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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.

Current News and Activities

​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 Graver, Vice Chair
  • Ted May 

Alternate Members of the Board are:

  • David Saavedra
  • Ron Germeaux  
  • Vacant

Filing Electronic Submissions

  • https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/board-equalization/appeal-processIf you wish to file a new Petition electronically, 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 (hand-written, not typed in script font) Petition with a copy of your Value Notice. Properly completed appeals will be given precedence over incomplete submissions. Please only submit legible, clear documents that are not blurry, too dark, too light, or where the format of the Petition has been altered. Please review this example of a properly completed Petition form. 
  • 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 2024 property appeal (unless otherwise stated on your Official Property Value Change Notice) is Monday, October 28, 2024. 
  • If you have a prior year appeal from 2021, 2022 or 2023, use the "Supplemental Info" link to submit evidence for your existing case or upcoming hearing.

Use this link to submit a NEW 2024 Petition:

 New Petition Submission

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

Supplemental Info Submission

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

AFTER SUBMITTING YOUR PETITION, PLEASE REVIEW THE "WHAT HAPPENS NEXT" SECTION ON THE "APPEAL PROCESS" PAGE.

Board of Equalization

Board of Equalization Location

3000 Pacific Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98501

Mailing Address

3000 Pacific Avenue SE
Olympia, WA 98513