Fayette County property tax bills are in the mail. Is it too late to appeal?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Fayette County mailed approximately 121,000 property tax bills due by Dec. 31, 2025.
- Assessment appeals deadline passed; next protest window opens May 2026.
- Early payments by Nov. 1 earn 2% discount; late fees apply after deadline.
Fayette County homeowners should be on the lookout: The sheriff’s office has officially mailed this year’s property tax bills, with payments due by Wednesday, Dec. 31.
The sheriff’s office announced Monday it was mailing some 121,000 tax bills with a total face value of $522,211,777.12.
According to a news release from the office, property tax proceeds go to the state, Fayette County Board of Education, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Fayette County Extension District, Fayette County Soil and Water Conservation District, Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, Lexington’s Transit Authority, Downtown Lexington Management District and the Park Fund.
The office of Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator David O’Neill typically reviews and assesses properties every three to four years, so if it’s been a few years since your last assessment, you might be due.
Still, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Homeowners receive assessment notices from the PVA office in the spring. The mailed notice includes a map of recent sales in the immediate neighborhood, which helps inform the assessment the office issues.
If you’ve received your property tax bill, you might be wondering whether there’s still time to appeal your assessment, and if not, how you can save a little money on your bill. Here’s what to know.
How the property assessment appeal process works in Fayette County
Is there still time to appeal your assessment once you’ve gotten your property tax bill in the mail? The short answer is no.
Assessment notices go out in April. If homeowners don’t agree with the stated fair cash value outlined in the PVA notice, they’re asked to appeal by a deadline. This year’s was May 19, 2025, so the window has closed.
Your assessment notice indicates what the Fayette County PVA office determined your property to be worth as of the first of the calendar year. So if you want to challenge it, you’ll likely need to wait to do so until the next open inspection period takes place in spring 2026. In Kentucky, state law requires the open inspection period to begin the first Monday in May each year and run for 13 days afterward.
Alternatively, you can request a future review of your property through the Fayette County PVA’s website or by calling 859-246-2722.
You’ll typically need several different kinds of documents to support your protest. Check out our guide for more details.
What can I do to save money on my property tax bill?
If you can, consider paying your bill early. According to the sheriff’s office, payments received by Saturday, Nov. 1 get a 2% discount. You incur penalties for late payments on property taxes in Kentucky.
Taxpayers can take care of their bills in several ways, including online at fayettesheriff.com. To pay in person, visit room 236 in the Fayette District Courthouse at 150 North Limestone in downtown Lexington. Taxpayers can also pay in person at any Lexington Republic Bank location with their payment coupon.
Elderly or disabled property taxpayers qualify for the Homestead Exemption, which for 2025 is $49,100. The amount is deducted from the fair cash value assessment of a qualified applicant’s home.
The exemption is available to:
1. People who are or will turn 65 during the current calendar year.
2. People classified as “totally disabled” under a public or private retirement system, receive disability payments from that system and maintain the disability classification for the entire calendar year the exemption applies to.
A Homestead Exemption is limited to one eligible person per household, and it must be for the person’s primary residence. Applicants will need to verify their eligibility by proving either age or disability payments with documentation.
Individuals can obtain an application form through the Fayette County PVA’s website or by calling 859-246-2722, ext. 238 to request one by mail. The completed application and required proof of eligibility can be faxed to 859-246-2729 or emailed to Lori.Kidwell@ky.gov. It can also be mailed to Fayette County PVA David O’Neill at 101 East Vine St., Suite 600, Lexington, KY 40507.