---
title: Property Tax Assessments on Vehicles & Equipment; Are They Reasonable?
description: Property tax disputes are not uncommon. An independent appraisal will help you present a sound case with a fair and reasonable end result.
image: https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/machinery_and_equipment_appraisals_property_tax_disputes.jpeg
---
[](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com)
# Equipment Appraisal Blog | Understanding Machinery Appraisals
## [Property Tax Assessments on Vehicles & Equipment; Are They Reasonable?](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/property-tax-assessments-on-vehicles-equipment-are-they-reasonable)
Posted by [Equipment Appraisal Services](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/author/equipment-appraisal-services) on Mon, Sep 19, 2022 @ 07:30 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
Whether you own a small business or are personally responsible for paying property taxes on your vehicles and equipment, you have likely questioned the validity of the value assessment assigned to these assets on a year-to-year basis. You look back at when they were purchased and how old they are, and try and determine if the numbers make sense in the context of actual market prices.
If you own a significant amount of furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) or vehicles, where the annual tax liability is substantial, you may have entertained the idea of disputing these estimates while looking to have the assessment adjusted to match your own internally calculated figures. Property tax disputes are not uncommon, however, if you go down this road, you will likely need independent support to present a sound case where the end result is fair and reasonable.
### How are property taxes calculated on vehicles and equipment?
Unlike real estate taxes, where reassessments are completed by counties, cities, and towns every few years, based on an updated market analysis, assessments on vehicles and equipment rarely change from their initial estimates.
The purchase price and date of acquisition are the starting point where the assessor then determines a useful life and annual depreciation schedule matching the type of asset that is involved. For example, if you bought a new pickup truck for $40,000 this year, you pay property tax based on this initial cost, and again every year, under an internally calculated useful life depreciation table created by the assessor’s office. The useful life may be estimated at 10 years with annual depreciation of 6% to a salvage value of 40%. If you still own the truck after 10 years, the assessor may slow the depreciation even further going forward.
Every city and town has its own mill rate percentages which are applied to arrive at your tax payment, and cannot be disputed. The value estimate, however, is the area to target in any case where you believe it does not equate to market value. These assessments are usually calculated on very broad assumptions, while the depreciation is slow and on a straight-line basis. The salvage value estimates can tend to be quite high in comparison to fair market value
If you believe your property tax assessments are much higher than the actual market value, you can file a dispute, and even have it done retroactively, to cover prior tax periods in earlier years. It’s always a good idea to complete a detailed internal assessment first, and then reach out to an accredited appraiser who can independently perform an appraisal on your vehicles and equipment. The more prepared you are throughout the dispute process, the better chance you have of a fair and successful outcome.
Tags: [accredited appraisers](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/accredited-appraisers), [Property Tax Appeal Valuation](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/property-tax-appeal-valuation), [Machinery & Equipment Appraisals](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/machinery-equipment-appraisals)
### Subscribe by Email
### Most Popular Posts
### Posts by Month
- [July 2026 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/07)
- [June 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/06)
- [May 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/05)
- [April 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/04)
- [March 2026 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/03)
- [February 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/02)
- [January 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/01)
- [December 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/12)
- [November 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/11)
- [October 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/10)
- [September 2025 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/09)
- [August 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/08)
- [July 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/07)
- [June 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/06)
- [May 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/05)
- [April 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/04)
- [March 2025 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/03)
- [February 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/02)
- [January 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/01)
- [December 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/12)
- [November 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/11)
- [October 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/10)
- [September 2024 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/09)
- [August 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/08)
- [July 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/07)
- [June 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/06)
- [May 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/05)
- [April 2024 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/04)
- [March 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/03)
- [February 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/02)
- [January 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/01)
- [December 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/12)
- [November 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/11)
- [October 2023 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/10)
- [September 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/09)
- [August 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/08)
- [July 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/07)
- [June 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/06)
- [May 2023 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/05)
- [April 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/04)
- [March 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/03)
- [February 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/02)
- [January 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/01)
- [December 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/12)
- [November 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/11)
- [October 2022 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/10)
- [September 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/09)
- [August 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/08)
- [July 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/07)
- [June 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/06)
- [May 2022 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/05)
- [April 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/04)
- [March 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/03)
- [February 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/02)
- [January 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/01)
- [December 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/12)
- [November 2021 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/11)
- [October 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/10)
- [September 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/09)
- [August 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/08)
- [July 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/07)
- [June 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/06)
- [May 2021 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/05)
- [April 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/04)
- [March 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/03)
- [February 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/02)
- [January 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/01)
- [December 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/12)
- [November 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/11)
- [October 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/10)
- [September 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/09)
- [August 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/08)
- [July 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/07)
- [June 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/06)
- [May 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/05)
- [April 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/04)
- [March 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/03)
- [February 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/02)
- [January 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/01)
- [December 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/12)
- [November 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/11)
- [October 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/10)
- [September 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/09)
- [August 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/08)
- [July 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/07)
- [June 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/06)
- [May 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/05)
- [April 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/04)
- [March 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/03)
- [February 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/02)
- [January 2019 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/01)
- [December 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/12)
- [November 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/11)
- [October 2018 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/10)
- [September 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/09)
- [July 2018 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/07)
- [June 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/06)
- [May 2018 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/05)
- [April 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/04)
- [March 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/03)
- [February 2018 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/02)
- [January 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/01)
- [December 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/12)
- [October 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/10)
- [September 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/09)
- [August 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/08)
- [July 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/07)
- [June 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/06)
- [May 2017 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/05)
- [April 2017 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/04)
- [March 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/03)
- [February 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/02)
- [January 2017 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/01)
[See more](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/property-tax-assessments-on-vehicles-equipment-are-they-reasonable#)
© 2026 Equipment Appraisal Services
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Equipment Appraisal Services",
"url" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/author/equipment-appraisal-services"
},
"dateModified" : "2022-09-19T11:30:00.441Z",
"datePublished" : "2022-09-19T11:30:00.000Z",
"headline" : "Property Tax Assessments on Vehicles & Equipment; Are They Reasonable?",
"image" : [ "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/machinery_and_equipment_appraisals_property_tax_disputes.jpeg" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/property-tax-assessments-on-vehicles-equipment-are-they-reasonable",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/Images%202020/equipment_appraisal_services_header_logo.svg"
},
"name" : "Equipment Appraisal Services"
}
}
```