Texas property taxes are high enough that it pays to make sure you’re not over-assessed. The good news: you have the right to protest your appraised value every year. Here’s how it works.
Why protest at all
Your tax bill = your home’s assessed value × the combined tax rate. You can’t change the rate, but you can challenge the assessed value if the county appraisal district has it too high. Win a reduction, and your bill drops. Plenty of homeowners do this annually.
How the process works (the basics)
- Get your notice of appraised value — counties send these out (typically in spring). Check the number against what your home would realistically sell for.
- File a protest with your county appraisal district by the deadline (commonly mid-May, but confirm your county’s date).
- Build your case — gather evidence the value is too high: recent comparable sales lower than your assessment, photos of condition issues, or errors in the property record (wrong square footage, etc.).
- Present it — informally with an appraiser, and/or to the Appraisal Review Board (ARB).
- Get a decision — if they agree, your assessed value (and bill) come down.
Tips that help
- Use comps close in size, age, and location, ideally from recent sales.
- Point out condition issues that hurt value.
- Check the record for factual errors — they happen, and they’re easy wins.
- You can do it yourself, or hire a protest service that works on contingency.
Pair it with your homestead exemption
Protesting lowers your assessed value; your homestead exemption lowers it further and caps annual increases. Use both. (Background: DFW property taxes explained.)
Need recent comparable sales to support a protest on your DFW home? Reach out — I’m happy to help pull them.
General educational information, not tax or legal advice. Deadlines and procedures vary by county and change. Verify current details with your county appraisal district.