How to Appeal Your BC Property Assessment
A step-by-step, plain-language walkthrough of the PARP complaint process, from valid grounds through to escalation at PAAB.
Every January, BC Assessment mails out property assessment notices based on the property's value as of the previous July 1. If you think yours is wrong, you have a real, free right to challenge it: a complaint to the Property Assessment Review Panel (PARP). Here's how that process works.
What you can complain about
BC's Assessment Act sets out five specific grounds for a complaint:
- Your name is wrong on the roll
- Land or improvement details are wrong (size, description, etc.)
- The property isn't assessed at its actual (market) value
- The property is classified incorrectly
- An exemption was wrongly allowed or disallowed
Important: "my assessment went up too much" isn't a valid ground by itself. What matters is whether the assessed value reflects actual market value as of the July 1 valuation date, not how much it changed from last year.
The deadline
Complaints must be filed by January 31 each year. If that date falls on a weekend, it moves to the next business day.
See full current-year deadline details →
How to file
Complaints go directly to BC Assessment, either online or by paper form, not to the municipality. You'll need your assessment roll number (find it on your notice), a description of the property, your contact information, and your reason for the complaint. Filing at this level is free.
What happens next
Panels hear complaints between February 1 and March 15, usually as a 30-minute phone hearing. You'll typically get 6 to 10 minutes to present your case, so have your evidence organized beforehand. The burden is on you to show the assessment is inaccurate — the panel starts with no prior knowledge of your file. A decision is usually given verbally at the end of the hearing, with a written notice mailed by April 7.
If you're not satisfied
If the panel doesn't change your assessment, you can escalate to the Property Assessment Appeal Board (PAAB) by April 30. That deadline is firm and cannot be extended. There's a $30 filing fee for residential properties at this level, and the process is more formal, typically starting with a phone conference before any hearing.