How to Protest Your Property Tax in Montgomery County, Texas

Montgomery County is the northern flank of greater Houston — home to The Woodlands (one of the most successful master-planned communities in U.S. history), Conroe (the county seat and the fastest-growing 100,000+ city in Texas during the 2010s), and a wide range of suburban and exurban communities that have become destinations for Houston-area migration. The Montgomery Central Appraisal District (MCAD) handles roughly 280,000 parcels. This is the Montgomery County edition of our protest guide.

MCAD by the numbers

Montgomery County covers approximately 1,077 square miles north of Houston. Major populated areas include The Woodlands (~120,000 residents, master-planned community, mostly in MoCo), Conroe (~95,000, the county seat), Spring (split between Harris and Montgomery, ~55,000 in MoCo portion), Magnolia (~3,000 city, larger metro area), Willis (~7,000), Montgomery (the small city, ~1,500), New Caney, Porter, Splendora, Pinehurst, Cleveland (partial), Stagecoach.

The Woodlands — a Texas property tax exception

The Woodlands is unusual: a community of 120,000+ residents that is not an incorporated city. It is governed by The Woodlands Township under a 2007 state law that allowed the community to incorporate as a special governmental entity short of becoming a "city" — effectively a community-wide HOA with taxing authority.

The Township's property tax rate is approximately $0.21 per $100 of taxable value — substantially lower than equivalent suburban cities (City of Sugar Land $0.55, City of Plano $0.42, City of Houston $0.55). This represents a structural property tax advantage that has been part of The Woodlands' value proposition since its founding in the 1970s.

Conroe Independent School District (Conroe ISD) covers the vast majority of The Woodlands. Some northern portions are in Magnolia ISD and Willis ISD. The school district rate is the dominant tax burden in The Woodlands.

Using the MCAD portal

The MCAD portal at mcad-tx.org supports the standard property search, online protest filing, and evidence upload. The system was significantly upgraded in 2022 to handle the growing volume of protests after The Woodlands and Conroe markets experienced major appreciation during 2020-2022.

• Property search — public, no login required
• Online protest filing — during the May–July season
• Evidence upload — supported with your protest record
• Virtual hearings — supported

Critical Montgomery County deadlines

Date (annually)	What happens
April 1 – April 30	MCAD mails "Notice of Appraised Value"
April 30	Deadline to file Form 50-114 (Residence Homestead Exemption) for current year
May 15 (or 30 days after notice mailed)	Deadline to file Form 50-132 (Notice of Protest)
Mid-May – late July	Informal reviews
Mid-June – late August	Formal ARB hearings
July 25	MCAD certifies tax roll to taxing entities
October	Tax bills mailed by Montgomery County Tax Assessor-Collector

Filing your protest, step-by-step

1Pull your MCAD record

Visit mcad-tx.org, search for your property. Verify square footage, year built, exemptions on file.

2Register and file online

Click the property owner portal link on mcad-tx.org. Register with your email and link to your property. File the protest checking both "Value over market" and "Unequal appraisal" grounds.

3Pull comparables

The Woodlands has exceptional subdivision-level comp density — Alden Bridge, Cochran's Crossing, Grogan's Mill, Indian Springs, Panther Creek, Sterling Ridge, Creekside Park, College Park, Carlton Woods, etc. Pull 7-12 comparable properties from your immediate village/subdivision matching your subject's square footage (±25%) and year built (±10 years). See our comparable properties how-to.

4Build your evidence packet

Standard packet: comp table, median calculation, target value, condition adjustments if applicable. Upload via MCAD portal.

5Request MCAD's evidence packet

Under §41.461, request MCAD's planned evidence at least 14 days before the formal ARB hearing.

6Show up to the hearing

MCAD supports in-person, phone, and video hearings. Specify when filing.

By area — The Woodlands, Conroe, Spring (MoCo), Magnolia, Willis

Montgomery County tax rates by taxing entity

For a Conroe ISD residence in The Woodlands:

Entity	Approx. rate (per $100 of taxable value)
Conroe ISD (or Magnolia ISD / Willis ISD / Montgomery ISD / New Caney ISD)	~$1.10 – $1.30
The Woodlands Township (or applicable city)	~$0.21 (Woodlands) / $0.40-$0.55 (cities)
Montgomery County	~$0.45
Lone Star College	~$0.10
MUD (varies by neighborhood)	~$0.20 – $0.80
Approximate combined (Woodlands)	~$2.05 – $2.40 per $100 (≈2.05–2.40%)
Approximate combined (Conroe)	~$2.40 – $2.75 per $100

Montgomery / Harris / Liberty / Walker border issues

City / area	Counties involved
Spring	Harris / Montgomery
The Woodlands	Mostly Montgomery; small Harris portion
Conroe	Entirely Montgomery
Cleveland	Liberty / Montgomery
Tomball	Mostly Harris; small Montgomery portion

Five Montgomery-specific mistakes

1. Confusing The Woodlands' Township rate with a city rate

The Woodlands Township rate (~$0.21) is dramatically lower than equivalent city rates. Don't compare your tax bill to a Sugar Land or Plano homeowner's — different rate structure. The protest dollar impact is therefore smaller in absolute terms in The Woodlands than equivalent percentage reductions elsewhere.

2. Filing with MCAD when your Spring property is in Harris

Spring straddles Harris/Montgomery. Verify on appraisal notice. The same applies to small Montgomery portions of Tomball and Cleveland.

3. Using cross-village comps in The Woodlands

The Woodlands' nine villages have distinct amenity profiles, lot sizes, and pricing patterns. An Alden Bridge comp rarely applies to a Carlton Woods protest. Stay within the village.

4. Ignoring MUD rates in master-planned subdivisions

The Woodlands has MUDs throughout. The actual combined rate depends heavily on which MUD covers your specific property. Verify via the Montgomery County Tax Office website.

5. Not requesting MCAD's evidence packet

The §41.461 right to MCAD's evidence packet at least 14 days before the formal hearing is underused.

FAQ — Montgomery County edition

How do I file a property tax protest in The Woodlands?

File with MCAD (since most of The Woodlands is in Montgomery County) via mcad-tx.org online portal or mail to 109 Gladstell Street, Conroe, TX 77301. Deadline is May 15 or 30 days after MCAD mailed your Notice, whichever is later.

Is The Woodlands in Harris County?

Mostly no. The Woodlands is primarily in Montgomery County and assessed by MCAD. A small southern portion is in Harris County and assessed by HCAD. Verify on your appraisal notice.

What's the property tax rate in The Woodlands vs. Conroe?

The Woodlands combined effective rate runs ~2.0-2.4%; Conroe runs ~2.4-2.75%. The difference is the township vs. city tax structure (Woodlands ~$0.21 township rate vs. Conroe ~$0.40 city rate). School district (Conroe ISD) covers both.

How long does an MCAD protest take?

From filing in early May to final ARB determination: 6-10 weeks. Informal-review settlements typically close in 3-5 weeks.

Why is Sugar Land's MUD rate higher than The Woodlands'?

Different developer financing patterns and different MUD-board decisions. Sugar Land MUDs were typically structured with higher rates to pay off larger infrastructure bonds faster; The Woodlands MUDs were structured for longer amortization. The end-state difference: Sugar Land's MUD-heavy combined rates often exceed 2.7%, while The Woodlands' run 2.0-2.4%.