If Texas has over-valued your home, you overpay property tax every year until you fix it. Filing a protest is a standard, homeowner-friendly process — here is exactly how it works in Texas, including the deadline, the governing law, and the five steps to file.
The Texas deadline
The protest window in Texas is typically April - May, and the filing deadline is May 15 (or 30 days after the notice of appraised value). Miss it and you generally wait a full year, so check your assessment notice the moment it arrives. See the national deadline calendar for how this compares.
How Texas values your home
Texas assesses property at 100% of market value, so the value on your notice is what the county believes your home would sell for. Compare it directly to recent sales. Texas appraises property at market value as of January 1, with a 10% annual homestead appraisal cap limiting taxable value growth. The process is authorized under Tex. Tax Code § 41.41 (right of protest); § 41.44 (deadline).
How to protest your property taxes in Texas
Step 1. Review the Notice of Appraised Value from the county appraisal district (CAD).
Step 2. File a Notice of Protest (Form 50-132) by May 15 or 30 days after the notice.
Step 3. Request the CAD's evidence packet and assemble comparable sales.
Step 4. Attend the informal meeting with an appraiser, then the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) hearing.
Step 5. Appeal to district court, binding arbitration, or SOAH within 60 days of the ARB order.
Build your evidence
The strongest case is a tight set of comparable sales — 3 to 5 similar homes near you that sold for less than your assessed value — plus any property-record errors you can document. You can also make an unequal-assessment argument if comparable homes are assessed for less than yours.
Don't forget exemptions
A protest lowers your value, but a homestead exemption cuts your taxable base directly — and the two stack. Confirm you're enrolled with your county before you file.
The shortcut
Checking comps and building the packet is where most homeowners give up. TaxAppealAgent does it for you: check your Texas property for $4.99 (credited), and if you're over-assessed we assemble the comparable-sales evidence and a Texas-specific protest letter for a flat $29. You file it and keep 100% of the savings. See the full Texas appeal guide.