Preparing for Your Hearing

You will receive a notice approximately 45 days before your hearing date. Enclosed with the notice will be a confirmation card asking that you confirm your appearance on the designated hearing date. You must return the confirmation card by the due date listed. Failure to do so may result in a denial of your appeal.

The Assessment Appeals Board can only consider evidence presented at the hearing. Failure to adequately prepare for your hearing may adversely affect your outcome.

The State Board of Equalization has a guide on the assessment appeals process that has a section that specifically covers how to prepare for your hearing. The guide can be viewed online.

A link to recent sales can be found on the Sonoma County Assessor's website.

Please note that on page 11 of the guide, there is a Property Tax Comparison Work Sheet that is a tool to help organize your information if you are using the comparative sales approach to Value. The worksheet does not have an area to show adjustments in value to comparable sales for factors such as location, time of sale and physical features, that may differ from your subject property. Adjustments are an important part of applying the comparable sales approach to value.

When preparing for your appeal, if you use the comparable sales approach, you are encouraged to amend the worksheet to include appropriate adjustments to comparable sales. When considering comparable sales, these factors often need to be addressed, so you are encouraged to add an area on the worksheet to include this data.

The State Board of Equalization has a short video on preparing for your hearing that discusses adjustments to comparable properties.

For the hearing, please bring a copy of your hearing notice and five (5) copies of any supporting documents that you wish to present to the Board, in addition to your own copy of this material. Documents that you intend to present should be labeled Exhibit 1, 2, 3, etc.