How to protest your property taxes in Texas

The complete process, start to finish — and how HelpMeProtest fits in.

1. Understand your appraisal notice

Every spring (typically April–May), your county appraisal district mails a valuation notice showing your home's proposed appraised value for the year. The notice also states your protest deadline. Your appraised value is the number your property taxes are computed from, so a lower value directly lowers your tax bill.

If the value looks too high compared to similar homes nearby, that's exactly what an unequal-appraisal protest is for — and it's the most common and most winnable ground for residential protests.

2. Know your deadline

In Texas the deadline to file is generally May 15, or 30 days after your appraisal notice is delivered, whichever is later. It's a hard deadline for most homeowners — a missed deadline usually means waiting a full year. Counties can also accept late filings for good cause, but don't count on it.

See the deadlines page for county-by-county details and what happens after you file.

3. Gather your evidence

A protest is an evidence exercise. The strongest residential case is unequal appraisal under Texas Property Tax Code §41.43(b)(3): your home is appraised above the median level of comparable homes.

Comparables. HelpMeProtest finds the most similar homes in your own neighborhood from the district's public records, computes the median $/sqft, and checks whether your value is above it. Run your address now.
Your own evidence. Condition issues (foundation, roof, flooding history), repair estimates, a recent purchase price, or an independent appraisal all strengthen the case and are woven into your written argument.

4. File the protest yourself

For most counties you file online through the district's protest portal (HCAD iFile, DCAD uFile, etc.) in minutes. HelpMeProtest gives you:

an evidence packet — your property, the comparable table, the median $/sqft analysis, and the indicated value; and
a written argument you can paste straight into the filing form's reason box.

Because you file it yourself, the whole process is free and you keep 100% of any savings. See a sample packet.

5. After you file

Once filed, your protest goes to the Appraisal Review Board (ARB). Many unequal-appraisal cases with clear evidence are resolved informally before a hearing — the district may agree to a lower value. If a hearing is scheduled, you present your comparables and evidence; hearings are short and informal, and you can attend in person or, increasingly, participate by phone or video. The ARB's decision is final unless you take it to arbitration or district court.

Whatever happens, filing on time with clean comparable evidence is the single biggest factor in a good outcome.

Common questions

Will protesting raise my taxes? No. The board can leave your value unchanged or lower it — never raise it because you protested.

Do I need a lawyer or a protest firm? No. For an unequal-appraisal case built on public comparables, most homeowners file successfully on their own. Firms exist for convenience, not necessity.

What if I disagree with the comparables? You can add your own evidence — recent sale price, condition issues, repair estimates, or an independent appraisal — and it becomes part of your written argument.