
Check if you qualifyImportant things to know
The free review closes first
Riverside's informal review is due November 2, about four weeks before the formal appeal deadline. Don't assume you have until November 30 for both.
The formal appeal goes by mail
You can fill in the form online with the Clerk's tool, but you still print it, sign it in blue ink, and mail it with your $30 fee. The Appeals Board's rules don't accept applications by fax or other electronic means.
Win, and the $30 comes back
Riverside refunds the $30 within 30 days of the Appeals Board's final decision when the Board changes your value in your favor. Withdrawing the appeal doesn't trigger a refund.
Show up, with copies
Hearings are in person in Riverside, and if you don't attend, the appeal is denied. Make sure the Clerk receives your reply to the hearing notice at least 21 days before the hearing, check in at Window #1 at least 30 minutes early, and bring at least seven copies of your comparable sales.
The formal deadline is November 30 — not September 15
Some websites still list a September 15 deadline or a different fee for Riverside. The county's own rules say July 2 – November 30 and $30 per parcel. Riverside is an extended-deadline county because the Assessor doesn't mail value notices to every owner by August 1.
Paperwork traps that sink otherwise-good appeals
State your opinion of value in Section 4, Column B of the BOE-305-AH — the instructions say a missing one gets the application rejected. File one application per parcel, sign the original in blue ink, and don't attach evidence to the application.
An appeal lowers the value-based part of your bill — not Mello-Roos
Riverside's average property tax rate is 1.173% of assessed value (State Board of Equalization, 2024–25), so each $10,000 cut from your assessed value saves roughly $117 a year; your exact rate depends on your tax rate area. Many newer tracts also pay Mello-Roos (Community Facilities District) special taxes, which are charged per home or per acre rather than on value — an appeal doesn't change them.
The Assessor's own reductions reach a few thousand homes
On the 2025–26 roll, the Assessor reduced 4,814 residential assessments for a decline in value (the Assessor's 2025 roll report to the Board of Supervisors). If you think your home is worth less than its assessed value, the free review is how you ask the Assessor to look at it.
How do I file with the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board?
The Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board hears formal property tax appeals in Riverside County. Its application is the BOE-305-AH, accepted July 2 – November 30, with a $30 filing fee. You file it on paper, by mail; there's no online filing. Unlike the Assessor's free informal review, the board's decision is binding: an independent board, not the Assessor, sets your value.
- Application
- BOE-305-AH · Download the form
- Filing window
- July 2 – November 30
- How to file
- On paper, by mail. The county's appeals page has the form.
- Mail to
- Clerk of the Board, P.O. Box 1628, Riverside, CA 92502-1628
- Fee
- $30 per parcel$30 payable to the County of Riverside, mailed with the application
- Fee waiver
- Riverside waives the $30 filing fee for applicants who receive public assistance or qualify by income. Ask the Clerk of the Board for the fee waiver request form — you sign it under penalty of perjury and send it with your application.
- Hearing
- In person at the County Administrative Center, Riverside — before a three-member Board, or a Hearing Officer on request for homes, condos and 1–4 unit buildings
- Decision
- Up to 2 years from filing date
- Clerk of the Board
- (951) 955-9688 · aab@rivco.org
The board decides on evidence, the same kind the informal review uses: sales of similar homes that closed near January 1. Riverside County's own Prop 8 form says you can file the formal appeal without waiting for the Assessor's answer, so a slow informal answer can't cost you the year. You can put the evidence together yourself; what evidence wins an appeal covers the rules.
Before you file, see whether your value is worth appealing. The check is free and takes about 60 seconds.
Check my propertyFrequently asked questions about Riverside County property tax appeals
What is the deadline to appeal property taxes in Riverside County?
Riverside County has two deadlines, and the free one comes first. The free Decline-in-Value (Prop 8) review with the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder is due November 2, 2026 — the deadline moves to the next business day when it lands on a weekend, and the online application shuts off after it. The formal appeal to the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board can be filed July 2 – November 30; a mailed appeal counts if it's postmarked by November 30. Filing the free review doesn't extend the formal deadline. Source: County of Riverside deadline notice
How much does it cost to appeal my property tax in Riverside County?
The informal review with the Assessor is free. The formal appeal fee is $30 payable to the County of Riverside, mailed with the application, one fee per parcel. Riverside refunds the $30 within 30 days of the Appeals Board's final decision when the Board changes your value in your favor. Withdrawing the appeal doesn't trigger a refund. Riverside waives the $30 filing fee for applicants who receive public assistance or qualify by income. Ask the Clerk of the Board for the fee waiver request form — you sign it under penalty of perjury and send it with your application. Source: Assessment Appeals Board rules
Do I need a lawyer to appeal my property taxes in Riverside County?
No. Riverside's appeal form says representation is optional, so you can file and present your own case. A spouse, parent, or child can appear for you; anyone else who isn't an attorney needs your written authorization on file with the Clerk of the Board before the hearing. The free review needs no representative at all — you file it yourself, online or by mail. Source: How to Prepare for your Hearing (Clerk of the Board)
What evidence do I need for a property tax appeal in Riverside County?
Comparable sales — recent sales of similar homes nearby. The Clerk of the Board's hearing guide calls three comps the best evidence for a home, and every sale must have closed no later than March 31, within 90 days of the January 1 valuation date; comps outside that window are among the most common reasons appeals fail. For the free review, enter your best two comps on the online application and attach the rest. For a formal hearing, don't mail evidence with the BOE-305-AH; bring at least seven copies to the hearing. Source: How to Prepare for your Hearing (Clerk of the Board)
How long does a property tax appeal take in Riverside County?
The Assessor doesn't publish a processing time for the free review, but expects to finish reviews well before the November 30 appeal deadline. If the Assessor receives your request before July 1, your new value is posted on the Assessor's website after July; requests received later get a written notice. A formal appeal takes longer: the Clerk mails a hearing notice at least 45 days before the hearing, and the Board has up to two years from filing to decide. The decision comes at the hearing or by mail, usually within about two weeks, and a tax refund after a reduction takes roughly three to six months. Keep paying your tax bill as issued in the meantime; a reduction brings a corrected bill or a refund. Source: How to Prepare for your Hearing (Clerk of the Board)
Do I need to file again if my Riverside County home's value was reduced last year?
No. If your home received a decline-in-value reduction, the Assessor reviews it automatically every January 1 until the value returns to its Proposition 13 level, so there's nothing to reapply for. The reduced value can go up or down from year to year. If you disagree with the result, you can still file a formal appeal during the July 2 – November 30 window. Source: Riverside County Assessor FAQ
How do I contact the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board?
Call the Clerk of the Board at (951) 955-9688 or email aab@rivco.org. Paper applications (BOE-305-AH) go to Clerk of the Board, P.O. Box 1628, Riverside, CA 92502-1628, during the July 2 – November 30 filing window. The filing fee is $30. Source: Clerk of the Board, Assessment Appeals Division
Official county resources: the Assessor's decline-in-value page, the Assessment Appeals Division, How to Prepare for your Hearing, RivCoView, and every Riverside County deadline in one place.
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Overassessed provides estimates based on publicly available data and AI-generated analysis. This is not a formal appraisal, legal advice, or tax advice. Results are not guaranteed, and appeal outcomes depend on county review. Users file their own appeals. AI-generated estimates may differ from actual market values.