Appeal to the State Board of Equalization

Any taxpayer or property owner who is aggrieved by any action taken by the county board of equalization has the right to a hearing and determination by the State Board of Equalization of any complaint made on any of the grounds set forth in T.C.A. § 67-5-1407.¹It is a condition for appeal that before the delinquency date the taxpayer either pays the full tax due or the amount the taxpayer would owe based on the taxpayer's good faith claim for relief. On motion of the city or county to whom the tax is owed, the State Board of Equalization will dismiss the appeal of any taxpayer who fails to pay delinquent taxes that have accrued on property that is the subject of the appeal, or who fails to pay at least the undisputed tax related to a properly appealed assessment.²

The Division of Property Assessments has the unconditional right to intervene in any contested case before the State Board of Equalization. This unconditional right to intervene is to be liberally construed in favor of the Division of Property Assessments and the intervention and participation in any contested case before the State Board of Equalization will not be limited in any manner except as otherwise agreed to by the Division of Property Assessments.³

Complaints and appeals to the state board of equalization shall be filed in such format as the board may require by rule, and the board may permit the use of electronic filing including electronic verification and signatures. The taxpayer or owner has the right to withdraw any complaint and appeal at any time before the final order has been entered on the primary issue of the complaint and appeal.⁴The assessor of property or taxing jurisdiction also has the right to appeal from any action of the local board of equalization to the State Board of Equalization.⁵

Appeals to the State Board of Equalization from action of a local board of equalization must be filed before August 1 of the tax year, or within 45 days of the date notice of the local board action was sent, whichever is later. If notice of an assessment or classification change pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-508 was sent to the taxpayer's last known address later than 10 days before the adjournment of the local board of equalization, the taxpayer may appeal directly to the state board at any time within 45 days after the notice was sent. If notice was not sent, the taxpayer may appeal directly to the state board at any time within 45 days after the tax billing date for the assessment. The taxpayer has the right to a hearing and determination to show reasonable cause for the taxpayer's failure to file an appeal as provided in T.C.A. § 67-5-1412 and, upon demonstrating reasonable cause, the state board must accept the appeal from the taxpayer up to March 1 of the year following the year in which the assessment was made.⁶

Appeals to the State Board of Equalization from initial determinations in exemption and tax relief cases must be filed within 90 days from the date notice of the determination was sent.  Appeals from initial decisions of administrative judges or hearing examiners for the State Board of Equalization must be filed within 30 days from the date the initial decision is sent.⁷

Any taxpayer aggrieved by a back assessment or reassessment may appeal directly to the State Board of Equalization within 60 days from the date that a copy of the certification is sent to the taxpayer, in the manner provided in T.C.A. § 67-5-1412, and such person may be assisted or represented in the appeal as provided in T.C.A. § 67-5-1514. The accrual of delinquency penalty and interest otherwise applicable is suspended while the appeal is pending, however, simple interest will accrue during the appeal period in the amount provided in T.C.A. § 67-5-1512.⁸