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Thurston County, Washington

The content on the Thurston County website is currently provided in English. We are providing the “Translation” for approximately 10 languages. The goal of the translation is to provide visitors with limited English proficiency to access information on the website in other languages. The translations do not translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. The translations are made through an automated process, which may not result in accurate or precise translations, particularly of technical and legal terminology.

Board of Equalization

The Thurston County Board of Equalization is a quasi-judicial board that is separate and independent of the Thurston County Assessor's Office. The BOE impartially adjudicates appeals brought by taxpayers on assessed property valuations and other determinations of the Assessor.

Photograph of the BOE Hearing room.

​BOE Overview and Current Members

The Thurston County Board of Equalization is a quasi-judicial board comprised of three citizen members who are appointed for three-year terms by the Thurston County Commissioners. Three alternate members are also appointed by the County Commissioners to serve when regular Board members are absent. The Board is established by the laws of Washington State and governed by the Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR), pursuant to RCW 84.08.020 and 84.08.060.

The Board is separate from and operates independently of the Thurston County Assessor. It adjudicates appeals of assessed property valuations and other determinations of the Assessor, with a goal of providing an impartial and economical forum to hear and decide appeals brought by taxpayers. The Board is also responsible for equalizing the assessed values so that all real and personal properties in Thurston County are assessed equitably at 100 percent of their true and fair value, with comparable properties assessed at comparable values.

Hearings of the Board are open to the public except for confidential proceedings involving proprietary business information. Hearings are held during business hours, currently via a conference call format. In-person hearings are expected to resume in the coming months and will be held in the BOE Hearing Room, 3000 Pacific Avenue SE, Room 244, Olympia, WA  98501.

The Board’s Clerk and staff are employees of Thurston County; however, they perform their duties under the direction, and serve at the pleasure, of the Board, pursuant to RCW 84.48.028.

Current members of the Board are:

  • Diane Pust, Chair 
  • John Morrison, Vice Chair
  •  

Alternate Members of the Board are:

  • John Graver 
  • Ted May 
  • Vacancy

Filing Electronic Submissions

  • Since 2020, the Thurston County BOE has accepted digital copies of new petitions and supplemental information through our online links.
  • If you wish to electronically file a new petition, combine your Petition, value notice and supporting documents into 1 or 2 PDF read-only documents, then use the "New Petition Submission" link to upload your documents. If you do not have the technological resources/capability to file electronically, please drop off or mail in your Petition and Value Notice to the BOE, 3000 Pacific Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501. Note: The Transmittal form is NOT a Petition. Please go to BOE Forms to find the Petition form. A valid appeal must include a completed/signed Petition with a copy of your value notice. Properly completed appeals will be given precedence over incomplete submissions.
  • If you have a prior year appeal, use the "Supplemental Info" link to submit evidence for your existing case or upcoming hearing.
  • Please DO NOT attempt to submit documents through any other email or electronic method.
  • Click these instructions on how to save your completed PDF interactive petition form to ensure your data/signature doesn't get lost in transmittal.
  • The deadline to file a new 2023 property appeal (unless otherwise stated on your Official Property Value Change Notice) was Tuesday, August 1, 2023. The filing deadline for new construction and personal property is Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

Use this link to submit a NEW 2023 Petition:

 New Petition Submission

The link below is for submitting additional information (not petitions)
on an existing 2020, 2021, 2022 or 2023 appeal:

Supplemental Info Submission

BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR DOCUMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT RUTH ELDER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED ASSISTANCE.

Board of Equalization

Board of Equalization Location

3000 Pacific Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98501

Mailing Address

3000 Pacific Avenue SE
Olympia, WA 98513