Lower your San Diego County property taxes
The San Diego County Assessor sets your value each January 1 and posts it on June 30. If your home was worth less than that value on January 1, Prop 8 allows a temporary reduction, but many owners never ask for one. 30% of first-year savings, only if you save.
What a too-high value costs you
If your home is assessed at $850,000 but similar homes point to about $790,000, you're taxed on $60,000 too much. At a 1.19% rate that's about $712 a year. Our fee would be $214; you'd keep $499.
What gets missed in San Diego County
- The early Prop 8 window. The Assessor takes free Prop 8 review requests from December 1 to April 30, before values are posted. Many owners first look in July, after it closes.
- Prop 8 isn't automatic for everyone. Once reduced, a value is reviewed each year. A home that was never reduced usually isn't.
- Size mismatches. ADUs, additions and garage conversions are recorded wrong or compared with the wrong homes.
- Wrong comparisons. Coastal and inland sales a few miles apart are not the same market.
Insider tip: If you miss the Assessor's December–April review, the formal appeal still runs July 2 – November 30. Mailed filings count by USPS postmark, not a home postage meter.
Reviewed by the founder
Julien reviews every San Diego County case personally and tells you the value we’ll ask for before anything is filed.
Get my free reviewSan Diego County calendar
| January 1 | Valuation date for the 2027–28 roll |
| Through April 30, 2027 | Free Prop 8 review requests to the Assessor (window opened December 1, 2026) |
| March 31 | Last day for sales that can support a January 1 value (90 days) |
| June 30 | Assessed values posted on the Assessor's website |
| July 2 – November 30, 2027 | Formal appeal window with the Clerk of the Board (Assessment Appeals) |
| Within 2 years of filing | Assessment Appeals Board must decide unless you agree to extend |
| December 10, 2027 / April 10, 2028 | First / second tax installment delinquent if unpaid |
Sources: San Diego County Assessor — Realty Assessment (Prop 8) · San Diego County Clerk of the Board — File your appeal · BOE LTA 2026/023 — filing periods. Dates are checked each year; confirm with the county for your property.
Exemptions to check
The homeowners' exemption takes $7,000 off the taxable value of your main home; file Form BOE-266 by February 15 for the full amount. Disabled veterans may qualify for a much larger exemption, and Prop 19 lets owners 55 and over move their tax base. We check your exemptions free at sign-up.
San Diego County questions
Where do I file a formal appeal in San Diego County?
With the Clerk of the Board's Assessment Appeals unit, through its online portal, by mail or in person. Filings sent to any other county office are not valid.
Is the Assessor's Prop 8 review free?
Yes. The Assessor doesn't charge for it, and we file it for you. The review window runs December 1 to April 30.
Can my value go up?
Not above your Prop 13 base value plus up to 2% a year.