State guide
Pennsylvania property taxes (2026)
✓ Verified August 2026 against official county pages — 2 sources linked below.
County pages for Pennsylvania are on the way — the statewide dates below apply everywhere, and county pages will add local rates, contacts, and exact appeal windows.
How Pennsylvania property taxes work
Pennsylvania homeowners pay three property tax bills — county, municipal, and school district — each with its own millage and its own calendar. County and municipal bills typically arrive in late winter or spring; school bills arrive in July for a fiscal year starting July 1.
Most bills use PA's signature three-phase structure: pay early for a discount (commonly 2%), pay the face amount during the middle window, or pay a penalty (commonly up to 10%) after it. The exact windows are printed on each bill and vary by county, municipality, and district.
Assessments here are unusual: counties reassess rarely — sometimes decades apart — and apply a common level ratio to relate old assessed values to today's market. Your annual chance to challenge the assessment is a county-set deadline, commonly August 1 or September 1 for the following tax year (Allegheny and Philadelphia run their own calendars).
The homestead exclusion knocks a fixed amount off the assessed value of owner-occupied homes for school (and sometimes county/municipal) taxes. One deadline to remember: apply with your county assessment office by March 1.
When payments are due
Three bills a year (county, municipal, school), each with discount/face/penalty windows — county+municipal in spring, school from July.
| Payment | Due | Delinquent after | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| County & municipal bills | — | — | Typically issued late winter–spring with ~2% discount, face, and penalty phases — dates printed on the bill |
| School district bill (2026–27) | — | — | Typically issued in July; discount through late August, face by fall, penalty after — many districts offer installments |
Pay early, pay less: 2% off in early-payment window on most bills.
Exact dates can vary by county — use your county's page above for the dates on your bill.
How to appeal your assessment
The statewide rule: File with your county Board of Assessment Appeals by the county's annual deadline — commonly August 1 or September 1 for the following tax year; Allegheny and Philadelphia set their own dates
Because counties reassess rarely, the annual appeal deadline is your recurring chance to fix an unfair number — and the common level ratio matters: if your assessment divided by the CLR exceeds your market value, you have a case.
- Find your county's deadlineEvery county sets one annual filing deadline for next year's assessment — commonly August 1 or September 1. Your county assessment office publishes it.
- Run the common level ratio mathDivide your assessed value by the county's current CLR. If the result is higher than what your home would sell for, the assessment is effectively too high.
- File with the Board of Assessment AppealsFile the county's appeal form by the deadline; fees are modest and county-set.
- Attend the hearingBring comparable sales or an appraisal; the board applies the CLR to reach the new assessment.
- Escalate if neededBoard decisions can be appealed to the Court of Common Pleas.
County pages have the exact local deadlines, forms, and filing links.
Statewide exemptions
| Exemption | What it's worth | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Homestead / farmstead exclusion | Reduces the assessed value of every approved owner-occupied home by the same fixed amount before school (and sometimes local) tax is figured — the amount depends on your district's Act 1 allocation | Apply by March 1 with your county assessment office |
| Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) | A state rebate program for income-qualified homeowners and renters 65+, widows/widowers 50+, and people with disabilities | Annual application with the PA Department of Revenue |
| Disabled veteran exemption | Full exemption for wartime veterans with 100% service-connected disability who meet the program's need standard | Apply when eligible |
Reassessment
Pennsylvania has no state-mandated reassessment cycle — counties revalue when they choose, and courts occasionally force one. Between reassessments, the common level ratio bridges old assessments to current market values.
Value notices (Reassessment notice) usually mail in only in reassessment years.
Common questions
- When are property taxes due in Pennsylvania?
- There's no single date — you get county, municipal, and school bills on separate calendars, each with discount/face/penalty windows printed on it. County and municipal bills typically arrive in spring; school bills in July. Pay in the discount window and you commonly save 2%.
- How do I appeal my Pennsylvania assessment?
- File with your county Board of Assessment Appeals by its annual deadline — commonly August 1 or September 1 for next year's taxes. The math to check first: assessed value ÷ the county's common level ratio; if that tops your market value, appeal.
- What is the common level ratio?
- The bridge between decades-old assessments and today's market. Counties rarely reassess, so the state publishes a ratio per county each year; your assessment divided by the ratio approximates the market value the system thinks you have.
- What is the homestead exclusion and when do I apply?
- A fixed reduction in assessed value for owner-occupied homes, funded through Act 1 — the amount depends on your school district. Apply once with your county assessment office by March 1.
- Is there help for seniors with Pennsylvania property taxes?
- Yes — the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program pays income-qualified homeowners and renters 65+ (widows/widowers 50+, people with disabilities) an annual rebate. It's a yearly application with the Department of Revenue.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from an official page. Check them yourself:
- PA DCED — Property Tax Relief Through Homestead Exclusion — checked 2026-08-12
- PA Department of Education — Property Tax Relief (Act 1) — checked 2026-08-12