Property Tax Appeal

If you believe your property taxes are too high, you have the right to file a property tax appeal. Texas law gives both homeowners and business owners due process rights to ensure that they only pay their fair share.

What Can You Appeal?

Our Texas property tax appeal attorneys can help you:

• appeal a property tax increase on the grounds that your property value hasn’t gone up
• appeal a property tax assessment on the grounds that your home or business was unequally valued compared to neighboring properties
• seek a homestead or Freeport (business) exemption
• take other steps that impact the appraisal of your property or your property tax assessment

How Does the Property Tax Appeals Process Work?

During a property tax appeal, you can present evidence showing that your property was not properly valued or that your tax assessment was incorrect. There are several phases:

• Informal review with the appraisal district office
• Appraisal review board (ARB) hearing
• Appeal to a district court, arbitrator or administrative judge, depending on your property type and personal preference

You can file an affidavit explaining your position rather than attending the ARB hearing in person, but this can cost you the opportunity to answer any questions the board raises. If you are unable to attend, you may wish to have a property tax appeal service represent you.

How Do You File a Property Tax Appeal?

There are no special forms to file, but your property tax appeal letter must contain specific information. You must:

• identify the property owner or your authority to act on their behalf,
• identify the property in question, and
• provide the reason you are protesting the appraisal or assessment.

The deadline to file a protest is May 15th or 30 days after you receive the notice you are protesting, whichever is later. Appraisals are generally based on your property value as of Jan. 1, so you will generally receive the notice in the early part of the year.

Important Property Assessment Appeal Note

If you file late or do not include every possible grounds for protesting the notice, you may lose the right to appeal your property taxes. This could lead to your paying higher property taxes even when the appraisal or assessment was legally incorrect.

Our property tax consultants can help you to review your notice to determine possible grounds for appeal and to include the necessary information in your protest. To ensure you meet the deadline, call today to schedule a consultation with one of our property tax appeal lawyers.