How to appeal your property tax assessment in Texas
In Texas, if the value on your notice is too high, you can protest it. You don't need a lawyer.
Checked against official sources: Oct 21, 2026
Can I still protest?
Closed for 2026 — opens in April 2027
Closed for 2026. The next protest window opens with appraisal notices in April 2027; protests are due May 15, 2027 or 30 days after your notice.
Texas homeowners pay a median of $4,232 a year in property tax, an effective rate of 1.49%, the 8th highest of the 51 states we cover.
File a written Notice of Protest with the ARB by May 15 or within 30 days after your appraisal notice was delivered, whichever is later. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. Late protests are allowed only for good cause or in narrow cases (for example, you never got a required notice). Example: if your notice was delivered April 20, your deadline is May 20 (30 days later) instead of May 15.
The appraisal district (the county office that sets home values) must deliver a Notice of Appraised Value by April 1 for a homestead (May 1 for other property), or as soon as practical after that. The notice explains how and by when to protest.
Missed the deadline? What you can do now
- Late protest: allowed only for good cause or in narrow cases, for example if you never got a required notice.
- Check your notice: is your homestead exemption on it and was the 10% homestead cap applied? If an exemption is missing, ask the office that sets your value. Exemptions have their own deadlines.
- Set a reminder for April 2027, when the next notice usually arrives. Then check the value and the deadline right away. Add to my calendar
Find your Texas county
Each county has its own appraisal district. Pick yours for contact details, online filing and local tax figures.
How much could you save?
Enter the market value on your assessment notice and what you think the home would really sell for. We estimate the yearly saving if the board agrees with you.
Some states cap how fast the taxable value of a home can rise (California, Florida, Michigan and Texas homesteads, for example). If your taxable value is already held below market value by a cap, a lower market value may not lower this year's bill.
How to appeal in Texas, step by step
Understand your assessment
The appraisal district (CAD) in your county sets market values for all local taxing units. A separate Appraisal Review Board (ARB) hears protests. Homes are appraised at 100% of market value as of January 1. For a homestead, the taxable (appraised) value cannot rise more than 10% a year, plus the value of new improvements. Appraisal districts must reappraise at least once every three years; most large districts update values every year.
Check the record and talk to the assessor
You can ask the appraisal district for an informal meeting (in person, by phone or online in many counties) before your ARB hearing. Many cases settle there. If you accept a settlement, you usually give up further appeal for that year.
Gather your evidence
What works in Texas:
- Recent sales of similar nearby homes
- Unequal-appraisal comparison: appraised values of similar homes in your neighborhood
- Photos, contractor repair estimates and inspection reports showing condition problems
- Your closing statement if you bought the home recently
- A certified appraisal
More detail
- Recent sales of similar nearby homes (the district's own evidence packet is a good starting point)
- Unequal-appraisal comparison: appraised values of similar homes in your neighborhood, adjusted for differences
- Photos, contractor repair estimates and inspection reports showing condition problems
- Your closing statement if you bought the home recently
- A certified appraisal (if done within 180 days of the hearing it can shift a higher burden to the district)
File your appeal 50-132 50-162 50-283 AP-219
First level: Appraisal Review Board (ARB) protest. File Form 50-132 (or any written notice that names you, the property and what you disagree with) with the ARB, usually online through the appraisal district's portal, by mail or in person. The ARB must give at least 15 days' notice of your hearing. You may ask for the district's evidence in advance. At the hearing (in person, by phone/video, or by sworn affidavit on Form 50-283) you and the appraiser each present evidence, and the 3-member panel decides. The ARB sends its written order by certified mail. Cost: No fee.
Prove your case at the hearing
Bring copies of your evidence for each board member. Keep to the value of your home, not the size of the bill.
More detail
The appraisal district must prove its value is right by the more convincing evidence (“a preponderance of the evidence”: more likely true than not). It must meet the higher 'clear and convincing' standard if (a) your home is worth $1 million or less and you file a sworn certified appraisal at least 14 days before the hearing, or (b) your value was lowered on protest last year (not by agreement) and you file supporting sales or data 14 days ahead. In an unequal-appraisal claim you win unless the district shows your value is at or below the median of comparable properties.
If you lose: Regular binding arbitration, State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH), or district court
Binding arbitration: within 60 days after you receive the ARB order. SOAH: notice of appeal within 30 days. District court: petition within 60 days. Binding arbitration is open to any homestead and other property worth $5 million or less; file Form AP-219 (Request for Binding Arbitration) with the Texas Comptroller, online or by mail with a check or money order payable to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, plus a deposit ($450 for a homestead the ARB valued at $500,000 or less, $500 above that). If the arbitrator's value is closer to yours, you get the deposit back minus a $50 fee.
After you win
The ARB or appeal value replaces the original. If you already paid, the tax office refunds the overpayment. If your value was lowered on protest (not by a settlement), next year the district must meet a 'clear and convincing' standard to raise it if you file evidence 14 days before the hearing.
Official forms
50-132 Property Owner's Notice of Protest
50-162 Appointment of Agent for Property Tax Matters
50-283 Property Owner's Affidavit of Evidence to the Appraisal Review Board
AP-219 Request for Binding Arbitration
Rules that are different in Texas
- You can protest on two grounds: market value and unequal appraisal. Unequal appraisal often wins even when the market value is defensible.
- Personal hardship or 'my taxes went up too much' is not a basis for a reduction; argue value.
- Homestead value increases are capped at 10% a year; non-homestead property worth up to about $5 million has a temporary 20% 'circuit breaker' cap for 2024-2026.
- Paid tax consultants must be registered with TDLR (attorneys, CPAs, and brokers/appraisers handling single-family homes are exempt).
- Before appealing past the ARB, pay the undisputed tax by the delinquency date (usually February 1) or you can lose the appeal.
- Remote hearings: give the ARB written notice at least 5 days before the hearing (10 days if you have an agent).
Is your home assessed higher than similar homes?
On the protest form 50-132, check 'Value is unequal compared with other properties' and show your appraised value exceeds the median appraised value of a reasonable number of comparable homes, appropriately adjusted (Tax Code 41.41(a)(2), 41.43(b)(3)). Run the numbers with our unequal assessment calculator.
Most wins start with a mistake in the assessor's record of your home. Check it line by line.
Record card checklistExemptions that lower your bill without an appeal
An exemption is separate from an appeal: you apply once and it cuts your taxable value every year. Check you have every one you qualify for.
General residence homestead exemption
Removes $140,000 of value from school district taxes for your primary home (raised from $100,000 by Proposition 13, approved November 2025, retroactive to tax year 2025). Apply to the appraisal district, generally before May 1.
Age 65+ or disabled homestead exemption
An extra $60,000 off school district value (up from $10,000 under Proposition 11, 2025), for $200,000 total. These owners also get a school-tax ceiling that freezes school taxes on the home.
Disabled veteran exemptions
Partial exemptions by disability rating; 100% disabled veterans and certain surviving spouses can get a total exemption on the homestead.
Do you need a lawyer or a tax consultant?
You can protest on your own. Anyone can represent you if you sign Form 50-162, but a person paid to do it must be a TDLR-registered property tax consultant unless they are a Texas attorney, CPA, or a real estate broker or appraiser working on a single-family home. Contingency-fee protest companies are common; read the contract for the fee share and term.
Free property tax protest letter
Fill in your details and download a written protest statement as a PDF. Texas appraisal districts also use Form 50-132 (Notice of Protest) or their online protest: file that and attach this letter and your evidence.
Texas: 2026 protests are closed. Use this after your 2027 notice arrives.
RobinClaim is a free information site, not a law firm or appraiser. The letter is a template, not legal advice.
Texas property tax appeal FAQ
What is the deadline to appeal property taxes in Texas?
File a written Notice of Protest with the ARB by May 15 or within 30 days after your appraisal notice was delivered, whichever is later. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. Late protests are allowed only for good cause or in narrow cases (for example, you never got a required notice). Example: if your notice was delivered April 20, your deadline is May 20 (30 days later) instead of May 15.
Where do I file a property tax appeal in Texas?
First level of appeal in Texas: Appraisal Review Board (ARB) protest. File Form 50-132 (or any written notice that names you, the property and what you disagree with) with the ARB, usually online through the appraisal district's portal, by mail or in person. The ARB must give at least 15 days' notice of your hearing. You may ask for the district's evidence in advance. At the hearing (in person, by phone/video, or by sworn affidavit on Form 50-283) you and the appraiser each present evidence, and the 3-member panel decides. The ARB sends its written order by certified mail.
How much does it cost to appeal in Texas?
No fee.
Can I talk to the assessor before filing?
Yes. You can ask the appraisal district for an informal meeting (in person, by phone or online in many counties) before your ARB hearing. Many cases settle there. If you accept a settlement, you usually give up further appeal for that year.
What if the board turns me down?
Next level: Regular binding arbitration, State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH), or district court. Binding arbitration: within 60 days after you receive the ARB order. SOAH: notice of appeal within 30 days. District court: petition within 60 days. Binding arbitration is open to any homestead and other property worth $5 million or less; file Form AP-219 (Request for Binding Arbitration) with the Texas Comptroller, online or by mail with a check or money order payable to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, plus a deposit ($450 for a homestead the ARB valued at $500,000 or less, $500 above that). If the arbitrator's value is closer to yours, you get the deposit back minus a $50 fee.
What happens if I win?
The ARB or appeal value replaces the original. If you already paid, the tax office refunds the overpayment. If your value was lowered on protest (not by a settlement), next year the district must meet a 'clear and convincing' standard to raise it if you file evidence 14 days before the hearing.
Sources
Checked Oct 21, 2026 against official Texas sources. Local deadlines and fees can differ; confirm with your assessor or board.
- Texas Comptroller - Property Tax Protests and Appeals
- Texas Comptroller - Property Tax Exemptions
- Texas Tax Code Sec. 41.43 (burden of proof)
- Texas Tax Code Sec. 25.19 (notice of appraised value)
- Collin CAD / ARB - 2026 Property Tax Protest and Appeal Procedures
- Jefferson CAD - Appealing the ARB decision (arbitration deposits)
- TDLR - Property Tax Consultants at a Glance
- Brazoria CAD - Circuit Breaker Limitation (Sec. 23.231)
- Tax rate and median tax: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25103 (median real estate taxes paid, owner-occupied homes) and B25077 (median value, owner-occupied homes). The rate is the median tax divided by the median home value.