Miami-Dade homeowners unhappy with their property tax assessment have until Friday to file an appeal with the Value Adjustment Board.

If owners can prove that the county appraiser has placed an excessively high value on their property, they could have the assessment reduced by up to 15 percent, depending on the property's value.

Appeals, which have a $15 fee, may be filed by mail, in person or online for up to 25 days after receipt of a tax notice. Those received after Friday will be considered late, and won't likely be reviewed until late October, according to the property appraiser's website.

In order to get an assessment reduced owners of property without a homestead exemption, for whom assessed and taxable value are the same, have to show evidence that the property's value as of the start of this year is lower than the assessment.

Longtime owners of property exempt under Save Our Homes need to prove that the value of their property is less than the taxable value before the exemption is applied.

Appellants must produce as many examples as possible of sales of properties comparable to their own. These can be found through Realtors or multiple listing services.

It is recommended that appellants bring photos of their own homes and, whenever possible, of the comparable-sale properties. If a property owner's argument includes needed repairs on a home, photos of damage and recent repair estimates will be needed.

For more information, or to file a petition online, go to www.miami-dadeclerk.com/dadecoc/VAB.asp.

In-person filing can be done at three locations: the Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW First St., Suite 1720, the South Dade Justice Center, 10710 SW 211th St., Suite 1200 and the North Dade Justice Center, 15555 Biscayne Blvd., first floor.

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