How to appeal your property taxes in Franklin County, Kentucky
In Franklin County, if the value on your notice is too high, you can ask to have it lowered. You don't need a lawyer.
Checked against official sources: Oct 21, 2026
Can I still appeal?
Closed for 2026 — opens on May 3, 2027
As of October 21, 2026, the 2026 appeal window is closed: PVA conferences and county appeals ended in May (June 12 in Jefferson County), and Board of Tax Appeals petitions were due 30 days after each county board decision. The next window opens with the 2027 tax roll inspection period, normally May 3-17, 2027, with county appeals due about May 18, 2027; ask the PVA for a conference as soon as your notice arrives.
Franklin County homeowners pay a median of $1,716 a year in property tax on a median home value of $216,600. Its effective tax rate (property taxes paid as a share of home values, per the Tax Foundation) is 0.73%, the 21st highest of 119 Kentucky counties. The Franklin County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) values every home in Franklin County at fair cash value as of January 1. If you disagree, you must first hold a conference with the PVA; after that, the Franklin County Board of Assessment Appeals, a local citizen board, hears your appeal.
First you must have a conference with the PVA (or a deputy) before or during the tax roll inspection period. That period normally starts the first Monday in May and runs 13 days, Monday through Saturday, ending on the third Monday in May. If you still disagree, you must file your appeal with the county clerk no later than one workday after the inspection period ends, which is normally the Tuesday after the third Monday in May. The Department of Revenue can approve a later or longer inspection period, and a PVA can get up to 25 extra days for conferences and appeals, so check the dates on your notice and in the PVA's newspaper notice. Example: in 2026 the inspection period was May 4-18. The Kenton County Clerk's notice says appeals could be filed through Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 4 p.m. In Jefferson County (Louisville), online PVA conferences ran April 24 to May 18, 2026, and the PVA listed June 12, 2026 as the deadline to file an appeal with the local board.
Missed the deadline? What you can do now
- Check your notice: is your homestead exemption on it? If an exemption is missing, ask the office that sets your value. Exemptions have their own deadlines.
- Pay early and save: in many counties you get a 2% discount if you pay by November 1 (counties vary; in Jefferson County the discount runs to December 1).
- Set a reminder for May 2027, when the next notice usually arrives. Then check the value and the deadline right away. Add to my calendar
Where to file in Franklin County
Franklin County Property Valuation Administrator
Phone: 502-875-8780
Email: wil.rhodes@ky.gov
Address: 313 W. Main Street, Courthouse Annex, Room 209, Frankfort, KY 40601
Property Valuation Administrator (PVA): Wil Rhodes
Official website: franklincountypva.com
The PVA can show you your property record and recent sales, correct factual errors, and hold the required conference that must come before any appeal.
How to appeal in Franklin County, step by step
Read your notice
If the PVA raises your assessment, it must mail you a notice. Most PVAs mail notices one to two weeks before the tax roll inspection period in early May; some mail earlier in the year. The notice gives the inspection period dates, which is your window to request a conference and appeal. The PVA also publishes the inspection dates in the local newspaper. If your value did not change you may get no notice, but you can still appeal.
Check your property record
Look up your home on the Franklin County Property Valuation Administrator website and check square footage, bathrooms, condition and features. Mistakes are the easiest wins. Use our record card checklist.
File by the deadline
Ask the Franklin County Property Valuation Administrator for a conference before or during the tax roll inspection period, which normally starts the first Monday in May. If you still disagree, file Form 62F031 or a letter with the Franklin County Clerk no later than one workday after the inspection period ends; check your notice, because some counties get extensions.
Gather evidence
What works in Kentucky:
- Recent arm's-length sales of similar homes
- A recent appraisal
- Your purchase price and closing papers
- Photos, inspection reports and repair estimates showing condition problems
- Your insurance policy, construction costs and mortgage information
More detail
- Recent arm's-length sales of similar homes (not their assessments), ideally within one to two years before January 1
- A recent appraisal (at the Board of Tax Appeals the appraiser must attend and testify)
- Your purchase price and closing papers if you bought recently, or your listing contract if the home is for sale
- Photos, inspection reports and repair estimates showing condition problems
- Your insurance policy, construction costs and mortgage information, which the law lists as evidence
Go to the hearing
Bring copies of your evidence for each board member. Keep to the value of your home, not the size of the bill.
More detail
You have to prove your case. At the county board you must give factual evidence that supports the value you claim; if you do not provide reasonable information about the property's value when asked, the board must deny your appeal. The PVA also presents evidence for its value. At the Board of Tax Appeals the hearing starts over and you, as the appellant, present your case first, under oath. The board decides only your home's fair market value on January 1.
If you disagree with the decision
Next step: Kentucky Board of Tax Appeals (KBTA). Your petition must be received within 30 days of the date the county board's decision was mailed (or issued, if not mailed). Late petitions are dismissed. Send a written petition of appeal with a statement of the issues and facts, a statement that the information is true and correct, your signature, mailing address, phone and email, and a copy of the county board's ruling notice. File by email to taxappeals@ky.gov, by mail, or in person at Kentucky Board of Tax Appeals, Office of Claims and Appeals, 500 Mero Street, 2SC1, Frankfort, KY 40601. File a separate petition for each parcel. The KBTA hears the case new (de novo): its file holds only what you send it, not what you gave the PVA or county board. Hearings are formal, recorded and under oath. If you use an appraisal, the appraiser must appear and testify. The county attorney represents the PVA. No filing fee was found in the regulation. After the KBTA's final order, you can appeal to the circuit court of the county where the property is located.
The official appeal form is 62F031: Appeal to Local Board of Assessment Appeals (file with the county clerk).
Open Form 62F031How much could you save?
Enter the market value on your assessment notice and what you think the home would really sell for. We estimate the yearly saving if the board agrees with you.
Some states cap how fast the taxable value of a home can rise (California, Florida, Michigan and Texas homesteads, for example). If your taxable value is already held below market value by a cap, a lower market value may not lower this year's bill.
Free property tax appeal letter
Fill in your details and download a written appeal statement as a PDF. Most boards also require their own appeal form: file the form and attach this letter and your evidence to it.
The 2026 deadline in Kentucky has passed. We set this letter to the 2027 tax year: send it after your 2027 notice arrives.
RobinClaim is a free information site, not a law firm or appraiser. The letter is a template, not legal advice.
Franklin County property tax appeal FAQ
What is the deadline to appeal property taxes in Franklin County?
First you must have a conference with the PVA (or a deputy) before or during the tax roll inspection period. That period normally starts the first Monday in May and runs 13 days, Monday through Saturday, ending on the third Monday in May. If you still disagree, you must file your appeal with the county clerk no later than one workday after the inspection period ends, which is normally the Tuesday after the third Monday in May. The Department of Revenue can approve a later or longer inspection period, and a PVA can get up to 25 extra days for conferences and appeals, so check the dates on your notice and in the PVA's newspaper notice. Example: in 2026 the inspection period was May 4-18. The Kenton County Clerk's notice says appeals could be filed through Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 4 p.m. In Jefferson County (Louisville), online PVA conferences ran April 24 to May 18, 2026, and the PVA listed June 12, 2026 as the deadline to file an appeal with the local board.
Where do I file a property tax appeal in Franklin County?
First request a conference with the Franklin County Property Valuation Administrator; if you still disagree, file your appeal with the Franklin County Clerk, who schedules your hearing before the Franklin County Board of Assessment Appeals.
How do I contact the Franklin County Property Valuation Administrator?
Phone 502-875-8780. Website: franklincountypva.com.
Does it cost anything to appeal?
No filing fee appears in KRS 133.120 or on the Department of Revenue and county clerk pages checked.
Sources
Contact details change; call or check the office website before you visit.