Brown County is classic Texas Hill Country West — Brownwood sits at its heart, surrounded by Lake Brownwood, ranch land, and tight-knit communities like Early, Bangs, and May. Whether you own a lakefront cabin, an in-town home in Brownwood, or agricultural land near Zephyr, this 2026 guide gives you every step to search your record, claim your exemptions, and protest if your value is too high. All data verified directly from brown-cad.org.
01Brown County Appraisal District Property Search
The official free property search at esearch.brown-cad.org shows owner info, 2026 appraised value, land area, building description, exemptions on file, and complete tax history — no account or login required.
Go to esearch.brown-cad.org
Visit esearch.brown-cad.org — the official Brown CAD search. Free, no login, no fee.
Choose your search tab
Select Owner, Address, ID, or Advanced. Address is fastest for most homeowners. Owner search shows all properties under one person — great for estate planning or investment checks.
Enter your details and click Search
For Address: type street number and name — partial works (e.g., “377 S” finds properties on Hwy 377 S). Add city (Brownwood) if needed. For Owner: type LASTNAME FIRSTNAME for best results.
Rural or ranch property? Use the Advanced tab to search by legal description or property type — more filter options for acreage parcels.Click your property in results
Select your parcel to open the full detail card: 2026 appraised value, taxable value after exemptions, land area, building description, photos if available, and complete year-by-year tax history.
Review value history — identify protest opportunities
Check the value history tab. A jump of 10%+ in a single year with no recorded permits or improvements is your strongest protest argument. Screenshot this page and the property detail before you do anything else.
Save as PDF — you need this for protests and exemptions
Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) → Save as PDF. Save both the property detail page and the value history tab. These documents are required for any protest filing or exemption application.
Use Address search before buying any property in Brown County
Before making an offer on any Brown County property — lakefront, ranch, or residential — run the address through esearch.brown-cad.org first. You’ll see the current appraised value, ownership history, any existing exemptions (that may expire on sale), and the tax history for the past 5+ years. Takes 2 minutes and could save you thousands in unexpected tax surprises after closing.
02Brown CAD Office, Phone, Email & Contact Info
| Item | Verified Details |
|---|---|
| Physical Address | 3804 Hwy 377 S, Brownwood, TX 76801 |
| Main Phone | (325) 643-5676 |
| Fax | (325) 646-8918 |
| appraisal@brown-cad.org | |
| Office Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM |
| Chief Appraiser | Brett McKibben |
| Official Website | brown-cad.org |
| Property Search | esearch.brown-cad.org |
| Forms Page | brown-cad.org/forms |
| Tax Collector Phone | (325) 643-1646 — Christine Pentecost, separate office |
| Tax Collector Address | 200 S. Broadway, Suite 105, Brownwood, TX 76801 |
| Tax Collector Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM |
Email for non-urgent questions — faster than calling
Brown CAD has a direct email at appraisal@brown-cad.org — for non-urgent questions about exemptions, forms, or property records, email often gets a faster, written response than phone during busy season. For anything time-sensitive or protest-related, call (325) 643-5676 at 8:00 AM when doors open.
03Brown County Homestead Exemption & Other Exemptions — 2026
The homestead exemption is the single biggest tax saver available to Brown County homeowners. Once approved on your primary residence, it stays permanently — no annual reapplication needed — and caps yearly taxable value increases at 10% for school districts.
Removes $100,000 from school district taxable value on your primary residence. Also caps annual taxable value increases at 10% — so even in years when Brown County values rise significantly, your school taxes are protected.
How to apply: Download Form 50-114 from brown-cad.org/forms or directly at comptroller.texas.gov/forms/50-114.pdf. Submit with copy of Texas DL/ID showing property address. Mail or deliver to 3804 Hwy 377 S, Brownwood. Deadline: April 30, 2026. Late filing accepted up to 2 years.Additional $10,000 school district exemption plus a tax ceiling — your school district taxes cannot increase above the level from the year you first qualified, regardless of value increases.
When to apply: Apply the year you turn 65. The ceiling applies for the full tax year even if your birthday falls late in the year. Complete Form 50-114 and submit to Brown CAD.Same $10,000 exemption and school tax ceiling as Over-65. Cannot claim both simultaneously — Brown CAD applies whichever benefits you more. Requires SSA disability documentation.
Required docs: SSA disability determination letter plus completed Form 50-114. Submit to Brown CAD by mail or in person.Partial exemption ($5,000–$12,000) based on VA disability rating. Veterans with 100% service-connected disability receive a complete property tax exemption on their primary residence — zero taxes.
Required docs: VA disability rating letter. Download the veteran exemption form from brown-cad.org/forms and submit to Brown CAD at appraisal@brown-cad.org or in person.04How to Protest Your Brown CAD Value — 2026
If your 2026 appraised value is higher than what your property would actually sell for today — whether it’s a Brownwood home, a Lake Brownwood cabin, or agricultural ranch land — you have the right to protest for free. Brown CAD is a smaller rural office, which means informal reviews are often direct and responsive.
Look up your 2026 value and pull comparable sales
Search your property at esearch.brown-cad.org. Then use the same portal to find 3–5 similar properties in your neighborhood or area that sold recently below your appraised value. Print these — appraisers respond best to their own data.
File your Notice of Protest — check both grounds
File at brown-cad.org or by mail to 3804 Hwy 377 S, Brownwood TX, or fax to (325) 646-8918. Always check both protest grounds: “Value is over market value” AND “Value is unequal compared to similar properties.” You cannot add grounds after filing.
File the protest immediately — you can upload additional evidence after. Never miss May 15 waiting to gather a perfect evidence packet.Build your evidence packet
Most effective: comparable sales from the CAD search, your own recent purchase price if below appraised value (bring deed + closing statement), photos of structural damage or deferred maintenance, and contractor repair estimates with itemized costs. Print 3 copies.
Attend informal review — argue market value only
Brown CAD will schedule an informal review with an appraiser. Bring your printed evidence. Argue that the market value is higher than what the property would actually sell for. Never argue about your tax bill amount or rate — appraisers only control the value.
Request ARB hearing if informal fails
If the informal review doesn’t produce a fair result, request a formal Appraisal Review Board (ARB) hearing. The ARB is independent from Brown CAD. Bring three printed copies of your full evidence packet and present clearly and factually.
05Brown CAD vs. Brown County Tax Assessor-Collector
Brown CAD does NOT collect your property taxes
Brown CAD only sets property values and handles exemptions and protests. Tax bills, payments, and collections are handled by the completely separate Brown County Tax Assessor-Collector (Christine Pentecost). Calling the wrong office can waste your limited protest window.
| Task | Who Handles It |
|---|---|
| Sets your property’s market value | ✅ Brown CAD — brown-cad.org · (325) 643-5676 |
| Processes exemptions (homestead, over-65, veteran) | ✅ Brown CAD — brown-cad.org/forms |
| Handles protests and ARB hearings | ✅ Brown CAD — file at brown-cad.org |
| Sends and collects property tax bills | ✅ Tax Assessor-Collector (Christine Pentecost) |
| Tax office address | 200 S. Broadway, Suite 105, Brownwood TX 76801 |
| Tax office phone | (325) 643-1646 · Fax: (325) 643-1647 |
| Tax office hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM |
| Taxing units that set rates | Brown County · City of Brownwood · Brownwood ISD · other local entities |
062026 Brown County Property Tax Calendar
| Event | Date | What Happens If You Miss It |
|---|---|---|
| Valuation date | January 1, 2026 | Value set — improvements or sales after this date don’t affect 2026 |
| Appraisal notices mailed | April 2026 | Your 30-day protest clock starts from this date |
| Homestead / exemption deadline | April 30, 2026 | Late filing accepted up to 2 years after delinquency date |
| Protest filing deadline | May 15, 2026 Critical or 30 days after notice mailing |
2026 value certified — no protest possible for current year |
| ARB hearings | June–August 2026 | Miss your hearing = protest dismissed |
| Appraisal roll certified | By July 25, 2026 | Values finalized — used by Brown County, Brownwood ISD, etc. |
| Tax bills mailed | October–November 2026 | Contact tax office at (325) 643-1646 if bill doesn’t arrive |
| No-penalty payment deadline | January 31, 2027 | 7% penalty + monthly interest begins February 1, 2027 |
07Your 2026 Action Checklist — Brown County
08Official Brown CAD Resources — Quick Links 2026
| Resource | What It’s For | Link / Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Brown CAD Official Site | Main hub — forms, news, contact, protest info | Visit Site |
| Property Search Portal | Look up any Brown County property free | Search Now |
| Forms Page | All exemption, protest, and other forms | View Forms |
| Homestead Exemption Form 50-114 | Official Texas Comptroller PDF | Download PDF |
| Brown CAD Email | General queries and exemption questions | appraisal@brown-cad.org |
| Tax Assessor-Collector | Pay tax bills, payment plans, vehicle registration | (325) 643-1646 |
| Texas Comptroller — Brown County | State info, all taxing units, CAD directory | View Page |
09Brown County Appraisal District — FAQ 2026
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