Assessor sends 2025 ‘Change of Value’ notices

‘Change of Value Notice’ is Not a Tax Bill

||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||

The Assessor’s Office is mailing the 2025 Change of Value Notices today – October 6, 2025. Changes reflect market sales between January 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025, with an assessment date of January 1, 2025. Properties with new construction are valued for improvements made to the property up to July 31, 2025. If your value did not change from last year, you will not receive a notice.

The total value of San Juan County increased from $14.7 billion to $14.8 billion, with $90 million in new construction. The 2025 inspection cycle included 3,119 properties on the east side of Orcas including Eastsound and Obstruction, as well as six other small islands, with 753 additional inspections for new construction across the rest of the county.

The Change of Value Notice is not a tax bill

Tax bills are mailed in February by the Treasurer’s Office after taxing district budgets are approved and levy rates are calculated. 

Budget-based property tax system

Washington uses a budget-based system. Most taxing districts (state, county, fire, port, library, for example) increase their budgets every year because the cost of services increases, which raises taxes. If all taxing district budgets stayed the same from one year to the next, the total amount of tax collected would not change even if assessed values doubled or dropped in half.

Assessed values follow market value in Washington. As sale prices increase, assessed values go up. As sale prices decrease, assessed values go down. Under our budget-based system, the levy rate is adjusted so the tax collected equals the approved budget amount. Higher assessed values mean lower levy rates; lower assessed values mean higher levy rates.

Limits on tax increases

Taxing districts are limited to a 1% annual increase in their budgets plus an allowance for new construction in the district, usually another 1%-2% increase, unless voters approve a lid lift. Lid lifts allow a district to increase their levy more than the normal limit up to the limit stated in the ballot. 

Lid lifts were approved for 2026 taxes for Orcas Hospital and Lopez Library, a capital projects levy was approved for Lopez School, and lid lifts are on the November ballot for San Juan Hospital and Orcas Library, with capital projects and operations levies for Orcas School, a bond for Orcas Fire, and the annual levy for Lopez Solid Waste. A proposition to form a Lopez Park & Rec district is also on the November ballot.

If you have questions about your assessment, please email the Assessor’s Office at assessor@sanjuancountywa.gov or call (360) 378-2172 between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM Monday – Thursday.

About the San Juan County Assessor’s Office 

The San Juan County Assessor’s Office identifies and assigns a taxable value to all business and personal property within San Juan County so that taxes are paid equitably according to State law. Property taxes allow our community to benefit from services like schools, libraries, parks, health services, fire protection, and law enforcement. The San Juan County Assessor’s Office is committed to a process that is professional, fair, and clearly understood. The department’s main office is located at 350 Court Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Assessor’s Office, visit www.sanjuancountywa.gov/149/Assessor.