Franklin County's Informal Property Value Review Closes Today

Today, September 5, 2026, is the last day for Franklin County's informal property value review sessions, held ahead of the county's 2026 triennial value update. Owners who miss today's session can still challenge their value later through the county Board of Revision.

What Closes Today

The Franklin County Auditor's Office has been holding in-person and virtual Property Value Review sessions since this summer, letting residential and commercial owners meet with appraisal staff about their tentative 2026 value. Those sessions run through today, September 5, according to a report on the Auditor's process.

Why 2026 Is a Triennial Year, Not a Full Reappraisal

Ohio law requires county auditors to conduct a full reappraisal of every property every six years and a lighter-touch update at the three-year midpoint. Franklin County's own real estate page confirms it completed its last full sexennial reappraisal in 2023, with 2026 as the follow-up Triennial Update. A triennial update recalibrates values using recent sales data rather than a fresh physical inspection of every parcel.

How Ohio Turns a Value Into a Tax Bill

Ohio does not tax a property's full appraised value. State law caps the taxable, or assessed, value at a share of true value that the state tax commissioner sets by rule — currently 35 percent, under Ohio Administrative Code 5703-25-05 and Ohio Revised Code 5715.01. A property appraised at $300,000, for example, is taxed on an assessed value no higher than $105,000. That is the number the county applies local tax rates against, not the appraised figure itself.

What Happens After Today

Once today's window closes, updated values will be submitted to the Ohio Department of Taxation for evaluation before final appraised values are released, which checks them for consistency across the county. County officials expect finalized property values to be issued in December, per that same report. The Auditor's office notes it is closed September 7 for Labor Day and again from 10 to 11 a.m. on September 14 for an all-staff meeting, so owners with follow-up questions about a value should plan around those windows.

The Formal Appeal Path That Stays Open

Missing today's informal session does not end an owner's options. Once final 2026 values are certified, owners can still file a formal complaint with the county Board of Revision. Ohio Revised Code 5715.19 sets that filing window at on or before March 31 of the following year, or the closing date of first-half tax collection for the current year, whichever is later — meaning complaints about 2026 values would be due by March 31, 2027 at the earliest cutoff. A Board of Revision complaint requires a formal filing and supporting evidence, such as a recent appraisal or comparable sales; the informal review does not.

Why It Matters for Investors and Landlords

Franklin County does not use a separate tax rate for rental or commercial property — assessed value drives the bill under the same 35 percent framework regardless of use. An owner with several parcels who successfully lowers even one tentative value can see that saving repeat every tax cycle until the next update, which is part of why the informal review exists as a faster, no-filing-fee first step before the Board of Revision.

What to Watch Next

Owners who want to weigh a formal Board of Revision complaint will have that final number, plus the March 31, 2027 filing deadline, to work from once it is issued.