Larchmont is one of southern Westchester County's most desirable residential communities — a walkable village with a defined downtown, proximity to the water, and a housing market that reflects those qualities in consistently strong property values. For homeowners in Larchmont, that strength also means assessments that can be high, sometimes inaccurately so, and the 2026 tax grievance filing window represents your annual opportunity to challenge an assessment that doesn't align with what your property would actually sell for today.
Understanding how assessments work in Larchmont — and particularly the distinction between properties within the incorporated Village of Larchmont versus those in the unincorporated Town of Mamaroneck — is critical to building an effective tax grievance case. Here is what you need to know.
The 2026 Filing Deadline for Larchmont
In Larchmont, tax grievances follow the standard Westchester County calendar: the filing window runs from June 1 through the third Tuesday in June. Confirm the exact date with the appropriate assessor's office — Village of Larchmont or Town of Mamaroneck, depending on where your property is located — as the third Tuesday shifts year to year.
Missing the deadline forfeits your right to challenge your assessment for that entire tax year. Given the dollar amounts involved in Larchmont real estate, filing on time can mean thousands of dollars in annual savings if your grievance is successful.
Village of Larchmont vs. Town of Mamaroneck: Why the Distinction Matters
One of the first things Larchmont homeowners need to understand when preparing a tax grievance is which municipality their property falls within. The Village of Larchmont is an incorporated village, with its own assessor and its own assessment roll. Properties outside the village boundaries fall within the unincorporated Town of Mamaroneck, which has a separate assessor and a separate roll.
This distinction matters for two reasons. First, your grievance is filed with the assessor for the jurisdiction where your property is located — village or town. Second, and more importantly for valuation purposes, properties in the two jurisdictions can sell at different price levels, and selecting comparable sales from the wrong pool introduces error into your analysis.
A certified appraiser working in this market understands these boundaries precisely and knows how to select comparable sales that reflect your property's actual market — not a neighboring municipality's market that may be subtly different.
In Larchmont, your property's location relative to municipal boundaries and to the downtown core can materially affect its market value. A certified appraisal accounts for those differences in ways that a mass assessment model cannot.
The Walkable Downtown Premium
One of the defining features of the Larchmont market is its compact, walkable downtown. Properties within walking distance of Larchmont Avenue's shops, restaurants, and services command a premium in the market — not uniformly, but meaningfully. Buyers are willing to pay more for a home where they can walk to coffee, dinner, or the train station than for an otherwise similar home further out that requires a car for every errand.
The challenge for assessors — and the opportunity for homeowners filing a grievance — is that this premium is not linear. A property two blocks from Larchmont Avenue does not command the same premium as a property half a block away. A property with direct sidewalk access to the downtown is valued differently from one that requires crossing a busy road or walking along a stretch without sidewalks.
Mass assessment models struggle to capture this kind of granular location difference. They may apply a broad "proximity to downtown" adjustment, but those adjustments frequently over-value properties that are near but not truly walkable, or under-value properties that have exceptional walkability. A certified appraisal corrects for this by physically inspecting the property, evaluating its actual relationship to the downtown, and selecting comparable sales that reflect the real market for properties with similar walkability characteristics.
Waterfront Proximity: Another Valuation Factor
Larchmont's location on Long Island Sound is another value driver — but like the downtown premium, the waterfront premium is not uniform. Properties with direct water access, water views, or immediate proximity to Manor Park or the shoreline are valued differently from properties further inland, and the gradient is steep.
When an assessor applies broad waterfront proximity adjustments, the result is frequently inaccurate for properties that fall into the "near but not at" category. If your property is in a waterfront neighborhood but does not have a view or direct access, and your assessment reflects a generous waterfront adjustment, you may be over-assessed relative to what buyers would actually pay.
A certified appraisal documents precisely where your property sits in this spectrum and selects comparable sales that reflect the premium — or lack thereof — that your specific location commands.
How to File a Tax Grievance in Larchmont
To file a property tax grievance in Larchmont, you will need to complete the RP-524 form (New York State complaint on real property assessment) and submit it to the Board of Assessment Review during the June filing window. The form itself is straightforward, but the supporting evidence determines whether your grievance succeeds.
You can submit informal comparable sales data that you've researched yourself, or you can submit a certified appraisal. The former is accessible and costs nothing, but it carries limited weight. The latter is more expensive upfront, but it is substantially more persuasive before the Board and critical if your case proceeds to SCAR.
The SCAR Process
If your grievance is denied by the Board of Assessment Review, or if the reduction is not sufficient, you can appeal through the Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) process in Westchester County Supreme Court. SCAR is designed to be accessible to homeowners without legal representation, and many Larchmont residents successfully navigate it on their own.
At SCAR, a certified appraisal from a credentialed professional makes a significant difference. A hearing officer reviewing competing evidence will give substantially more weight to a USPAP-compliant appraisal from an SRA-designated appraiser than to informal comparable sales data. Our reports are prepared specifically to hold up at this level.
For a comprehensive overview of the Westchester tax grievance process, see our guide to Westchester County property tax grievances. Our tax grievance appraisal service page explains how we work with homeowners throughout Larchmont and southern Westchester.
Get Started Now
The June deadline may feel distant, but a quality appraisal takes time. Don't wait until the last week of May to start the process. Contact Madison & Park Appraisal today to discuss your property and get a quote. Visit our Larchmont appraisal page for more information about our work in this community.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Larchmont tax grievance deadline in 2026?
Filing runs from June 1 through the third Tuesday in June. Confirm the exact closing date with the Village of Larchmont or Town of Mamaroneck assessor's office, depending on where your property is located.
Does it matter whether I'm in the Village of Larchmont or the Town of Mamaroneck?
Yes. The two have separate assessors and separate assessment rolls. Your grievance is filed with the jurisdiction where your property is located, and comparable sales should reflect your specific market.
Is an appraisal required to file a tax grievance in Larchmont?
No, but it is the strongest evidence you can submit. Self-prepared comparable sales data is accepted but carries significantly less weight before the Board and at SCAR.
What is SCAR?
SCAR (Small Claims Assessment Review) is the next step if your Board grievance is denied or only partially granted. It is a hearing before a Westchester County Supreme Court hearing officer and is designed to be accessible to homeowners. A certified appraisal is critical at this stage.