Texas property tax protest FAQ

Yes. Every Texas property owner has the right to protest the appraised value of their property each year. You can protest if you believe the value is too high, the property is unequally appraised compared with similar homes, an exemption was wrongly denied, or you didn't receive required notice. You file a Notice of Protest (Form 50-132) with your county Appraisal Review Board, usually by May 15.

You file a Notice of Protest with your county appraisal district, then present evidence that your value is too high or unequal — usually comparable properties and their appraised values. Most cases resolve at an informal meeting with an appraiser. If not, you present to the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) at a formal hearing, and the board sets your value. The strength of your comparable-property evidence is what determines the outcome.

The deadline is generally May 15, or 30 days after your appraisal notice was mailed, whichever is later. If the date falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. Missing the deadline usually forfeits your protest for the year, so file on time even if you're still gathering evidence.

Compare your appraised value per square foot against similar homes in your neighborhood. If comparable properties are appraised for less per square foot than yours after adjusting for size, age, and condition, you are likely over-appraised — the basis for an "unequal appraisal" protest. A sudden double-digit jump, or an appraisal above what the home would sell for, is another strong signal. TaxStand's free analysis checks this for you across 45 Texas counties.

Protest the appraised value. A large year-over-year increase is one of the clearest reasons to file. For a homesteaded property, the taxable value increase is capped at 10% per year, but the market/appraised value itself can still be protested — and lowering it protects you in future years too. Gather comparable properties that are appraised for less and file by May 15.

The strongest evidence is a set of comparable properties (comps) in your neighborhood appraised for less per square foot than yours, adjusted for differences. You can add recent sale prices, photos of defects, repair estimates, and your own purchase price if it was below the appraised value. For an unequal-appraisal case under Texas Tax Code §41.43(b)(3), the median adjusted value of a reasonable number of comparable properties is the legal standard.

An unequal-appraisal (also called "equal and uniform") protest argues that your property is appraised higher than a representative sample of comparable properties, even if the market value might be defensible. Under Texas Tax Code §41.43(b)(3), if the median appraised value of a reasonable number of comparable properties — appropriately adjusted — is lower than yours, the appraisal district must reduce your value to that median. It's one of the most effective grounds for a Texas protest.

The Appraisal Review Board is an independent panel of local citizens that hears property tax protests and settles disputes between owners and the appraisal district. If your protest isn't resolved informally, you present your evidence to the ARB at a formal hearing, and the board issues a binding value determination for that year. ARB members are not employees of the appraisal district.

It's the annual statement your county appraisal district mails (usually in spring) showing your property's appraised value for the year, any exemptions applied, and an estimate of your taxes. It also states your deadline to protest. Review it carefully — the value on this notice is what you protest, and the mailing date can set your protest deadline.

You can absolutely protest yourself — Texas built the process for homeowners, and the comparable-property data is public. You don't need a company. The only thing separating a strong protest from a weak one is a professional-looking evidence packet with the right numbers in the right places. You can assemble it yourself for free, or buy a ready-made flat-fee packet (like TaxStand's $199) and still file it yourself, keeping 100% of your savings.

In most counties, yes. Larger appraisal districts offer online protest portals where you file the Notice of Protest and upload evidence, and many resolve informally through the portal without an in-person meeting. Smaller counties may require mail or in-person filing. Your Notice of Appraised Value and the appraisal district's website will say which options are available.

For most owners, yes. Protesting is free to file, low-risk (your value can't be raised as punishment for protesting), and frequently results in a reduction — in 2024, over a million Texas protests ended with a reduction at the informal stage before any hearing. A reduction also compounds: a lower appraised value benefits you in future years, not just this one. The main cost is your time assembling evidence, which a flat-fee packet can remove.

A well-evidenced protest works regardless of who submits it. Contingency firms succeed by filing at scale with solid comparable data, but they keep 25%–50% of your savings. The evidence itself — not the company — is what moves the appraiser, which is why a prepared DIY filer or a flat-fee packet can achieve the same reduction while you keep all of it. See our comparison of Texas protest services.

TaxStand builds a hearing-ready Texas property tax protest evidence packet from public records for a flat $199 — no contingency fee, no cut of your savings. You get the same unequal-appraisal analysis the professionals use, plus a homestead audit, market data, and hearing scripts, then you file it yourself and keep 100% of your reduction. See how it works and pricing.