Key deadline: May 15, or 30 days from your Notice of Appraised Value — whichever is later. This applies statewide. Don't miss it — there are almost no exceptions.
Your Legal Rights as a Texas Property Owner
Texas Tax Code Chapter 41 gives property owners broad rights to challenge their appraised values. Key provisions:
| Statute | What It Gives You |
|---|
| §41.41 | The right to protest the appraised value of your property as being over market value. |
| §41.43 | The right to protest on the grounds of unequal appraisal — your home is appraised higher per square foot than comparable properties. This does not require proving market value. |
| §41.43(b)(3) | If you recently purchased your home at arm's length, the purchase price creates a legal presumption that the appraised value is too high if it exceeds what you paid. |
| §41.66 | Your right to receive the appraisal district's evidence at least 14 days before your ARB hearing. |
| §41.67 | The ARB must consider your evidence, including comparable sales and appraisals submitted by the property owner. |
Key insight: Unequal appraisal (§41.43) is often more powerful than over-market-value because you don't have to prove what your home would sell for — only that the CAD values similar homes lower than yours. In practice, many appraisal districts are inconsistent across a neighborhood, and this inconsistency is what you're protesting.
How the Texas Property Tax System Works
Appraisal Districts (CADs)
Each Texas county has its own appraisal district (CAD) — for example, the Williamson Central Appraisal District (WCAD) or the Brazos Central Appraisal District (BCAD). The CAD sets the appraised value of every property in the county each year as of January 1. Tax rates are set separately by taxing entities (cities, school districts, etc.) and applied to the appraised value.
Notice of Appraised Value
Each spring the CAD mails a Notice of Appraised Value. This triggers your protest window — you have until May 15 or 30 days from the notice date to file. If your value increased or feels high, look up comparable homes before the deadline and decide whether to protest.
The Informal Review
After you file, most CADs offer an informal review — a meeting or phone call with an appraiser before any formal hearing. This is where many protests are settled. Come prepared with your comparable evidence. If the appraiser offers a reasonable reduction, you can accept it and avoid a formal ARB hearing.
The Appraisal Review Board (ARB)
If not resolved informally, you present your case to the ARB — a panel of local citizens independent from the CAD. The ARB hears evidence from both you and the district, then issues a binding order. You can appeal the ARB's decision to district court or the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) if you disagree.
Step-by-Step: The Texas Property Tax Protest Process
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Receive your Notice of Appraised Value
Watch for a notice from your county appraisal district in March–April. Even if you don't receive one, you can still protest if your value is posted on the CAD's website. The protest window starts when the notice is mailed.
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Look up comparable properties
Find homes in your neighborhood similar in size, age, and quality. Check their appraised values on the CAD's website. If they are valued lower per square foot than yours, you have grounds for an unequal appraisal protest. Citizens Tax Protest Project automates this step for supported Texas counties.
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File your protest before the deadline
File online through your CAD's portal, or mail Form 50-132 (Notice of Protest). Select "Value is unequal compared with other properties" as your grounds. You can also select "Appraised value is over market value" — selecting both is fine.
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Prepare your evidence
Compile 10–15 comparable properties. Calculate the value per square foot for each, adjusted for size. Show that the median adjusted value is below your appraised value. Citizens Tax Protest Project generates this analysis and produces Exhibit A (comp analysis) and Exhibit B (evidence table) automatically.
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Attend the informal review
Present your comp analysis to the CAD appraiser. Keep it simple: "The median adjusted value of these 12 comparable homes is $X. My home is appraised at $Y, which is Z% above that median." Accept a reasonable settlement if offered.
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Attend the ARB hearing if needed
Request the district's evidence package at least 14 days before your hearing (your right under §41.66). Present your Exhibit A and B. Be concise — you typically have 15 minutes. The ARB wants to see a clear, organized comparison showing the inconsistency in how your home is valued.
Protest Strategy: What Actually Works
Lead with unequal appraisal
Filing on "unequal appraisal" grounds (§41.43) is typically more effective than "over market value" because you don't have to prove what a buyer would pay for your home — only that your neighbors' similar homes are taxed less. The law entitles you to the median level of appraisal of comparable properties.
Use 10–15 comparable properties
The statute specifies using a "reasonable number" of comparables — typically 10–15 is accepted. Closer is better: prioritize homes in your neighborhood or within 1–2 miles. Similar square footage (within ±20%) and year built (within ±15 years) are the key filters.
Keep your presentation simple
Don't over-present. One clear document showing your comps and opinion of value is more persuasive than a thick packet. State your opinion of value clearly: "Based on these comparables, a fair value for my property is $X." Let the numbers do the work.
Know your target value
Calculate the median adjusted value of your comps before the hearing. If your appraised value is at or near that number, the district may not have much room to move. If your appraised value is significantly above the median, that gap is your argument — and the ARB is required to consider it.
Be prepared for the "market conditions" argument
The district may argue that recent sales data supports a higher value. Counter with: "My protest is about unequal appraisal, not market value. I'm not disputing what homes sell for — I'm showing that similar homes in this district are appraised lower than mine for the same tax year." Stay on unequal appraisal.
Free Self-Service Protest Tool — No Signup Required
Citizens Tax Protest Project automates the comparable analysis, calculates your adjusted value, and generates a complete filing packet. Currently available for Williamson County (WCAD) and Brazos County (BCAD), with more counties coming.
Start Your Free Analysis →
Supported Counties
Citizens Tax Protest Project currently provides full protest tool support for these Texas counties:
WCAD
Williamson County
Georgetown, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Taylor, Hutto, Pflugerville
Full guide & free tool →
Additional Texas counties are planned. The tool is open-source in approach — each new county requires acquiring public appraisal data and building a property adapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I protest even if my value didn't go up this year?
Yes. You can protest your appraised value every year regardless of whether it increased. If your value has historically been set higher than comparable homes, you can protest each year to keep it in line.
Is there a risk that protesting will cause my value to go up?
No. The ARB cannot increase your value above what the CAD originally set when you initiate a protest. You can only stay the same or go down.
What is the difference between appraised value and market value in Texas?
In Texas, the appraised value set by the CAD is supposed to reflect market value as of January 1. However, due to mass appraisal methods and the 10% homestead cap, appraised values often diverge from actual market values. The CAD uses statistical modeling across thousands of properties, which creates inconsistencies you can protest.
What is the 10% homestead cap?
If you have a homestead exemption, Texas law limits annual increases in your appraised value to 10% per year, regardless of how much the market rises. This cap resets if you sell the home. It does not apply to non-homestead properties.
Should I hire a tax agent to protest for me?
Tax agents typically charge 25–50% of your first year's tax savings as their fee. For most homeowners, self-filing with a solid comp analysis is just as effective — and Citizens Tax Protest Project generates that analysis and the documents for free. Agents add value mainly for commercial properties or complex appeals.
What if I recently purchased my home for less than the CAD's appraised value?
Your closing disclosure is powerful evidence. Texas Tax Code §41.43(b)(3) creates a legal presumption that the appraised value exceeds market value when an arm's-length purchase price is below the appraised value. File on this basis and bring your closing document to the hearing. See our
recent purchase protest guide.
How do I find my county's appraisal district?
Search "[your county] appraisal district" or visit the Texas Comptroller's website at comptroller.texas.gov for a directory of all Texas CADs. Citizens Tax Protest Project currently supports Williamson County (WCAD) and Brazos County (BCAD).
What happens if I disagree with the ARB's decision?
You can appeal to district court, or for properties valued at $5 million or less, to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) — a faster and less expensive option than court. Appeals must generally be filed within 60 days of the ARB order.
County-Specific Guides
More county guides coming as the tool expands to additional Texas appraisal districts.