How to appeal your property tax assessment in Mississippi
In Mississippi, 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 in July 2027
As of October 21, 2026, the 2026 window has closed. Written objections were due by each county's deadline, usually the first Monday in August (August 3, 2026), and the 10-day circuit court window has passed too. The next window should open in July 2027, when county rolls are published, with objections due by about the first Monday in August 2027 (August 2, 2027).
Mississippi homeowners pay a median of $1,215 a year in property tax, an effective rate of 0.72%, the 32nd highest of the 51 states we cover.
Your written objection must be filed with the county Chancery Clerk (clerk of the Board of Supervisors) by the deadline in your county's notice. The Department of Revenue says an appeal normally must be filed by the first Monday in August, and the Board starts hearing objections that day. In 2026 that was August 3. Some counties close filing earlier. Jackson County lists its protest deadline in the last two weeks of July. Lamar County requires appeals to be filed during the two weeks the roll is open before the first Monday in August. Some counties with two judicial districts set a different day for each district. Check your county's notice for the exact day and your district. If you miss the objection deadline, you cannot question the assessment later.
The sources reviewed do not say whether the assessor mails you a new value notice. Each county publishes a notice that the assessment rolls have been equalized and are open for inspection, usually in July. Check your county's notice and look up your value at the assessor's office or the county land roll. Shortly after the roll is ready, the Board of Supervisors meets in August to hear objections.
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.
- Set a reminder for July 2027, when the next notice usually arrives. Then check the value and the deadline right away. Add to my calendar
Find your Mississippi county
Where you file depends on your county. Pick yours for the office contacts, local tax figures and a step-by-step guide.
How 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.
How to appeal in Mississippi, step by step
Understand your assessment
The county tax assessor appraises every home in the county. The county Board of Supervisors reviews the values, hears written objections, and sets the final roll. The county Chancery Clerk is clerk of the Board of Supervisors and receives your written objection. Homes are valued at true (market) value as of January 1. The state then applies an assessment ratio. A single-family home you own and live in (Class I) is assessed at 10% of its true value. Other real property is assessed at 15%. Tax assessors must revalue real property at least once every four years. Values take effect January 1 each year.
Check the record and talk to the assessor
The sources reviewed do not describe a formal informal review step. You can still call or visit the county tax assessor before the August meeting to check your property record for errors, such as square footage or improvements, and ask how your value was set. Get any agreed correction in writing.
Gather your evidence
What works in Mississippi:
- Recent sales of similar homes near you, with sale dates and prices
- A recent appraisal, or your purchase price and date if you bought in an arm's-length sale
- Assessed values of similar nearby homes, to show unequal treatment
- Corrections to the assessor's property record
- Photos and repair estimates showing condition problems
More detail
- Recent sales of similar homes near you, with sale dates and prices
- A recent appraisal, or your purchase price and date if you bought in an arm's-length sale
- Assessed values of similar nearby homes, to show unequal treatment (Mississippi law requires equal assessment of property of the same value)
- Corrections to the assessor's property record, such as square footage, rooms, or improvements that are wrong
- Photos and repair estimates showing condition problems
File your appeal
First level: Board of Supervisors objection hearing. Write a clear objection to your home's assessed value, including the value you think is correct and why. File it with the county Chancery Clerk, who is clerk of the Board of Supervisors, by the county's deadline. Keep a stamped copy. The Board starts hearing objections on the first Monday in August. Bring your evidence to the hearing. The Board can raise, lower, or leave your value unchanged. Cost: No filing fee was found in the sources reviewed. Ask the Chancery Clerk to confirm.
Prove your case at 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
The sources reviewed do not state who must prove the value at the Board hearing or in circuit court. Bring evidence that your home's market value is lower than the assessed value, and evidence that similar homes are assessed lower. Circuit court tries the assessment anew, so the court is not limited to what you showed the Board.
If you lose: Circuit Court appeal
Plan for 10 days after the Board of Supervisors adjourns the meeting where it made its decision (Miss. Code Ann. 11-51-77). The Mississippi Supreme Court also read a separate 20-day period under 27-35-119, which runs from the date the clerk mails notice of final approval. It held that the 11-51-77 bond rules still apply to these appeals (Natchez Hospital, 2018, as quoted in Mississippi Hub v. Baldwin, 2023). Because the two periods differ, file within 10 days. File a bond with sufficient sureties, in at least double the amount in dispute and never less than $100, payable to the state and approved by the Board clerk. The clerk sends a certified copy of the record to the circuit court clerk. The case is tried anew in circuit court, so you can present evidence that was not given to the Board. Ask the Chancery Clerk for the bond requirements and forms. Pay attention to the strict time limits.
After you win
If the Board lowers your value, the corrected value goes on the roll. Taxes are due on the roll as adjusted. The statute says an appeal does not delay tax collection, so pay the tax as billed while an appeal is pending. The sources do not confirm the refund process for taxes paid under a value that is later reduced. The Department of Revenue says refunds for prior years may be possible in some cases; ask your Chancery Clerk.
Official forms
Written objection to the Board of Supervisors (no statewide form found; ask your Chancery Clerk for the county's form)
Homestead exemption application (filed with the county tax assessor, January 1 to April 1)
Rules that are different in Mississippi
- Objections must be in writing and filed with the Chancery Clerk. Owners who do not object by the deadline are bound by the assessment (Miss. Code 27-35-93, quoted by the Mississippi Supreme Court).
- The Board must equalize assessments so that property of the same value is assessed for an equal sum (27-35-89).
- Some counties hold separate hearings for each judicial district. Check which district your home is in.
- Filing an appeal does not delay collection of the tax. You must pay the tax as billed (27-35-121).
- A bond is required to appeal to circuit court (11-51-77, as applied in Natchez Hospital v. Adams County).
- Real property taxes are due by February 1 of the year after assessment.
- The 2026 Board hearing and 10-day circuit court window have already passed for this year.
Is your home assessed higher than similar homes?
Yes. The Board of Supervisors must equalize assessments so that property of the same value is assessed for an equal sum. You can show that similar homes nearby are assessed lower than yours. You must show the homes are truly similar. Run the numbers with our unequal assessment calculator.
Most wins start with a mistake in the assessor's record of your home. Check it line by line.
Record card checklistExemptions that lower your bill without an appeal
An exemption is separate from an appeal: you apply once and it cuts your taxable value every year. Check you have every one you qualify for.
Homestead exemption (three tiers)
For a home you own and live in as your primary residence on January 1. Tier 1 (under 65, not disabled): a tax credit of up to $300. Tier 2 (65 or older, or totally disabled): the first $7,500 of assessed value is exempt, which equals $75,000 of true value for a Class I home. Tier 3: full exemption for certain disabled veterans, veterans age 90 or older, and some surviving spouses. Apply with the county tax assessor between January 1 and April 1. You must have filed your Mississippi income tax returns and be current on road and bridge privilege taxes.
Do you need a lawyer or a tax consultant?
The sources reviewed do not confirm whether someone other than the owner may file an objection or appear for you at the Board hearing. Ask the Chancery Clerk before the deadline.
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 Mississippi 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.
Mississippi property tax appeal FAQ
What is the deadline to appeal property taxes in Mississippi?
Your written objection must be filed with the county Chancery Clerk (clerk of the Board of Supervisors) by the deadline in your county's notice. The Department of Revenue says an appeal normally must be filed by the first Monday in August, and the Board starts hearing objections that day. In 2026 that was August 3. Some counties close filing earlier. Jackson County lists its protest deadline in the last two weeks of July. Lamar County requires appeals to be filed during the two weeks the roll is open before the first Monday in August. Some counties with two judicial districts set a different day for each district. Check your county's notice for the exact day and your district. If you miss the objection deadline, you cannot question the assessment later.
Where do I file a property tax appeal in Mississippi?
First level of appeal in Mississippi: Board of Supervisors objection hearing. Write a clear objection to your home's assessed value, including the value you think is correct and why. File it with the county Chancery Clerk, who is clerk of the Board of Supervisors, by the county's deadline. Keep a stamped copy. The Board starts hearing objections on the first Monday in August. Bring your evidence to the hearing. The Board can raise, lower, or leave your value unchanged.
How much does it cost to appeal in Mississippi?
No filing fee was found in the sources reviewed. Ask the Chancery Clerk to confirm.
Can I talk to the assessor before filing?
The sources reviewed do not describe a formal informal review step. You can still call or visit the county tax assessor before the August meeting to check your property record for errors, such as square footage or improvements, and ask how your value was set. Get any agreed correction in writing.
What if the board turns me down?
Next level: Circuit Court appeal. Plan for 10 days after the Board of Supervisors adjourns the meeting where it made its decision (Miss. Code Ann. 11-51-77). The Mississippi Supreme Court also read a separate 20-day period under 27-35-119, which runs from the date the clerk mails notice of final approval. It held that the 11-51-77 bond rules still apply to these appeals (Natchez Hospital, 2018, as quoted in Mississippi Hub v. Baldwin, 2023). Because the two periods differ, file within 10 days. File a bond with sufficient sureties, in at least double the amount in dispute and never less than $100, payable to the state and approved by the Board clerk. The clerk sends a certified copy of the record to the circuit court clerk. The case is tried anew in circuit court, so you can present evidence that was not given to the Board. Ask the Chancery Clerk for the bond requirements and forms. Pay attention to the strict time limits.
What happens if I win?
If the Board lowers your value, the corrected value goes on the roll. Taxes are due on the roll as adjusted. The statute says an appeal does not delay tax collection, so pay the tax as billed while an appeal is pending. The sources do not confirm the refund process for taxes paid under a value that is later reduced. The Department of Revenue says refunds for prior years may be possible in some cases; ask your Chancery Clerk.
Sources
Checked Oct 21, 2026 against official Mississippi sources. Local deadlines and fees can differ; confirm with your assessor or board.
- Mississippi Department of Revenue: Property Tax Frequently Asked Questions
- Mississippi Department of Revenue: Local Property Appraisal
- Mississippi Department of Revenue: Homestead Exemption
- Mississippi Department of Revenue: Property Tax Contact Information
- Mississippi Department of Revenue: Property tax forms search
- Mississippi Secretary of State: County Offices and Directory, 2026
- Mississippi Department of Revenue: Local Officials (assessors, collectors, chancery clerks), spreadsheet
- Mississippi Supreme Court: Mississippi Hub, LLC v. Baldwin, No. 2021-CA-00935-SCT (quotes 27-35-83 through 27-35-121 and 11-51-77)
- Lamar County, MS: Real Property Appraisal (roll dates and appeal filing)
- Jackson County, MS: Tax Assessor (dates and deadlines)
- Mississippi State University Extension: Understanding Mississippi Property Taxes (Class I 10% and Class II 15% assessment ratios; Class I definition; homestead credit and exemption examples)
- Tax rate and median tax: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25103 (median real estate taxes paid, owner-occupied homes) and B25077 (median value, owner-occupied homes). The rate is the median tax divided by the median home value.