How to Read Your NJ Revaluation Notice (Blue Card) — 2026 Guide

What Is the NJ Blue Card?

If your New Jersey municipality completed a revaluation in 2025 or 2026, you received a blue card — a formal notice from your local assessor showing your new assessed value. The card typically arrives by mail in late fall or early winter, months before the appeal deadline.

The blue card is official. It determines how much property tax you owe for the upcoming year. If the value on that card is too high, you have the right to appeal it — but only before the filing deadline.

Breaking Down Each Field

Block and Lot

New Jersey uses a block-and-lot system to identify every parcel of land. Your block number identifies the neighborhood block; your lot number identifies your specific parcel within that block. You will need these numbers on NJ Form A-1 when you file an appeal.

Land Value vs. Improvement Value

Your total assessed value is split into two components:

• Land value — the value of the underlying lot, regardless of what is built on it.
• Improvement value — the value of the structure (house, garage, outbuildings).

Most homeowners care about the total, but the split matters if you believe your home's physical condition was assessed incorrectly or if comparables have different lot sizes.

Total Assessed Value

This is the number that determines your tax bill. In a reval year, NJ municipalities assess at 100% of estimated market value. That means your assessed value should, in theory, equal what your home would sell for on the open market.

What Does "100% Assessment" Mean?

New Jersey law requires assessments to reflect true market value. After a revaluation, the assessed value should match the current market. This is different from older years when many towns used ratios far below 100% — for example, assessing at 60 cents on the dollar.

In a reval year, this matters because your assessment can now be directly compared to recent comparable sales. If similar homes in your neighborhood sold for less than your assessed value, that is strong evidence of over-assessment.

What If the Value Looks Too High?

Do not assume the assessor is correct. Mass appraisal — the method used in revaluations — processes every property in a municipality at once using statistical models. Individual properties are frequently mispriced, especially if your home has unusual features, deferred maintenance, or was not physically inspected.

Here is what to do:

• Compare your assessed value to recent sales of similar homes in your town (same square footage, age, and condition).
• Check PropGap — enter your address and we pull up to 20 nearby comparable sales automatically.
• If comparables suggest your value is too high, you have grounds to file an appeal.

Key Deadlines for Reval Towns

If your municipality completed a revaluation, your appeal deadline is May 1, 2026 — not the standard April 1 date. This extended deadline applies to 26 towns in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic counties.

See the full list of reval towns and check your deadline on our NJ Property Tax Appeal page. Towns like Paramus, Glen Ridge, and Dumont are among those with the May 1 extended deadline.

Next Steps

Once you understand what your blue card says, the next question is whether the number is accurate. PropGap automates the comparable sales search and shows you exactly how your assessed value compares to what similar homes have actually sold for. If there is a gap, we show you the evidence you need to appeal.

Check your NJ assessment free at propgap.ai — no account required.