Harris County, TX
Property Tax Protest Guide · Texas
Protest Deadline
Not later than May 15, or the 30th day after the appraisal district's notice of
appraised value was delivered to you, whichever is later. Texas Tax Code Section
41.44(a)(1). Limited exceptions apply for good cause, offshore workers, and active
military service members.
Deadlines
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What is the protest deadline under Texas law?
Texas state law |
Not later than May 15, or the 30th day after the notice of appraised value was delivered, whichever is later.
“not later than May 15 or the 30th day after the date that notice to the property owner was delivered to the property owner as provided by Section 25.19 (Notice of Appraised Value), whichever is later”
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| What is the protest deadline in Harris County? |
May 15, or the 30th day after the notice of appraised value was mailed, whichever is later.
“May 15: Protest Deadline - Deadline for filing protests to the Appraisal Review Board (or by the 30th day after a notice of appraised value is mailed to the property owner, whichever is later.)”
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| When does Harris Central Appraisal District mail appraisal notices? |
The district's 2026 Fact Sheet lists notices as mailed March through April.
“Appraisal Notices Delivered - March through April”
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How to File
| Where do I file a protest online in Harris County? |
HCAD's Electronic Filing and Notice System at owners.hcad.org, where protests are filed online (iFile).
“Log in to our Electronic Filing and Noticing system at owners.hcad.org.”
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| Can I file online, and what do I need? |
You need your iFile number. It is printed in the upper right corner of your Notice of Appraised Value and on the green protest form enclosed with it. If you no longer have the notice, you can retrieve the number by scanning your driver's license at features.hcad.org from a mobile device, or by contacting HCAD and selecting “iFile Information” as the reason.
“Your iFile number is located in the upper right corner of the property's “Notice of Appraised Value” you received in the mail from the Chief Appraiser. It is also available on your green protest form enclosed with the notice.”
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| How do I file by mail or in person in Harris County? |
Using Form 50-132, Property Owner's Notice of Protest. In person, a drop-off location is available at the front (Hwy. 290) entrance at 13013 Northwest Freeway, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. HCAD does not publish a protest-specific mailing address; the district's mailing address is 13013 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040.
“If you must bring something to the appraisal district, there is a drop-off location at the front (Hwy. 290) entrance to the building at 13013 Northwest Freeway that is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.”
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Hearings and Evidence
| Can I talk to an appraiser before the hearing? |
Yes. If iSettle does not produce an offer, the protest is scheduled for an informal meeting with an appraiser before any formal hearing.
“your protest will be scheduled for an informal meeting to allow you the opportunity to provide additional information and discuss your value with an appraiser.”
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| Can my protest be settled without a hearing? |
Yes, through iSettle, for qualifying accounts: single-family residential, filed online with a valid email and an opinion of value; a small number of income-valued neighborhoods are excluded. An offer can be accepted online up to the day before the formal hearing, typically a three-week window.
“Qualifications for iSettle: Must be listed as single-family residential. Owner must iFile with a valid email address and give an opinion of value. A very small number of income-valued neighborhoods are excluded.”
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| How can I attend my ARB hearing? |
In person, by telephone, by remote access (videoconference), by a designated agent, or by written affidavit without appearing.
“A property owner must appear for the hearing in person, by telephone, by remote access, by properly designated agent, or by affidavit.”
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| What do I need for a phone or video hearing? |
Evidence for a telephone or videoconference hearing must be submitted by written affidavit before the hearing begins, and affidavits must be original documents sworn before a notary public. During a videoconference the camera must stay on.
“To offer evidence or argument at a hearing conducted remotely, a property owner must submit a written affidavit of any evidence before the hearing begins.”
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| When and how do I submit my evidence? |
For online filers, uploads (jpg, doc, xls, pdf; 25 MB limits) close five days after the protest is filed — and they are reviewed only in the iSettle process. The ARB sets its own rules: a formal hearing requires four printed copies, or electronic evidence on CD/USB in PDF format; evidence by email is not accepted.
“The documents you attach will be reviewed by an appraiser as part of the iSettle process only; the Appraisal Review Board sets their own policies and they require printed evidence (4 copies).”
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Can I see the district’s evidence before the hearing?
Texas state law |
On request, you are entitled to a copy of the data, schedules, formulas, and all other information the chief appraiser will introduce at the hearing.
“inform the property owner that the owner or the agent of the owner is entitled on request to a copy of the data, schedules, formulas, and all other information the chief appraiser will introduce at the hearing”
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| Where are the ARB hearing procedures published? |
2026 Hearings Rules and Procedures, adopted March 6, 2026, published on hcad.org.
“ARB 2026 Hearings Rules and Procedures Adopted March 6, 2026”
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| How long does a hearing last? |
Hearings are limited to 15 minutes per account to the maximum extent possible (10 minutes per account on multi-account dockets).
“To the maximum extent possible, hearings shall be limited to 15 minutes per account. Hearings on multiple accounts listed on a docket will be limited to a maximum 10 minutes per account.”
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If You Disagree with the ARB
| What if I find an error after the deadline? |
A prior-year correction may be possible when a property data characteristic (such as square footage) was wrong due to a specific clerical, transcription, or computation error, using a correction motion.
“If a data characteristic for your property was changed (e.g. square footage) AND the error was a specific clerical/transcription/computation error, it might qualify for a prior year correction.”
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| What if I miss the protest deadline? |
A late protest can still be heard if the ARB finds good cause under Tax Code 41.44(b). Harris's own hearing rules require good-cause claims to be carefully and uniformly considered, and HCAD publishes a 'Statement to Accompany a Late File Protest' form.
“Claims of good cause for late-filed protests must be carefully considered. The standards in making determinations of good cause under Tax Code Section 41.44(b) must uniformly apply.”
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What if my property was substantially over-appraised?
Texas state law |
A motion to correct an over-appraisal may be filed before the taxes become delinquent. The error must exceed the correct value by more than one-fourth for a residence homestead, or one-third for other property.
“However, the error may not be corrected unless it resulted in an appraised value that exceeds by more than: (1) one-fourth the correct appraised value, in the case of property that qualifies as the owner's residence homestead under Section 11.13; or (2) one-third the correct appraised value, in the case of other property”
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What are my options besides district court?
Texas state law |
Binding arbitration is available for a residence homestead regardless of value, or for property with an appraised value of $5 million or less.
“the disputed property's value, as determined by the ARB, does not exceed $5 million, except for residence homesteads for which there is no value limit”
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How do I appeal an ARB decision to court?
Texas state law |
Any ARB decision may be appealed to the state district court in the county where the property is located. HCAD publishes nothing specific about judicial appeals.
“If you are dissatisfied with the ARB's findings, you have the right to appeal the ARB's decision to the state district court in the county in which the property is located.”
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Homestead Exemption
| When is the homestead exemption deadline? |
File between January 1 and April 30 of the year claimed.
“You should file your regular residential homestead exemption application between January 1 and April 30.”
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Can I still file a homestead exemption if I missed the deadline?
Texas state law |
The chief appraiser must accept a late application filed within two years after the delinquency date for taxes on the homestead.
“not later than two years after the delinquency date for the taxes on the homestead.”
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| How do I file for a homestead exemption? |
Online through HCAD's electronic filing (including the HCAD Mobile App), or by mail or in person. There is no fee to file or maintain a homestead exemption.
“There is no charge or fee associated with filing or maintaining a homestead exemption through HCAD.”
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Contacts and Hours
| How do I contact the Harris County Appraisal Review Board? |
HCAD publishes no general ARB contact. (713) 812-5860 is listed for hearing rescheduling calls only, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ARB correspondence goes through the district at 13013 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040.
“ARB Hearing Reschedules For Rescheduling Calls Only ARB Hearings/Appraiser Meetings Monday through Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM (713) 812-5860”
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| How do I contact Harris Central Appraisal District? |
(713) 957-7800. 13013 Northwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77040-6305. hcad.org
“Harris Central Appraisal District 13013 Northwest Freeway Houston, Texas 77040-6305”
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| What are the appraisal district’s office hours? |
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
“Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM”
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| Does Harris Central Appraisal District offer protest help events? |
HCAD and the Harris County Tax Office host free property tax workshops for homeowners each spring; the 2026 schedule ran through April and May.
“The Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) and partners are hosting a series of free workshops to help homeowners understand how to protest their property values”
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