Denton County ARB Hearing: What to Expect

Reviewed November 4, 2026.

Quick answer: in Denton County, prepare as if you'll have a hearing. In 2025 the Denton County Appraisal Review Board (ARB) issued 87,563 determinations, almost twice the 47,902 informal settlements, and 94.2% of those determinations lowered value (Denton protest statistics). You can attend in person, by phone, by video or by sworn affidavit. Filing steps are on our Denton County property tax protest guide.

General information, not legal advice. Follow your hearing notice and the ARB's current procedures.

Why Denton is different

Some big counties settle almost everything informally. Denton runs a lot of protests through the ARB. That's not bad news. An ARB is a panel of local residents, appointed separately from the appraisal district, that listens to both sides and sets the value. In 2025, most single-family protests in Denton County that were resolved ended with a lower value (Comptroller 2025 survey).

When hearings happen

• Notice: the ARB must give you at least 15 days' notice of your hearing date (Tax Code §41.46).
• Season: follow the date and instructions on your hearing notice; do not assume last year’s hearing calendar applies.
• Informal cutoff: follow the current notice for informal scheduling; older cutoff dates may no longer apply.

Your four hearing formats

1. In person at Denton CAD, 3911 Morse St., Denton.
2. Phone. Request it in your protest or in writing at least 10 days before your hearing. You get a two-hour call window, so give a daytime number and email.
3. Video. Same rules as phone.
4. Affidavit. If you will not appear, follow the current ARB instructions for the sworn Property Owner’s Affidavit of Evidence, supporting documents and receipt deadline.

For phone and video hearings, your evidence goes in by affidavit before the hearing starts. Confirm the hearing method and evidence requirements shown in your notice.

How the hearing runs

1. The panel swears everyone in.
2. Denton CAD's appraiser explains the district's value.
3. You present your evidence and your number.
4. The panel can ask both sides questions.
5. The panel decides and issues a written order.

Keep it tight. Lead with your number, then your two or three strongest points. Example: "The district has my home at $520,000. Three sales within half a mile closed between $468,000 and $481,000, and my roof needs replacing. The value should be $475,000."

Evidence that holds up

• Sales near January 1 of similar homes, with size, age and condition noted.
• Equity comps: similar homes Denton CAD values lower per square foot.
• Condition proof: dated photos and contractor estimates.
• The district's own evidence. Request it early under Tax Code §41.461, which provides prehearing access rights. Read it before the hearing and address the comparables and adjustments you dispute.

Bring hard copies if you attend in person. Check your hearing notice for how many.

Postponements and missed hearings

• One free postponement if you don't have an agent. Ask in writing before the hearing: email arbreschedule@dentoncad.com with your name, property ID and address. Day-of requests aren't granted.
• Missed it? Send a good-cause letter within 4 days.
• Kept waiting? If your hearing hasn't started within two hours of its set time, you can ask the ARB to postpone it.

After the order

The ARB's written order sets the value on your tax bill. If you disagree, check the route immediately: court and regular binding-arbitration filings generally have 60-day deadlines from receipt of the order. SOAH generally requires its notice within 30 days and a separate deposit within 90 days; eligibility restrictions apply.

Want someone else in the hot seat?

TaxDrop's licensed Texas consultants prepare the evidence and represent you at the Denton County ARB. Start with the free over-assessment check at app.taxdrop.com.

Sources: Denton CAD protest process; Denton CAD ARB page; Tax Code §41.45; §41.46; §41.461; Texas Comptroller: protests; Comptroller 2025 operations survey; KERA, May 2024.

Build your file with our Texas property tax protest evidence checklist. It explains how to organize comparable sales, appraisal comparisons and condition evidence.