Harris County Property Tax Protest Deadline 2027 (HCAD)

Quick answer: the Harris County property tax protest deadline is May 15, or 30 days after HCAD mails your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. In 2027, May 15 is a Saturday, so under the weekend rule the deadline moves to Monday, May 17, 2027, unless your notice shows a later date. For the full process, see our Harris County protest guide.

General education only, not legal advice. Confirm the date on your notice and with Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD).

How the Harris County deadline works

Texas law sets the protest deadline as May 15 or the 30th day after the notice of appraised value is delivered, whichever is later (Tax Code 41.44). The Texas Comptroller's protest page tells owners to count 30 days from the date the appraisal district mails the notice. HCAD says the same on its FAQ: May 15, unless it falls on a weekend or holiday, in which case it is the next business day, or 30 days after the notice was mailed, whichever is later. Because those wordings differ slightly, treat the date printed on your own notice as the one that controls, and file well before it.

HCAD also says that if it does not mail a required notice by April 15, the deadline is 30 days after the date printed on the notice.

2027 dates to put on your calendar

• January 1, 2027: valuation date.
• Early April to May 1: notices of appraised value go out (April 1 for homesteads and May 1 for other property, or as soon as practical after).
• Monday, May 17, 2027: the usual deadline, because May 15 is a Saturday. A later date on your notice wins.
• Late May to summer: informal meetings and ARB hearings. The ARB must give at least 15 days' written notice of your hearing.
• July 25: appraisal roll certified.

How to file before the deadline

• Online with iFile or your HCAD owner account. HCAD calls electronic filing the best way to avoid post office delays. Your iFile number is printed in bold on the face of the notice. Without an existing owner account, HCAD says iFile cannot be used without that number. Lost your notice? HCAD's free mobile app can retrieve it if the name and address on your Texas driver's license match HCAD's records.
• iSettle. If you file in iFile and opt in to iSettle with an opinion of value, HCAD may make an online settlement offer. Accepting ends the protest. Rejecting it sends you to an ARB hearing. HCAD's 2026 release said owners had five days from filing to upload documents such as a closing statement, deed or photos.
• Paper. Form 50-132 by mail or in person at HCAD, 13013 Northwest Freeway, Houston (HCAD lists office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday). A mailed protest is judged by postmark date.

If you miss it

If you miss the deadline, you can file a late protest with a written statement of good cause before the Appraisal Review Board approves the appraisal records. The ARB decides whether to accept it. Do not count on it. Our too-late guide explains the exceptions.

Also see: Harris County protest guide, informal review vs ARB hearing and Dallas vs Harris protests.

Want help with the filing?

TaxDrop Pro is full service: licensed Texas consultants file, build the evidence and represent you. The fee is 1% of the assessment reduction we win and nothing if we do not lower your value. TaxDrop One is a $129 per property, per tax year filing packet you file yourself. Pro is available in 17 Texas counties and One in 43, including Dallas and Harris. See the pricing page or the Texas property tax consultant page for how it works.

Sources

• Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD): FAQ, iFile and iSettle pages and the 2026 protest deadline reminder.
• Texas Comptroller: Appraisal Protests and Appeals.
• Texas Tax Code 41.44 (notice of protest) and 41.46 (notice of protest hearing).