Meeting set to discuss state property appraisal notices

Property owners are receiving their 2023 reappraisal notices from the state Department of Revenue.

The property classification and appraisal notices are sent to all owners of residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural land properties.

Public meetings explaining the property valuation process and how new values are determined on appraisal notices have been scheduled across the state. The meeting for Flathead County will be on July 12 in Kalispell at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1840 U.S. 93. It will be from 3-6 p.m.

The notices include the department’s determination of market or productivity value and the taxable value for a property that will be used by the county treasurer to determine the property taxes owed for tax years 2023 and 2024. They are not tax bills.

Many property owners may be getting notices showing valuations have risen since the last reappraisal cycle in 2021. If the notice indicates that the property’s market value increased over the past two years, this does not necessarily mean that property taxes will go up the same percentage, the state notes on its website.

Since the reappraisal values reflect the market prior to 2022, there will be some property owners who experience sticker shock, the Flathead County Treasurer's website notes, as the county experienced an increase in 2020 and 2021 that will be reflected in the appraised values.

The state is required to provide the estimate using last year’s mill tax levies, which were determined by last year’s taxable value. With the increase in market values the calculations for the 2023 mill levies will consider the increase in taxable value, but until the mill levies are determined it's not certain how that will affect property owners 2023 tax bill, the website notes.

“It’s important that Montana property owners review this information,” said Brendan Beatty, Director of the Montana Department of Revenue. “If property owners wait until property tax bills are sent in November, it will be too late for the department to correct property characteristics and make adjustments that may impact the value of the property for Tax Year 2023.”

If property owners disagree with the department’s determination of value for their property, they may submit a Request for Informal Classification and Appraisal Review (called Form AB-26) within 30 days of the date on their notice. Owners can electronically submit the form, download it, and find more information on the informal review process at MTRevenue.gov.

Virtual meetings will also be held. The first is on July 6.

The schedule for meetings is available at https://mtrevenue.gov/pad-town-halls/

The public can find contact information for local Department of Revenue field offices by visiting MTRevenue.gov/contact/ or by calling (406)444-6900, or Montana Relay at 711 for hearing impaired.