The department is statutorily required to determine:
- The market value of all residential, commercial, and industrial real property every two years. January 1, 2018 is the valuation date for the 2019-2020 appraisal cycle;
- The productivity value of all agricultural land value every two years. January 1, 2018 is the valuation date for the 2019-2020 appraisal cycle;
- The productivity value of all forest land every six years. January 1, 2014 is the valuation date for the 2021-2026 appraisal cycle; and
- The market value of all personal property (i.e. business equipment) annually.
Understanding Your Notice
Your classification and appraisal notice informs you how your property is classified and valued for property assessment and tax billing.
Here is an example of a data table from a classification and appraisal notice:
(Please Click on Red Icons Below for additional information.)
Note: The property may be subject to the local government’s special assessments and fees in addition to the general taxes. Property owners should review their previous year tax bill or contact their county treasurer’s office for more information about special assessments and fees that affect their property. Mill levies are determined by local government each September. This number is the total amount of mills levied against the property last year.For residential, commercial, industrial real property, the current assessed value shown is the department’s determination of market value. Market value is the value at which property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or sell and both having reasonable knowledge of relevant facts. 15-8-111(2)(a), MCA.
For agricultural and forest land, current assessed value is the department’s determination of productivity value; land values are based on productivity capacity per acre.
For personal property (i.e. business equipment), current assessed value is the depreciated value of the personal property less any exempt amount as of January 1, 2020.The $7,350 change in value from January 1, 2016 to January 1, 2018.Classification CodesGeocode
(property id)Move decimal 3 places to the left to calculate estimated tax. (.85738)
How estimated taxes are calculated:
Using values from the example:
Find your property’s tax rate based on its classification code.
The Informal Review Process
Step 1
Check your property information on Property.MT.gov
We want to make sure you don’t have any questions about your property.
You can use Property.MT.Gov to view details about your property and review its characteristics, such as:
- Number of bedrooms
- Number of bathrooms, or
- Square footage
Step 2
Get your questions answered by our local staff
You may contact your field office to talk to an appraiser. We will make every effort to address your concerns and resolve any possible misunderstandings.
If you have no additional concerns, your local county treasurer’s office will use the values reported in your notice to calculate your property tax bill.
Time Sensitive Information! If you disagree with our valuation or need us to correct your property’s characteristics, you will need to fill out the Request for Informal Classification and Appraisal Review (Form AB-26) within 30 days from the date on your classification and appraisal notice. The department will review your request for informal review and if we determine any valuation adjustments are warranted, the adjustments will apply to tax year 2020.
If you miss the 30-day deadline in 2020, your next opportunity to submit a request for informal review will be in year 2021, after you receive your new classification and appraisal notice for the 2021-2022 valuation cycle.
Step 3
Request an Informal Review
Before filling out your Request for Informal Classification and Appraisal Review (Form AB-26), be sure to have the following information easily available:
- Your classification and appraisal notice, showing your:
- Assessment Code
- Geocode
- Current Assessed Value
- If you are requesting an overall valuation change not related to physical characteristic changes, submit any of these documents you have available:
- Your own estimate of market value as of January 1, 2018 (department’s valuation date.)
- The purchase price of subject property within six months of the January 1, 2018, valuation date; copy of executed buy/sell agreement.
- A fee appraisal within six months of the January 1, 2018, valuation date.
- Comparable property sales or listings within six months of the January 1, 2018, valuation date.
- Builder’s cost breakdown worksheet for building remodels or construction.
- Detailed information on income and expenses for income producing commercial or industrial property.
Step 4
Formal Appeals
You can choose to appeal the classification or values shown on your notice directly to your local county tax appeal board (CTAB) rather than using our informal review process. Or, if you disagree with the department’s decision after the informal review process, you may appeal our decision with a county tax appeal board (CTAB) in the county where the property is located.
- County Tax Appeal Board
The County Tax Appeal Board (CTAB) is an independent board appointed by the county commissioners and not connected to the Department of Revenue. You can learn more about the CTAB process on the Montana Tax Appeal Board’s Appeal Process page. - Montana Tax Appeal Board
The Montana Tax Appeal Board (MTAB) is an administrative board tasked with providing an independent and neutral review of the Department of Revenue’s property valuation. Board members are appointed by the governor.
MTAB decisions are final unless you pursue district court action.
You can learn more about MTAB and the appeals process on the Montana Tax Appeal Board website. - Court of Appeal
To appeal decisions made by the Montana Tax Appeal Board, you need to file with a district court.
