If you received a notice from the Bexar Central Appraisal District (BCAD), you may challenge excessive market value, unequal appraisal, incorrect property data, a denied exemption, or another adverse appraisal action. PropertyTaxes.Law helps Bexar County owners prepare evidence, navigate BCAD's informal review and the Appraisal Review Board process, and evaluate further appeal options.
This guide explains how to file a Bexar County property tax protest with the Bexar Central Appraisal District, request and submit evidence, participate in an informal conference, and prepare for a Bexar Appraisal Review Board hearing.
PropertyTaxes.Law is a private law firm and is not BCAD or a government agency. We assist residential, commercial, industrial, land, and business-personal-property owners throughout Bexar County. San Antonio remains an important secondary location, along with Alamo Heights, Converse, Leon Valley, Live Oak, Universal City, and other county communities.
Bexar Central Appraisal District, commonly called BCAD, appraises property for local taxing units; it does not set tax rates.
Use an accepted filing method, follow the date shown on the current notice, and keep confirmation that the protest was submitted.
An active protest and timely written request help owners obtain the district material intended for the formal ARB hearing.
An unresolved informal conference can proceed to the independent Bexar Appraisal Review Board for a formal hearing.
BCAD uses mass-appraisal methods across Bexar County. Those methods may not fully reflect a property's condition, location, income performance, improvements, access limitations, or differences from the district's comparison set. A timely protest preserves the owner's opportunity to challenge the appraisal before the value is certified.
Common grounds include excessive market value, unequal appraisal, incorrect property characteristics, denied exemptions, and other adverse actions listed on the notice. The protest should identify each applicable ground instead of relying only on the statement that taxes are too high.
Bexar County includes dense urban neighborhoods, suburban developments, historic properties, acreage, commercial corridors, industrial sites, and business personal property. Comparable properties from another market area may require adjustments for location, condition, quality, land, improvements, use, or income characteristics before they support a requested value.
San Antonio is the county's primary city and a useful secondary search and geographic cue, but the filing authority and protest workflow are countywide through BCAD. Owners should build the case around the specific property and January 1 valuation date rather than a broad citywide trend alone.
A Bexar County property tax protest may be based on several common issues:
The district's market value may be higher than what the property would sell for under normal conditions as of January 1.
Your property may be assessed higher than similar nearby properties. Learn more in our article on unequal appraisal in Texas property taxes.
Errors in square footage, lot size, quality, improvements, or classification can distort the taxable value.
Deferred maintenance, damage, repairs, or functional problems may reduce value and should not be overlooked in a protest.
Review the BCAD notice and account record for the market value, property characteristics, exemptions, protest grounds, Owner/Agent ID, PIN, and filing deadline. BCAD states that an owner can still file a protest even if no notice was received.
The notice states the district's proposed value and ordinarily provides the information needed for online filing. Compare it with the property record and preserve a complete copy for the protest file.
Eligible owners can use the BCAD Online Services Portal. BCAD's current instructions say the Owner/Agent ID and PIN appear on the notice and that waiting for login information does not extend the deadline.
BCAD describes an informal telephone conference with an appraiser as the first review step after a timely protest. Present the strongest evidence, explain necessary adjustments, state the requested value, and review any settlement offer carefully.
If the dispute is unresolved, it may proceed to the independent Bexar Appraisal Review Board. Hearing formats and evidence requirements vary, so follow the current notice and BCAD protest and appeal procedures.
If a case is not fully resolved at the protest stage, additional options — including binding arbitration or district court — may be available. You can learn more on our Property Tax Appeal Service page.
Protests for property in San Antonio and the rest of Bexar County are filed with the Bexar Central Appraisal District (BCAD). Review BCAD's current filing instructions before submitting because accepted methods, portal availability, and contact details can change.
BCAD handles values, exemptions, and protests; the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector handles tax payments. Procedures and contact details can change — always confirm current information on your notice or directly with BCAD before filing.
BCAD requires an active protest before it can process an evidence request. An owner can request the district's formal-hearing evidence by selecting the evidence-request option while filing or by making a later written request through an accepted channel. BCAD states that a timely request must be fulfilled no later than 14 days before the scheduled formal ARB hearing.
Owners who filed online can upload documents through the protest portal's Evidence View area. BCAD also provides evidence-submission options through its Help Center when the protest was not filed online. Follow the current instructions on BCAD's official evidence resource.
If informal review does not resolve the protest, the Bexar Appraisal Review Board hears evidence from the owner or representative and the appraisal district. The ARB is independent of BCAD. Review the hearing notice, current procedures, requested hearing format, evidence-submission instructions, and any affidavit requirements.
BCAD's 2026 procedures generally provide for in-person, telephone, videoconference, or written-affidavit participation. Remote evidence may require a notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration before the hearing begins. Present a short explanation of each protest ground, the requested value, and the exhibits supporting it.
After the ARB issues its written order, eligible owners may evaluate binding arbitration, district-court litigation, or another statutory remedy. Review the order promptly because eligibility, payment requirements, and filing deadlines vary. See our ARB hearing guide and Texas property tax arbitration guide.
The usual filing deadline is May 15 or 30 days after BCAD mails the Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. A weekend or legal holiday can move the due date to the next business day, and special notices or statutory circumstances may carry different deadlines. Use the deadline on the current notice and confirm it through BCAD's current instructions rather than treating May 15 as universal.
Limited late-protest remedies may exist, but they are fact-specific and should not be treated as an extension. For broader guidance, see our Texas property tax deadlines guide.
PropertyTaxes.Law helps Bexar County owners identify protest grounds, analyze market value and equity, organize exhibits, prepare for BCAD's informal conference and the Bexar ARB, and evaluate post-ARB options.
To understand the legal advantage in more depth, see our Property Tax Attorney Advantages page.
Check the notice, account record, grounds, and deadline; file through an accepted BCAD method and save the confirmation.
Request BCAD's formal-hearing evidence, correct material facts, analyze market and equity, and organize owner exhibits.
Present the strongest support to the BCAD appraiser, evaluate any proposed settlement, and preserve the ARB hearing if unresolved.
Present the case to the independent Bexar ARB, review its written order, and calendar any applicable appeal deadline immediately.
Review the BCAD notice and account record, select every applicable protest ground, and file through an accepted BCAD method by the notice-specific deadline. Eligible San Antonio and other Bexar County owners can use BCAD's Online Services Portal with the Owner/Agent ID and PIN supplied by the district.
The usual deadline is May 15 or 30 days after BCAD mails the Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. Weekends, legal holidays, special notices, or statutory circumstances may affect the date, so use the deadline on the current notice and confirm it through BCAD's current filing instructions.
BCAD requires an active protest before processing an evidence request. An owner can request the district's formal-hearing evidence while filing the protest or through a later written request. Follow BCAD's current evidence instructions and retain confirmation of the request.
Useful evidence may include adjusted comparable sales, unequal-appraisal comparisons, a recent arm's-length purchase, dated condition photographs, inspection reports, repair estimates, surveys, corrected property data, leases, income and expense records, or business-personal-property schedules, depending on the protest ground.
The owner or representative discusses the disputed appraisal with a BCAD appraiser, presents supporting evidence, explains necessary adjustments, and states a requested value. If the dispute is not resolved, the timely protest can proceed to a formal hearing before the Bexar Appraisal Review Board.
No. The Bexar Appraisal Review Board is independent of BCAD. It hears evidence from the property owner or representative and the appraisal district, decides the protested issues, and issues a written order.
After the written ARB order, an eligible owner may evaluate binding arbitration, district-court litigation, or another statutory remedy. Eligibility, payment requirements, and filing deadlines vary, so review the order and current law promptly.
PropertyTaxes.Law can help you review the BCAD appraisal, build focused evidence, prepare for informal review and the ARB, and evaluate further appeal options.
Contact Us TodayBrandon and his team have proven they can perform with any product type we give them,
from industrial and office property to single and multi-family residential.
At a critical time when a property was in lease-up, we were faced with an unreasonable and unjustified assessment.
Brandon’s tenacity and responsiveness resulted in a fair assessment and the largest value change I've seen in my career.
Outstanding!! These guys are pros - they are great at what they do and great to work with.