2025 Appeal Announcement

On May 1, 2025 real property valuation appeals with the Assessor’s office begin. Real property value in Colorado is determined on a two-year cycle, and 2025 and 2026 real property value reflects market data as of June 30, 2024. The 2025 tax year is a revaluation year, so ALL property owners will receive a Notice of Value (NOV). NOVs are mailed on May 1st.

The Assessors’ Office will be open to the public during the month of May for protests. The taxpayer may drop off, mail, or email the protest and documentation. It is your responsibility to get confirmation that we received the protest. If you would like to discuss your protest with Assessor's Office staff, please call or email to make an appointment.

Real Property Protest Form

PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept walk-up protest appointments. If you would like to make an appointment to discuss your appeal, you must file a protest by one of the methods mentioned above prior to scheduling an appointment with our office.

You can see specific information relating to your property and its value in Property Information Online.

Assessor PO Box 506 Telluride, CO 81435 
Phone: 970-728-3174
Email: assessor@sanmiguelcountyco.gov 

ACTUAL VALUE OF THE PROPERTY:
Residential property is valued using only the market approach to value. In this approach, the value of the subject property is based on an analysis of comparable sales. For tax years 2025 and 2026, the comparable properties must have sold between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. However, if insufficient data existed during that timeframe, data from each preceding six-month period (up to a period of five years preceding June 30, 2024) may be utilized.

Most non-residential property, including personal property, is valued by consideration of the market approach, the cost approach, and the income approach to value. Please refer to the brochure entitled “Property Valuation and Taxation for Business and Industry in Colorado” for additional information regarding non-residential property.

TAXABLE VALUE:

The State Legislature is responsible for setting these percentages.

Please note: Beginning in 2025, the residential rate is different for taxes paid to schools and taxes paid to all other local governments, so this calculation will need to be done twice for residential property: Once for the school assessment rate and once for the local government assessment rate. The school assessed value is then multiplied by the school mill levy and the local government assessed value is multiplied by the sum of all other local government mill levies.

CALCULATION EXAMPLE:

Actual Value                                                           $275,000
Local Government Assessed Rate                  ×   0.0625
Local Government Assessed Value                = $17,188
Local Government Mill Levy                              × 0.033045
Local Government Taxes Due                          = $567.98

Actual Value                                                          $275,000
School District Assessed Rate                          ×   0.0705
School District Assessed Value                        =$19,388
School District Mill Levy                                      × 0.013878
School District Taxes Due                                  =$269.07

Local Government Taxes Due                           $567.98
School District Taxes Due                                   + $269.07
Total Taxes Due                                                        =$837.05

You can find your tax area by searching your property on the San Miguel County Advanced Viewer or the Assessor's Property Information Online. You can also view this generalized tax areas map (PDF). 

You find your current Mill Levy by locating your Tax Area on your tax bill and looking at the current Mill Levy Report (PDF).

REAL PROPERTY:
For tax years 2025 and 2026, Colorado County Assessors are required by law to reappraise all real property to reflect a June 30, 2024 level of value. That level of value represents a ‘snapshot’ of property values during an 18-month period beginning January 1, 2023.

By May 1 of every odd-numbered year (2023, 2025, 2027, etc.), the County Assessor will mail a Notice of Valuation to all property owners, giving you the current value and classification of your real property as determined during the Valuation Period. In intervening years (even-numbered years, i.e. 2024, 2026, etc.), that valuation appears on the Tax Notice sent to you by the Treasurer's Office.

EXEMPTIONS:
What is the Senior Citizen Exemption and how do I apply?
The Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption is available to applicants who are at least 65 years of age as of January 1 of the year of application, who have owned their home for at least 10 consecutive years as of January 1, of the year of application, and have occupied it as their primary residence for at least 10 consecutive years as of January 1 of the year of application. The Senior Citizen exemption is also available to surviving spouses of senior citizens who met the requirements on any January 1 after 2001. Limited exceptions to the ownership and occupancy requirements are detailed in the qualifications section of the application.

Apply in person at the Assessor’s Office by filling out and filing a Senior Exemption Form or return the form by mail to P. O. Box 506, Telluride, Colorado 81435. 

Senior Citizen Exemption Instructions

2.What is the Disabled Veteran Exemption and how do I apply?
The Disabled Veteran Exemption is available to applicants who sustained a service-connected disability while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, were honorably discharged, and were rated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as one hundred percent “permanent and total” disabled, and have owned and occupied the home as his or her primary residence since January 1 of the year of application. Limited exceptions to the ownership and occupancy requirements are detailed in the qualifications section of the application.

You can apply for the Disabled Veteran Exemption in person or by mail. Apply in person at the Assessor’s Office or mail your completed Disabled Veteran Exemption Form to the Assessor's Office at P.O. Box 506, Telluride, Colorado 81435.

Disabled Veteran Exemption Instructions

Surviving spouses of previously qualified veterans may also apply for exemption by completing the Disabled Veteran Spouse Form and returning it to the Assessor's Office.

3.What is the Gold Star Spouse exemption and how do I apply?
The Gold Star Spouse Exemption is available to applicants who are the surviving spouse of either a military service member who died in the line of duty or a veteran whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease. The surviving spouse must not have remarried in order to be eligible. The Gold Star Spouse must own and occupy the property as their primary residence since January 1 of the application year. Limited exceptions to the ownership and occupancy requirements are detailed in the qualifications section of the application.

You can apply for the Gold Star Spouse Exemption in person or by mail. Apply in person at the Assessor’s Office or mail your completed Gold Star Spouse Exemption Form to the Assessor's Office at P.O. Box 506, Telluride, Colorado 81435.

Gold Star Spouse Exemption Form Instructions

4.What is the Qualified Senior Primary Residential classification?
A qualified senior primary residential property tax classification is available for tax years 2025 and 2026. This allows property owners who moved and lost their senior exemption, or will move in 2025 or 2026, to have it temporarily reinstated for their new primary residence, if they meet certain requirements. For those who qualify, up to 50 percent of the first $200,000 in actual value of their primary residence real property is not taxable. The applicant must have previously qualified for, and received, the senior property tax exemption in property tax year 2020 or later, but is not currently receiving it. The applicant must meet “owner-occupier” criteria (i.e. occupies the property as their primary residence).

Apply in person at the Assessor’s Office by filling out and filing a Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification Application or return the form by mail to P. O. Box 506, Telluride, Colorado 81435. 

Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification Instructions

5.I don't qualify for an exemption - what can I do to offset my taxes?
San Miguel County allows senior citizens and citizens with disabilities to work a maximum of 100 hours per year for the county in order to offset what they owe in property taxes. Please call the Human Resources Department at 970-369-5471 for details.

County Resolution 2023-36 (PDF)

You may also qualify for deferral of your property taxes through the Colorado Property Tax Deferral Program. Visit the State's website for more information.