How to Appeal Buncombe County Property Tax Value: Steps and Deadlines

If you think your Buncombe County assessed value is too high, you start with an informal appeal and can move to a formal one if needed. This guide covers the steps, the deadlines and the evidence that supports a claim.

By Housing Ledger Editorial Oct 13, 2026 6 min read

In this article

Here's how to appeal your Buncombe County property tax value: start with an informal review, and move to a formal appeal only if that review leaves your value unchanged. You have that right even after the county completes a reappraisal. ^[1] Learn more in Appeal Wake County 2026 property tax assessment, improve chances.

The informal appeal is the first step, and it asks the county to review the value on your notice. ^[2] Knowing where the process starts tells you which deadline to watch first.

The informal deadline for the 2026 cycle was May 5, 2026, and that date has passed. ^[2] Check the county's current appeal window on its official site before you plan your filing. This article walks through each step and the deadline that follows.

How does the two-step appeal process work?

The two-step process starts with an informal review, and you only move to a formal appeal if that review does not give you the value you want. You can file the informal appeal online, by phone, by mail or in person ^[2].

Step 1: File the informal appeal

The informal appeal is the first review of your value. Filing online goes through the county's appeal site, and the county also accepts calls, mail and in-person visits ^[2]. If you call or mail your appeal, use the phone number (828) 250-4940 and the mailing address 182 College Street ^[2]. To go further, see How to Pay Buncombe County Property Taxes: Online, Phone, and Mail.

Step 2: Request the formal appeal

If the informal result is not what you want, contact the Assessment Office and ask for a formal appeal form. You can also go online to start the formal appeal ^[3].

The formal appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date on the informal appeal result notice ^[3]. Count from the date printed on the notice, not from the day you open the envelope. Write that date on your calendar as soon as the notice arrives.

Date printed on notice + 30 days = formal appeal deadline

The formal form is where you make your case, so bring the evidence you gathered for the informal review. Submit it well before the 30-day limit, not on the last day.

Homeowner and county appraiser sit across a conference table reviewing property documents during an appeal meeting.

How do you file an informal property value appeal online?

Filing online is the quickest way to start an informal appeal in Buncombe County, and it gives you a dated record from the start.

Go to taxappeal.buncombenc.gov and file your appeal from any device with internet access ^[4]. You can file anytime, from anywhere with internet access, so a phone works as well as a computer. Type the address directly rather than relying on a link from another site, so you know the submission goes to the county.
Submit the appeal and wait for the immediate email confirmation that it was received ^[4]. For example, if you file from your phone on a weeknight, that email is your receipt for that submission.
Keep the confirmation email as proof of the date you filed ^[4]. Save a copy outside your inbox, such as a PDF in a folder with your appeal papers, so you can find it if the county asks when you filed.
If you file by phone, mail or in person instead, use the address and phone number the county lists on its appeals page. The listed phone number is (828) 250-4940, and mail goes to 182 College Street ^[2]. Write down the date and time of a call, and keep any mailing receipt you get, so your record is as complete as the email receipt.

Online filing is the simplest way to create a dated record, because each step above leaves you proof that you filed.

A homeowner types on a laptop at a home desk, with a printed property tax notice beside the keyboard.

What do you do if the informal appeal does not change your value?

If the informal review does not change your value, you move on to the formal appeal. That appeal has a fixed deadline, so start on it as soon as the informal result arrives.

Steps

Read the date on your informal appeal result notice. The formal appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date of the result of the informal appeal notice. ^[3]
Contact the Assessment Office and request a formal appeal form, or go online to start the formal appeal. Use whichever route is easier for you. ^[3]
Attach the supporting documents you prepared for the informal appeal, such as repair receipts, photos of the property, or any notes on its condition. Include all supporting documentation with your submission, not only the appeal form. ^[2]
File before the 30-day limit ends.

Do not treat the notice date as a rough guide.

What evidence makes a value appeal stronger?

The strongest appeal pairs what you know about your property with documents you can hand over. A bare claim that the value is too high gives the county little to work with. You may also find this useful: Property Tax in Asheville NC: How the Bill Is Built.

What you know about your property

Owners know the condition of their property and can describe it in detail ^[1]. Use that knowledge to point out what an assessor may have missed, such as a roof replaced two years ago, a cracked foundation, an unfinished attic, or a kitchen not updated since the 1980s.

Specific, dated details are easier to check than general complaints.

Bring documents with your submission

Include all supporting documentation with your submission ^[2]. Useful documents include repair invoices, dated photos, a home inspection report, contractor estimates, and your closing statement if you bought the home recently.

Keep copies of everything you send. If the county asks a question later, you can answer it from the same file.

Comparable sales

Comparable sales of similar nearby properties are the type of evidence a formal appeal relies on ^[3]. A useful comparable is a home that sold recently near you and matches yours in square footage, age, lot size and condition.

Choose two or three comparables and list each one's address, sale date and sale price. Then explain how each differs from your home, such as a larger lot or a newer roof, so the reviewer can adjust the comparison.

Which mistakes can cost you an appeal?

Three mistakes can end a Buncombe County appeal before anyone reviews your value: missing the informal deadline, waiting too long after the informal result, and filing without evidence. Each one is avoidable if you know the dates and what to send.

Missing the informal deadline

For the 2026 cycle, the informal appeal had to be filed before the May 5, 2026 deadline ^[2]. Treat that date as the first deadline in your process, not an afterthought. A missed date means the informal review never happens, and the formal appeal builds on that review.

Waiting too long after the informal result

The formal appeal has a short clock. You must appeal within 30 days of the date of the informal appeal result notice ^[3]. Write that date on your calendar as soon as the notice arrives. Waiting to decide until the end of the month can cost you the window, because the 30 days start on the notice date, not the day you open the letter ^[3].

Filing without documents

If you send only the appeal form, you give the reviewer nothing to weigh against your assessed value. Include all supporting documentation with your submission, not only the form ^[2]. For example, a form with a photo of a damaged roof but no repair estimate leaves the reviewer with your word alone.

Gather your paperwork before you file. Put every document in one folder, number the pages, and send the complete package the first time. A second submission can take time you may not have before the formal deadline.

What should you do next?

Your most important job is to track the clock. The informal deadline for the 2026 cycle was May 5, 2026 ^[2]. That date has passed, so check the county's official site for the current appeal window before you do anything else.

If a window is still open, start with the informal appeal at taxappeal.buncombenc.gov. You can file from any device with internet access ^[4]. Keep the immediate email confirmation, because it is your proof of the date you filed ^[4].

If the informal result does not change your value, the formal appeal is the next step. It must be filed within 30 days of the date on the informal result notice ^[3]. Write that date on your calendar the day the notice arrives, so you do not lose the window.