How do I appeal my property tax assessment in Lake, Porter, or LaPorte County?

Your property tax bill starts with your assessed value, so if that number is wrong, your bill is wrong too. The good news is that Indiana gives homeowners a clear path to challenge it. Appeals are common, and the process is designed to be handled by an ordinary homeowner, not just professionals.

Start with your assessment notice

Every year, your county assessor mails an assessment notice (often called a Form 11 notice) showing your property's assessed value. Read it closely, and compare it against what comparable homes in your area were assessed at. If the value looks high, or if you spot errors like wrong square footage, bedroom count, or a missed homestead deduction, that is your cue to act. Understanding the difference between assessed and taxable value helps you read the notice correctly, and I explain it in my answer on assessed value versus taxable value.

The first step: the township or county assessor

Appeals in Indiana start with the assessing official. You can request an informal conference with your township or county assessor to review your assessment, point out the issue, and share evidence such as recent sales of comparable homes. Many questions are resolved right here, before any formal paperwork. The assessor's office will tell you the forms you need (an appeal typically starts with a form like State Form 130 in Indiana) and your county's filing window, and since each county runs its own calendar, confirm the deadline directly with them.

The next step: the county Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals

If you do not reach an agreement with the assessor, you can take your appeal to your county's Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals, usually called the PTABOA. The board hears the case, reviews the evidence, and issues a written determination on the assessed value. Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties each operate their own board, and their offices can confirm the filing forms and deadlines for your county.

State-level review after that

If you still believe the assessment is wrong after the county board's decision, state-level steps are available. The next stop is the Indiana Board of Tax Review, which reviews appeals from across the state, and further review can continue with the Indiana Tax Court in certain cases. These later steps have their own deadlines and paperwork, so moving promptly and confirming each filing window matters. This is also where following your county's process exactly pays off, because late filings can close the door.

Why appeals matter to buyers and sellers

If you are buying, an accurate assessment protects your monthly budget. If you are selling, an overassessed property works against you, because buyers see the tax bill before they ever see the home. I have helped clients pull together comparable sales data when they wanted to challenge an assessment, and I have flagged overassessments for sellers before listing. The deeper guide on understanding property taxes in Northwest Indiana has more context, and the neighborhood guides for Dyer, Munster, and Crown Point help you compare communities before you buy.

This is general information rather than tax or legal advice. Appeal rules, forms, and deadlines are set by state law and each county's procedures, so start with your township or county assessor's office (Lake, Porter, or LaPorte County) to confirm the current process for your property.