Property tax appeal · Yellowstone County, MT
Appeal your property taxes in Yellowstone County, MT.
Yellowstone County homeowners appeal through Montana’s system: the Montana Department of Revenue (state-run appraisal) sets the value and the county tax appeal board (then Montana Tax Appeal Board) hears the case. Boards act on evidence of market value as of the assessment date, and a licensed, USPAP-compliant appraisal is that evidence.
$5, credited toward your appraisal.
Yellowstone County, MT
Home to Billings
- Filing deadline
- On your notice
- Valuation date
- January 1
- Values your home
- Montana Department of Revenue (state-run appraisal)
- Hears your case
- County tax appeal board (then Montana Tax Appeal Board)
- Desktop appraisal
- $225
- $5 check credited
- Timing
- Confirmed with your order
Deadline
You have 30 days from the date on your classification and appraisal notice to request the Department of Revenue’s informal review (Form AB-26) — notices go out in reappraisal years. Your assessment notice states the exact date.
Confirm your filing window and recipient requirements before ordering. Service availability and delivery depend on the property, evidence and appraiser. You remain responsible for filing on time.
How it works
How to appeal your property taxes in Yellowstone County.
- Step 1
Check your savings
Enter your address and pay $5. We check your Yellowstone County assessment against recent nearby sales.
- Step 2
Order the appraisal
A desktop appraisal valued as of your assessment date, with the $5 credited. Complex homes get one exact quote.
- Step 3
Show us your home
Walk through on your phone so the appraiser sees its condition. A desktop appraisal needs no visit.
- Step 4
File your appeal
A state-licensed MT appraiser signs it, with a cover letter and filing steps. You file by your deadline, and the county tax appeal board (then Montana Tax Appeal Board) hears your case.
The evidence
Boards act on value, not frustration.
However Montana labels the process, the case underneath is the same: show what your home was actually worth on the assessment date. A licensed, USPAP-compliant appraisal, with comparable sales, documented adjustments and a signed opinion of value, is that showing.
What the appraisal gives you
- Valued as of your assessment date, not today
- Comparable sales with adjustments and citations
- Signed by a state-licensed MT appraiser
- A phone walkthrough; a desktop appraisal needs no visit
- Starting search in Yellowstone County: 3+ comparable sales within ~1 mi, sold within 12 months
Search settings are starting points for the appraiser, not universal filing requirements. The appraiser selects appropriate evidence for the assignment.
Confirm before you file
- The assessment date (January 1) and tax year on your notice
- The recipient: Yellowstone County Assessor
- The electronic filing format and required official forms
- Appraiser availability and delivery timing, before you order
The process
How Montana handles appeals.
Montana is unusual: a state agency — the Department of Revenue — appraises all property, not county assessors. In reappraisal years (residential runs on a two-year cycle) the DOR mails a classification and appraisal notice, and your first move is Form AB-26, a request for informal review, within 30 days. If the DOR’s answer doesn’t match the market, you appeal to your county tax appeal board, a local citizen panel, and from there to the Montana Tax Appeal Board. The DOR values by mass-appraisal model; the counterweight the boards respect is a property-specific licensed appraisal with comparable sales as of the valuation date.
Worth knowing in Montana
If taxes come due mid-appeal, pay under protest — it preserves your refund. Land and improvements are valued separately on the notice; check which one drove the jump before you argue.
FAQ
Yellowstone County questions
When is the Yellowstone County appeal deadline?
You have 30 days from the date on your classification and appraisal notice to request the Department of Revenue’s informal review (Form AB-26) — notices go out in reappraisal years. Confirm your exact filing window using the assessment notice and official authority.
How do appeals work in Yellowstone County?
Montana is unusual: a state agency — the Department of Revenue — appraises all property, not county assessors. In reappraisal years (residential runs on a two-year cycle) the DOR mails a classification and appraisal notice, and your first move is Form AB-26, a request for informal review, within 30 days. If the DOR’s answer doesn’t match the market, you appeal to your county tax appeal board, a local citizen panel, and from there to the Montana Tax Appeal Board. The DOR values by mass-appraisal model; the counterweight the boards respect is a property-specific licensed appraisal with comparable sales as of the valuation date.
What evidence should I bring?
Comparable sales as of the assessment date, adjusted for the differences between those homes and yours — potential supporting evidence. Check the reviewing authority’s rules for admissibility, valuation date, forms and filing. An appraisal does not guarantee a reduction.
Nearby in Montana
See if an appeal is worth it.
$5, credited toward your appraisal.