Real Property

ANNOUNCEMENT - The Somerset County Assessment Office is closed until further notice for emergency repairs. Please contact their office by phone at (410) 651-0868 or by email at sdat.som@maryland.gov if you have any questions or concerns.

News and Announcements

Tax Credit Services open for assistance at 123 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202.  Click to schedule your appointment today!

Customer Service Announcement - SDAT's Real Property Offices are open to the public. Please be advised that appointments are recommended.

Important 2025 Real Property Assessment Information

If you received an assessment notice and feel the Total Market Value on your notice does not reflect the market value of your property, you may use this form to file your appeal. Please be advised of the new and improved format of the 2025 assessment notices.

NOTE: The Maryland Department of Assessments & Taxation never charges a fee for property owners to appeal their property assessments.

The Department's Petition for Review or New Owner Appeal form found here can be filed for free. Be aware of any unsolicited mail offering to file an appeal or a "Petition for Review of Real Property" for a fee.

Tax Exemption Application and Forms are available online or by contacting your local Department of Assessments and Taxation office. Completed forms must be returned to the local assessment office where the property is located.

About Real Property

In Maryland, there are more than two million property accounts. The Department of Assessments and Taxation must appraise each of these properties once every three years. There are 24 local State assessment offices, one in each county and Baltimore City.

Assessments are certified by the Department to local governments where they are converted into property tax bills by applying the appropriate property tax rates. An assessment is based on an appraisal of the fair market value of the property. An appraisal is an estimate of value. There are three accepted approaches to market value:

the sales approach;
the cost approach;
the income approach.

While differing in the method of calculation each approach is designed to indicate the property’s fair market value. The property tax is primarily a local government revenue. Counties and cities depend on the property tax and a portion of the income tax to make up their budgets. View the property tax rates in your area.

Real Property

Important 2025​ Real Prope​rty Assessm​ent Information​

Important 2025 Real Property Assessment Information