County property tax appraisals have recently been issued and many of us, including me, have experienced a substantial increase this year. If you feel like your assessment is too high, I’d be happy to assist and provide more detailed information as I am able.

Please email me at ashleybillins@gmail.com or call/text at 254-415-0086 before May 7th and I’ll be happy to help.

Important Resources

Tips for Protest (The protest deadline is May 15th, or 30 days from the Notice Date, whichever is later. Check your notice to see your deadline. However, notices are not generated on all properties, so if your property was not noticed, your deadline is May 15th.)

Appraisal Review Board (ARB) Protest Frequently Asked Questions

Important Notes from ARB FAQ

Protest issues that an ARB can consider include:

  • The proposed value of your property is too high. Ask one of the appraisal district’s appraisers to explain the appraisal. Verify that the appraisal reflects the correct property description, measurements for your home or business and lot, and any defects. Gather blueprints, deed records, photographs, a survey or your own measurements, statements from builders or independent appraisals to contest the appraiser’s decision. Collect evidence on recent sales of properties similar to yours from neighbors or real estate professionals. Ask the appraisal district for the sales that it used.If you protest the agricultural value of your farm or ranch, find out how the appraisal district calculated your value. Compare its information with that of local experts on agriculture, such as the county agricultural extension agent, the U.S. Department of Agriculture or other recognized agricultural sources. The Comptroller’s Manual for the Appraisal of Agricultural Land (PDF) may be helpful.
  • Your property is valued unequally compared with other property in the appraisal district. Determine whether the property value is closer to market value than other, similar properties. Ask the appraisal district for appraisal records on similar properties in your area. Is there a big difference in their values? This comparison may show that your property was not treated equally. A ratio study or a comparison of a representative sample of properties, appropriately adjusted, for determining the median level of appraisal must be prepared to prove unequal appraisal.
  • The chief appraiser denied an exemption. First, find out why the chief appraiser did so. If the chief appraiser denied your homestead exemption, for example, obtain evidence that you owned your home on the effective date of the exemption and used it as your principal residence on that date.If the chief appraiser denied a homestead exemption for part of the land around your home, show how much land is used as part of your residence.If the chief appraiser denied a homestead exemption for age 65 or older, disabled persons, disabled veteran’s, spouse of military member killed in action or spouse of a first responder killed or fatally injured in action, read about the qualifications for exemptions in the Comptroller’s Texas Property Tax Exemptions (PDF).

How do I file a protest?

  • File a written protest. The appraisal district has protest forms available, but you need not use one. A notice of protest is sufficient if it identifies the owner, the property that is the subject of the protest and indicates that you are dissatisfied with a decision made by the appraisal district.
  • File your notice of protest by May 15 or no later than 30 days after the appraisal district mailed a notice of appraised value to you, whichever date is later. Note that it is 30 days after mailing the notice, not its receipt. If you are an off-shore worker or on full-time military duty, you may be entitled to file a late protest.
  • If the chief appraiser sends you a notice that your land is no longer in agricultural use, you must file your protest within 30 days of the date upon which the chief appraiser mailed the notice. The chief appraiser sends this notice by certified mail.
  • If you file a notice of protest before the ARB approves the appraisal records, you are entitled to a hearing only if the ARB decides that you had good reason for failing to meet the deadline.
  • If you do not file a notice of protest before the ARB approves the appraisal records, you may lose your right to protest. You also lose the right to file a lawsuit about the taxable value of your property.
  • If your protest is late because the chief appraiser or ARB failed to mail a required notice of appraised value or a denial of exemption or agricultural appraisal, you may file your protest any time before the taxes become delinquent or no later than the 125th day after the date you claim you received a tax bill from one or more of the taxing units that tax your property. You must pay some current taxes before the delinquency date to be entitled to this type of hearing. A notice of appraised value is not always required.
  • In some cases, you may file with the ARB to correct an error even after these deadlines.Contact your appraisal district if you have questions about clerical errors, substantial value errors, double taxing or other possible errors.

Bonus: Have You Filed For Exemptions? 

To determine your eligibility for property tax exemptions and apply for them, you can visit your local county appraisal district or tax assessor-collector’s office website. Take advantage of potential savings by exploring the property tax exemptions you may qualify for. See Tips for Protest for more.

Take action now and learn more about county tax protests. If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or email.

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