Texas Property Tax Protest Calculator

Should you protest your Texas property taxes, and how much could you save? Enter the appraised value from your Notice of Appraised Value and your own opinion of what the home is worth. This tool estimates the annual tax savings if your value is lowered, for Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis, Collin, and Denton County, and shows the key protest and exemption deadlines.

Estimate Your Protest Savings

Base this on recent sales of comparable homes, an independent appraisal, or evidence of condition or errors. Your protest value should be defensible, not just a wish.

Should You Protest? And How the Numbers Work

In Texas, your property tax bill is your taxable value multiplied by the combined rate of every taxing unit (school district, city, county, and special districts). You cannot change the rates, but you can challenge the value the appraisal district assigned. If comparable homes are appraised for less, if your home has condition issues, or if the market value is simply too high, a protest can lower your taxable value and your bill.

Because a typical Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston combined rate runs about 2.0% to 2.2%, each $10,000 reduction in appraised value saves roughly $200 to $220 per year. This calculator applies your county's exact adopted rates to your two values and shows the difference.

Filing is free and low-risk. You file a protest with your county appraisal review board (ARB); the appraisal district cannot raise your value simply because you protested. Many homeowners settle informally with an appraiser before a formal hearing.

Key Texas property tax deadlines

  • Protest deadline: May 15, or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed, whichever is later.
  • Homestead exemption: file by April 30 (late applications allowed up to two years after delinquency). The homestead also activates the 10% appraisal cap.
  • Over-65 or disabled exemption: file as soon as you qualify; it can be applied for the year you turn 65.
  • Tax bills mailed: around October; due January 31, delinquent February 1.

See also the Texas property tax cap calculator to project your capped value and the Texas over-65 property tax calculator for the school tax ceiling.

Official Sources

Deadlines and procedures are set by Texas statute and administered by each county appraisal district. Confirm dates on your Notice of Appraised Value and with your appraisal district. This tool provides estimates only and is not tax or legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the property tax protest deadline in Texas?

For most homeowners the deadline is May 15, or 30 days after the appraisal district mailed your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. If May 15 is a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. This applies to Harris (HCAD), Dallas (DCAD), and Tarrant (TAD) counties. You can file to preserve your right and gather evidence afterward.

How much can I save by protesting?

It depends on how much the ARB lowers your value and your combined rate. At a typical 2.0% to 2.2% Texas rate, each $10,000 of reduction saves about $200 to $220 per year. Enter your appraised value and your opinion of value above to see the estimated savings for your county.

Should I protest my Texas property taxes?

Usually yes if your appraised value exceeds what your home would sell for, if comparable homes are appraised lower, or if your property record has errors. Filing is free, does not raise your value, and can be done yourself. If your opinion of value is at or above the appraised value, a protest is less likely to help this year.

What is the homestead exemption deadline?

The general deadline is April 30, with late homestead applications allowed up to two years after the delinquency date. Filing the homestead exemption is separate from protesting and both lowers your taxable value and activates the 10% appraisal cap. There is no fee.