An appraisal notice (called Notice of Appraised Value in Texas or Assessment Notice in other states) is the official document your county sends each year showing your property's assessed value for tax purposes. It's your first look at what the county thinks your property is worth—and your starting point for deciding whether to protest.
The notice includes critical information: your assessed value, any exemptions applied, your protest deadline, and instructions for challenging the value. In Texas, notices are typically mailed in April or May, giving you time to review before the May 15 protest deadline.
Don't confuse your appraisal notice with your tax bill—the notice shows your value (spring), while the tax bill shows what you owe (fall).
Your appraisal notice is the starting gun for property tax season. What you do when you receive it determines whether you'll save money or overpay.
When you receive your notice:
1. Check the deadline immediately
2. Compare current value to prior year
3. Verify exemptions are applied
4. Look for obvious errors
5. Decide whether to protest
Red flags to watch for:
• Large value increase (15%+)
• Missing exemptions
• Wrong property details
• Value higher than you could sell for
Don't throw it away thinking it's junk mail—this document affects thousands of dollars.
What's on your appraisal notice:
Property identification:
• Account/parcel number
• Property address
• Legal description
• Owner name and mailing address
Value information:
• Prior year value
• Current market value
• Current assessed/capped value (if applicable)
• Land value and improvement value breakdown
Exemptions:
• Exemptions currently applied
• Taxable value after exemptions
Protest information:
• Deadline to file protest
• Instructions for protesting
• Contact information
In Texas, notices are typically mailed between April 1 and May 1. California and other states have different schedules. If you don't receive one, contact your appraisal district—you're still responsible for protesting by the deadline even if the notice was lost in the mail.
Contact your appraisal district immediately. You can usually look up your value online and may still be able to protest if you act quickly. Not receiving a notice doesn't automatically extend your deadline, though you may have grounds for a late protest.
No. Your appraisal notice (spring) shows your assessed VALUE. Your tax bill (fall) shows the TAXES you owe, calculated by multiplying your value by tax rates set later in the year. The notice comes first; the bill comes after rates are set.