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How to Protest Property Tax in Texas.

Texas is known for its high property taxes, a byproduct of having no state income tax. However, you aren’t stuck with the bill the county sends you. Homeowners have a legal right to lower their tax burden through exemptions or by protesting the assessed value of their property.

Texas law requires appraisal districts to reassess properties at least every three years. Because these districts use “mass appraisals” for large DFW neighborhoods, they often overlook the unique features or condition issues of your specific home. In April or May, you will receive a notice detailing your appraised value. If you disagree with that number, you have the right to file a free protest.

It Only Takes Minutes to Get Started

1. File a Property Tax Appeal

The first step in how to protest property taxes is officially notifying the county. While you can do this yourself, a professional appeal involves several high-stakes stages that require time and data.

To protest your appraisal district’s appraisal of your property, submit a completed Notice of Protest Form (Form 50-132) and any supporting materials to your county’s Appraisal Review Board (ARB). It’s best to use certified mail and request a return receipt in case your form is lost in the mail.

Information to provide on the Notice of Protest Form includes:

  • Your contact information, address, and property description
  • Your appraisal district account number
  • Reasons for protesting
  • Your opinion of your property’s value and any additional information
  • The type of hearing you would prefer (in-person, by telephone, or a written affidavit)
  • Your preferred method of receiving a notice of hearing (mail, certified mail, or email)
  • Your signature

You may request a special panel to hear your property tax protest if your property is valued at $50 million or more, is located in a county with a population of at least one million, and is classified as multifamily residential real property or real and personal property used for utilities, commercial, industrial, or manufacturing.

Filing Deadline

The deadline to protest property taxes in Texas is May 15 or within 30 days after the appraisal district sent the appraisal letter, whichever occurs later. This 30-day countdown begins when the assessment district mails your assessment letter to you, not when you receive it. Missing this deadline may result in you losing your right to protest your property’s taxable value.

If you are serving in the military or traveling away from home due to work, you may be able to file a late property tax protest.

Once you file your property tax appeal, there are several things you will need to do to prepare for your hearing. This research and preparation will give you a better chance at getting a property tax reduction.

Collect Evidence to Support Your Claim

You will need to collect documentation that supports your claim that your property’s assessed value is too high. This may include:

  • Blueprints, engineering reports, photos, receipts or estimates for repairs, deed records, or sales price documentation
  • Statements from an independent appraiser or a builder that support your claim
  • Any information in the notice of appraised value that is incorrect, such as square footages, lot size, number of bedrooms, and other attributes 
  • Information from the appraisal district used to determine your property’s value
Research Comparable Properties

If similar properties in your neighborhood are valued lower than yours, this evidence could be helpful in your appeal. You can find information on comparable properties through your county tax assessor’s office or with the help of a real estate agent.

Determine Your Property’s Value
As you prepare for your hearing, make sure you consider these different appraisal approaches to help you get a clear picture of the value of your property.
Sales Comparison (Market) Approach
This approach uses data on comparable properties as a basis for establishing property value. This involves determining the sales prices of similar properties and the differences between the property being appraised and these comparable properties.
This approach uses income and expense data to determine the future value of a property. This is done by determining what an investor would pay for the property and estimating the revenue that an investor would receive from the property in the future.
This approach estimates the equitable replacement cost of the building. Depreciation is applied to this replacement cost, which is then added to the amount of the land’s value.
Texas law requires property be taxed at 100% of its market value, in an equal and uniform manner. This approach involves collecting data about a number of comparable properties and making the appropriate adjustments for differences between your property and these comparable properties. This may include the lot size, square footage, garage space, number of bedrooms, or any other differences. For example, if a property that is considered comparable to yours has more bedrooms and a larger garage than your property does, you could argue that your property should be assessed at a lower rate than this property. As you compare your property with other properties, make downward adjustments to your property’s assessed value for these items that a comparable property has but your property does not. Then, calculate the median assessment for the comparables and multiply the median assessed value per square foot by the size of your property. This should give you the appropriate assessed value of your property.
A formal hearing takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes and is held in front of three appointed ARB members. These board members are independently appointed and are not employed by the appraisal district. When you argue your case during a formal hearing, you will need to provide strong evidence that supports your protest, just as you would in an informal hearing. In this situation, you are up against an appraiser who has full access to databases that include information on property values and listings, along with sales of comparable properties, which may not be readily available to you as a property owner.
If You Win Your Appeal
If you do receive a reduction in value for the year, the burden of proof moves to the appraisal district for the following year. This can make an appraisal district reluctant to increase the value of your property for the next year. In addition, if the ARB reduces your appraised property value, it’s unlikely that they would reduce it again the following year.

An informal hearing typically takes less than 10 minutes and is held at the county appraisal district’s office. The appraiser will provide evidence supporting the district’s appraisal, and you will provide evidence that supports your appeal.

These informal hearings rarely result in a substantial reduction in appraised property values, and most reductions that are approved are small.

In addition, participating in an informal hearing will prevent you from having the right to request a formal hearing or continue with your protest.

If you disagree with the ARB’s decision, you have the right to appeal the decision through your county’s district court. Binding arbitration may also be an option in some situations.
Appealing Through Your District Court
You have the right to appeal within 60 days of receiving the ARB’s decision. Before you decide to appeal through your district court, it’s important to determine if the tax savings you would receive would make up for any legal costs associated with your appeal. If you choose to appeal, you would do so through the state district court in the county where your property is located. Even though you are appealing the ARB’s decision, you will still need to make a partial payment of your property taxes. Typically, this payment would cover the undisputed portion of the amount. If you aren’t financially able to prepay your taxes, you could request the court to excuse you from doing so. You would need to file an oath saying that you are financially unable or that prepaying your taxes would hinder your ability to go to court for your protest. In this case, the court would determine the terms and conditions of your payment. During your appeal, you may request a resolution by a jury, a judge, or through arbitration. You may also request to have settlement discussions prior to your trial date.
Appealing Through Binding Arbitration
You may be eligible to appeal through binding arbitration if your property is a residential homestead and if it has an appraised value of $5 million or less. You must use the Comptroller’s Request for Binding Arbitration form (Form AP-219) to file your request no later than 60 days after you receive notice of the ARB’s decision. You will also need to include a deposit, which varies from $450 to $1,550, depending on your property’s appraised value. The deposit amounts are listed on the form, and the Comptroller’s office will reserve $50 for their fee. If the Comptroller’s office approves your request, it will appoint an arbitrator to handle your case. You may request an arbitrator who is from your county, but you may not request a specific arbitrator. The arbitrator will provide a decision within 20 days. If the amount in the arbitrator’s decision is closer to the ARB’s appraised value or halfway between the ARB’s appraised value and your determination of your value, the arbitrator’s fee will be taken from your deposit. If the decision is closer to your suggested appraised value, the county appraisal district will pay the arbitrator’s fee. The comptroller’s office will then refund your deposit, with the exception of its $50 fee.

Outstanding Results for North Texas Homeowners

2. Reduce Your Property Value

Filing the paperwork is easy; winning a significant reduction is the “cumbersome” part. To ensure you achieve maximum savings, many DFW homeowners hire a specialized firm. At North Texas Property Tax, our clients consistently realize the highest average reductions in the region.

While we work with properties starting at $500,000, our specialty is the luxury market (homes valued over $1 million). In 2023, our average value reductions were 131% higher than those of other property tax protest companies. We don’t just “show up”—we use proprietary data to prove your home’s true market value.

Savings for Dallas-Fort Worth Homeowners

Filing a property tax protest to challenge your assessment is an easy process, but achieving the best results through the appeal can be a very time consuming and cumbersome process. To ensure you achieve maximum savings, hire a property tax reduction firm like North Texas Property Tax.

Our clients realize the highest average reduction in value every year. Our clients typically have properties valued over $250,000, but our specialty is properties valued over $1 million.

In 2023, our average reductions were 131% higher than other property tax protest companies.

Year North Texas Property Tax Average Reduction Home Owner Average Reduction Other Agent Average Red
2023 $73,608 $35,241 $31,914
2022 $63,358 $30,886 $30,711
2021 $62,620 $28,324 $29,153
No Up Front Costs

Free, No-Obligation Property Tax Evaluation

3. Only Pay if You Win (Contingency Based)

We believe in a “risk-free” partnership. We operate on a contingency basis, meaning you owe us nothing upfront. Our standard fee is 40% of the actual tax dollars we save you.

  • No Hidden Fees: No filing fees, no administrative costs.
  • No Risk: If we don’t win your protest, you don’t pay a bill.
  • Expert Advocacy: Our team wades through the Texas Property Tax Code and handles the research so you don’t have to.
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Free, No-Obligation Property Tax Evaluation

3. Only Pay if You Win (Contingency Based)

We operate on a contingency basis, so when you work with us, you won’t owe anything upfront. Our fee is typically 40% of the amount you save, however, this can sometimes vary depending on your specific tax situation and whether you have commercial, capped, or agricultural property, etc.

Our Fees

There are no upfront or hidden fees. Our standard fee is 40% of actual tax savings. Other fee structures may apply for special appraisals (ie. Agriculture, Limited, Minerals, etc.). We will never charge a fee if we don’t win your protest.

Hire a Property Tax Protest Company

If you decide to file your own appeal to lower your property taxes, use the steps and information above to do so. Alternatively, you can hire a property tax firm to appeal on your behalf. You don’t have to spend your valuable time wading through the Tax Code, collecting data on comparable properties, and preparing an argument for reducing your property taxes.

North Texas Property Tax Services​​ helps homeowners in Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant counties reduce their property value and lower their taxes. Our knowledgeable tax consultants will file any paperwork, perform research to form an argument, and attend all hearings so you don’t have to. We specialize in high-end residential properties, but represent properties valued at $500,000 or more.

Work with a trusted firm that understands tax valuations and appeals in Dallas-Fort Worth. Start your appeal with North Texas Property Tax Services.

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More Tips from North Texas Property Tax

Fast Facts on Protesting Texas Property Taxes

When is the deadline to protest property taxes in Texas?

The deadline is typically May 15th, or 30 days after the appraisal district mails your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later.

You can lower your taxes by filing a Notice of Protest with your local appraisal district (DCAD, CCAD, DCAD, or TAD) to challenge the market value or the “equal and uniform” appraisal of your home.

Yes. Professional firms like North Texas Property Tax have access to specialized data and former ARB experts, often achieving reductions significantly higher (up to 131% more in recent years) than homeowners who protest solo.

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We have your property tax needs covered so you can experience more of what life has to offer. More time for family, friends, travel, and new hobbies. It’s your life—experience more. Contact us for more information about our services and how we help homeowners in Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties.
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