A new property value in the mail is not a tax bill. It is an offer you can contest, and the window to do it is short. La Plata County runs the process through the Assessor's Office in Durango, and most of the dates come from state law, so the county says it cannot bend them. What follows is the county's own description of the steps, written down plainly. It is not legal or tax advice. Ask the Assessor about your parcel before you rely on any date here.
When can you protest a property valuation in La Plata County?
The Assessor's appeals page lists the real property appeal period as May 2 to June 8. The Assessor's home page says anyone who disagrees with a change in actual value can file a protest no later than June 8. The county's handbook puts the start at May 1, which is when Notices of Valuation (NOV) are mailed, and says a mailed protest must be postmarked by June 8 (2023 handbook). One older line in that handbook says June 1, so go with June 8 and file early.
Values are reset on a two-year cycle. The Assessor says tax years 2025 and 2026 use sales from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024. If the cycle holds, new notices arrive in spring 2027.
Is there a deadline open right now?
Possibly. The appeals page lists a Special Notice of Valuation period from October 1 to October 30. It applies to owners whose value or classification went up after the May notices went out. Those owners receive a Special NOV. If you appeal it, a Special Notice of Determination is mailed 30 days later. Not sure which notice you hold? Call the Assessor at 970-382-6221 before October ends.
How do you file a protest?
The handbook says to complete the protest form on the back of your NOV and mail it to the Assessor, or file in person. A few rules apply:
- Copies of all your documentation must go in with the protest, not later
- Protesting several parcels means filing each one separately
- Protests by phone, fax or walk-in must be received by June 8, and a phone protest needs a written follow-up
- The Assessor says there is no presumption in favor of its value, so you and the Assessor start on equal footing
The Assessor then reviews your evidence and mails a Notice of Determination (NOD) by the last working day in June. If you accept the number, the process ends there. An appraiser may visit to photograph the exterior and check measurements, and the county says you usually do not need to be home.
Can you ask for a review before a formal protest?
Yes. Outside the formal protest period you may ask for a review without protesting, the handbook says. Call 970-382-6221 and ask staff to walk through your record. The county suggests checking the inventory line by line: living area, bathrooms, garage, finished basement and the photo. The county calls correct records the first step toward a fair value. Staff may not commit to a change on the call, because an appraiser sometimes has to visit first.
You can look up your own account and nearby sales online. Our answer on looking up property records in La Plata County shows how.
What happens if you still disagree?
You can appeal to the County Board of Equalization. Per the handbook, the appeal form is on the back of your NOD, and it is due by July 15 for real property. Independent referees hear cases from July 15 through August 5, in person or by phone. Bring seven copies of your evidence, state the value you think is right and use only sales from the allowed period. The county commissioners meet in the first week of August to decide. After that, the handbook says you have 30 days to appeal to an arbitrator, District Court or the State Board of Assessment Appeals.
What can you not argue?
High taxes are not grounds. The handbook says the Assessor sets values, not rates: the state legislature sets the assessment rate and each taxing district sets its own mill levy. An appeal has to show that the value or classification is wrong or unfair. For bill dates and payment options, see when property taxes are due.
What about abatements and business property?
Business personal property uses a different window: appeals from June 15 to June 30, with decisions mailed on July 10. For a past year you did not protest, the county offers an abatement. Refunds and abatements are limited by law to two years back. You must have been the owner of record, and the value must not have been protested before. The Assessor reviews a questionnaire. If it recommends no change, the Board of County Commissioners may hold a hearing, and a further appeal goes to the Colorado Board of Assessment Appeals. Abatements of $10,000 or more need approval from the Colorado Property Tax Administrator. The Assessor's office is at 679 Turner Drive, Suite A, Durango. Want help reading comparable sales? Local agents work with them daily, and our guide to real estate agents in Durango is a place to start.