A property tax protest is the process of formally disputing your property's assessed value in Texas. It's the same concept as a property tax appealâTexas just uses different terminology.
When you file a protest, you're telling your county appraisal district that you disagree with their valuation. You'll have the opportunity to present evidence at an informal hearing, and if needed, escalate to a formal hearing before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB).
Every Texas property owner has the right to protest their assessed value annually. There's no cost to file, and you have nothing to loseâprotesting cannot increase your value.
Texas has some of the highest property taxes in the nation, but also some of the strongest protest rights. You can challenge your value every single year, and roughly 70% of protests result in some reduction.
The key is acting quickly. You typically have until May 15 (or 30 days after your notice) to file. Miss the deadline and you're stuck with that value for the year.
Don't assume the appraisal district got it right. They're valuing millions of properties with limited information. You know your property better than they do.
John received his Notice of Appraised Value showing his Tarrant County home assessed at $385,000âup 12% from last year.
He filed a protest online through the Tarrant Appraisal District website. At his informal hearing, he presented:
⢠4 comparable sales averaging $355,000
⢠Photos showing his aging roof and HVAC
The appraiser agreed to reduce his value to $360,000. John signed the settlementâsaving approximately $625 per year.
The deadline is May 15 or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed, whichever is later. Some protests (like for ARB procedural issues) have different deadlines. Check your notice for exact dates.
File a Notice of Protest with your county appraisal district. Most counties offer online filing through their website. You can also file by mail, in person, or by hiring a property tax consultant to file on your behalf.
No. Protesting cannot result in a higher value. The worst outcome is that your value stays the same. You have nothing to lose by filing.