Tax Declaration

A tax declaration (Tax Declaration of Real Property) is an official document issued by the local government unit (LGU) that describes a property and states its assessed value for real property tax purposes. Every real property in the Philippines must have a tax declaration, which serves as a key document for property transactions, tax payments, and ownership verification.

A tax declaration includes: property owner's name, property location and description (lot/block number, street, barangay, city/municipality), property classification (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural), land area and boundaries, improvement details (buildings, structures), assessed value (land and improvements), market value, assessment level, and the property's tax identification number. The document is updated periodically by the LGU assessor's office.

Tax declarations are required for: property sale transactions, bank loan applications, title transfer processing, real property tax payments, and LGU transactions involving the property. While a tax declaration is NOT proof of ownership (only a title is), it is an important supporting document. Discrepancies between the tax declaration and the title should be resolved before any property transaction.

Tax declarations are governed by the Local Government Code (RA 7160) and the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act. LGU assessors determine property values using schedules of market values approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod/Bayan. Properties are re-assessed periodically (typically every 3 years). Under RA 12001 (Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act, 2024), a centralized valuation system is being established to standardize property assessments across LGUs.

Property Tax, Title Transfer Process, Appraised Value, Zonal Value, Market Value