Article
How to read your Calgary assessment notice
Updated September 22, 2026 · 4 min read
Your Calgary assessment notice is a short document, but a few lines on it decide what you can do and by when. Here's how to read it, in the order that matters.
Note
1. The date on the notice
Start here, before the value. Alberta counts your complaint window from the notice of assessment date printed on the notice, not from the day it arrived in your mailbox. Your complaint deadline is 60 days after that date, moved to the next business day if it lands on a weekend or holiday.
Your notice also prints the deadline. If it differs from your own count, go with the notice. Write the date somewhere you'll see it. A complaint filed late is not valid, and there's no grace period.
2. The assessed value
This is the City's estimate of what your property would have sold for on the valuation date, in its condition on the condition date. Both dates are on the notice. The valuation date is usually the middle of the year before, so this year's notice reflects last year's market, not today's.
Two common misunderstandings:
- It isn't your tax bill. Your tax is your assessed value multiplied by the tax rate council sets later in the spring. A higher value doesn't automatically mean a proportionally higher bill. What matters is how your change compares with everyone else's. We explain why in a separate article.
- It isn't a verdict on your home. It's an estimate produced at scale, by a model applied to every property in the city. Models are usually close, sometimes wrong, and occasionally wrong about the facts they start from.
3. The property details
Look at what the City thinks it's assessing: property type, lot size, year of construction, and details such as garage and building type. Compare each with reality.
Errors in these facts are among the clearest grounds for a correction. They are also the easiest to fix without a hearing. Things worth checking:
- Year built. Was it recorded as newer than it is?
- Garage. Detached or attached? Single or double? Is there one at all?
- Basement. Some assessment details depend on whether a basement is developed.
- Lot. Does the lot size match your title or survey?
If something is wrong, note it and gather proof, such as a building permit, a survey, a photo or the listing from when you bought.
4. The assessment class
Most homes are residential. If part of your property is used differently, the class matters, because different classes are taxed at different rates. If the class looks wrong, ask the City about it early.
5. The customer review period
Calgary gives owners a window after notices go out to talk to an assessor, ask questions and request a correction before any formal complaint. It's the quickest way to fix a factual error.
Check your notice
6. How to tell if your value is out of line
The number on its own doesn't tell you much. What tells you something is how it compares with similar homes. Calgary publishes its assessment roll as open data, so you can look at nearby homes of a similar type, age and size. Divide each assessed value by its size and compare.
Our free check does this for you. Calgary's open data doesn't include living area, so for Calgary houses the first comparison uses value per square foot of lot, and we confirm living area from your notice before building a case.
You may be fairly assessed. If you are, we'll tell you. Knowing that is useful too.
7. What to do next
- Values look in line and the facts are right: nothing to do. Keep the notice for your records.
- The facts are wrong: contact the City during the review period with your proof.
- Your value per square foot is well above similar homes: ask for a review first. If it isn't resolved, file a complaint before the deadline, with the fee your notice lists.
You don't need us: you can contact your assessor or file a complaint yourself. If you'd rather hand it over, see how we work and what it costs.
Check your assessment, free
The assessment check is free and you don't need to create an account to see your result.