Commercial & Business Property
Connecticut Commercial Property Tax Appeals
Office, retail, industrial, multifamily, and special-purpose buildings in Connecticut are frequently over-assessed. Here's how commercial assessments work, the deadline to challenge yours, and what it takes to win.
How commercial is assessed
Connecticut assesses all property at 70% of market value. Towns revalue on a 5-year cycle, so commercial values can lag or lead the market between revaluations.
Burden of proof
The property owner (or their authorized agent) bears the burden of proving the assessment exceeds market value. The assessor's value is presumed correct until rebutted with credible evidence.
Key to a Connecticut commercial appeal: Board of Assessment Appeals, then Superior Court
Appeal first to the local Board of Assessment Appeals (deadline Feb 20), then to Superior Court. Income-producing property is valued on an income approach; towns can compel income-and-expense reporting.
Connecticut Filing Deadline & Where to File
File With
Board of Assessment Appeals
Deadline
February 20
Window Opens
After Grand List published (October 1)
Typical Duration
1–3 months
Towns revalue on 5-year cycle. Appeal to local Board of Assessment Appeals first. Can then appeal to Superior Court within 2 months of board decision.
How commercial value is proven
Income-producing commercial property is usually valued by capitalizing net operating income (NOI ÷ market cap rate). The strongest appeals come with a clean rent roll, a trailing-12-month operating statement, current vacancy, and market cap-rate support. Where the property is owner-occupied or special-purpose, the cost and sales-comparison approaches carry more weight.
Evidence that wins a commercial appeal
- Current rent roll and a trailing-12-month operating statement
- Actual vacancy and collection loss (vs the assessor's stabilized assumption)
- Market capitalization rate support for the property type and submarket
- Recent arm's-length sales of comparable commercial buildings
- Evidence of physical, functional, or economic obsolescence
- Any change in use, tenancy, or condition since the assessment date
How to appeal a commercial assessment in Connecticut
- 1Pull the assessment — confirm the assessed value, the assessment ratio/class, and how the assessor derived it (income, cost, or sales).
- 2Build the valuation — capitalize actual net operating income and gather comparable sales to establish market value as of the assessment date.
- 3File before the deadline — submit to Board of Assessment Appeals by February 20, with the authorization signed by someone able to bind the owning entity.
- 4Present at the hearing — commercial hearings are evidence-driven; a clean income approach and credible comps carry the day.
Think your Connecticut commercial property is over-assessed?
We pull the assessment, build the income-approach case, and file the appeal. Fee: 20% of first-year savings — only if we win. Nothing upfront, and the reduction can hold for years.
Related resources
Assessment ratios, class rates, and deadlines in Connecticut are set by statute and can change year to year, and often vary by county or municipality. Verify current figures and dates with your county assessor or clerk of the board before filing. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. TaxedFairly is a product of WebLab LLC.