Assessment Appeals

After a revaluation, all assessments in the municipality must be 100% of true market value as of October 1st of the previous year. East Brunswick has not had a revaluation since 1983.

Chapter 123

The State Division of Taxation determines an equalization ratio for any municipality that has a deviation from 100% of true market value, known as Chapter 123. The 2023 Equalization Ratio is 22.16% of Market Value.

The Chapter 123 Lower and Upper Limits for 2023 for appeals are: 18.84% and 25.48%. These percentages represent +/- 15% of the Equalization Ratio.

For example: A home assessed at 100,000.

  • Upper Limit (Lowest Market Value): 100,000 /.2548 = 392,465
  • Average (Average Market Value): 100,000 /.2216 = 451,263
  • Lower Limit (Highest Market Value): 100,000 /.1884 = 530,785

This means that if your Market Value is below 25.48% (392,465 as in the above example), you may have grounds to file an Assessment Appeal.

Helpful Resources

Assessment Cards

A green and white assessment card is mailed in late January, which lists your tax assessment for that year. If a property owner feels that the current year assessment is inaccurate he or she may file a Tax Appeal with the Middlesex County Tax Board, with the appropriate fee, no later than April 1st of each year. All taxes must be paid in full though the first quarter of the year.

Middlesex County Board of Taxation
75 Bayard Street
4th floor
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Telephone: 732-745-3350

Property Assessments

Please note that you do not file an appeal of the amount of taxes your are billed but rather the assessment of the property.

Tax Appeals must focus on the assessment vs. market value. Real estate sales are on file in our office for public viewing to aid in determining current market value. Get more information on how property is assessed (PDF).

Helpful Resources

Appeals of Added Assessments

Appeals of added assessments to the Middlesex County Board of Taxation must be filed no later than December 1st of the year in which the added assessment is first placed on the Added Assessment List. If the December 1st deadline is missed, the overall assessed value can still be appealed by the following April 1st, but the taxes due on the added assessment can not be refunded or revised.

An added assessment is placed on the added assessment list on October 1st of the current year for all properties where a physical improvement has been completed. Virtually everything that is done to a property that increases the overall market value can result in an added assessment.

Improvements that Add Value

Some examples of new improvements that result in added assessments are:

  • Additions
  • Air conditioning
  • Decks
  • Finished basements
  • Fireplaces
  • Garages
  • In-ground swimming pools
  • Kitchen and bath renovations
  • Patios
  • Porches
  • Sheds

New Jersey Tax Court

The Tax Court of New Jersey is to further appeal the decision of the County Tax Board, if a property owner is not satisfied with the results of a County Tax Board decision. Also, properties with an assessed value that exceeds $1,000,000 can be appealed directly to the Tax Court, bypassing the County Tax Board, if the property owner so chooses.

The Tax Court follows formal courtroom procedures, and usually requires additional expenses for representation by professional attorneys, and at least one expert witness (professional appraiser). It is also typical for this procedure to take a minimum one full year to be concluded.