Trace a Polk County Property From the CAD Record to the Correct Final Action
Polk CAD’s database covers more than standard houses. It includes lake-area lots, rural acreage, timber and agricultural tracts, manufactured homes, business assets, minerals and other separately appraised accounts.
Use Polk Central Appraisal District for values, exemptions, maps, forms and protests. Use the Polk County Tax Assessor-Collector for tax statements, payments and receipts, and the County Clerk for deeds, liens, plats and recorded ownership documents.
Property ID from the appraisal notice or existing record.
114 Matthews Street, Livingston.
8:00 AM-5:00 PM; closed noon-1:00 PM.
County publishes a 2.40% online service fee.
Certified real, BPP and mineral rolls are currently listed.
What do you need from the Polk County property record?
Use Owner, Address, ID or Advanced Search and verify the full property detail.
Follow the official search workflowCompare the legal description, subdivision, Geographic ID, acreage and nearby parcels.
Research lake and rural landConfirm homestead, senior, disability, veteran, timber, agricultural or disaster treatment.
Prepare an applicationMatch the property facts, prepare evidence and keep proof of timely filing.
Build the protest packetConfirm every year and account, review the fee and preserve the receipt.
Follow payment and posting stepsSearch by grantor, grantee, volume and page rather than asking the Clerk to search a description.
Review recorded-document optionsSearch Polk CAD with one strong piece of information
Use the Polk CAD image as a property-verification checklist
A mobile home, mineral interest or business account may not appear under normal real-estate search.
Check subdivision, abstract, lot, block, tract, serial number or improvement-only wording.
Do not compare values, exemptions or tax information from different years without noting the change.
Use Polk CAD’s deeper fields for timber, mobile homes and business accounts
Search routes
Useful when several manufactured homes share a park address or the home has a separate improvement account.
Useful when the operating name differs from the legal entity, building owner or rendition owner.
Use protest status, owner, property or hearing-related information when tracking an appraisal review.
Understand what each Polk CAD field can prove
| Field | What it identifies | What it does not prove | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property ID | The appraisal account in Polk CAD. | That every tax or county system uses the same number. | Save it for forms, calls and protests. |
| Geographic ID | A geographic or parcel-related reference. | A surveyed boundary or legal acreage. | Compare the map, deed and survey. |
| Property Type | Real, personal, mineral, auto or mobile-home classification. | That all related assets are on the same account. | Search all relevant account types. |
| Owner shown | The owner carried for appraisal and notice purposes. | Complete deed, probate, lien or title history. | Use County Clerk records when legal ownership matters. |
| Situs address | The physical location used by the appraisal account. | Mailing address, legal access or exact boundary. | Compare the map and legal description. |
| Legal description | An abbreviated subdivision, lot, block, abstract, tract or manufactured-home detail. | The complete recorded deed description. | Review the deed, plat and survey. |
| Deed history | Recorded-document references carried in the appraisal system. | Clear title or the absence of liens and easements. | Verify the document through the County Clerk. |
| Market value | CAD’s opinion of market value as of January 1. | A guaranteed sale price or final tax balance. | Review property facts and comparison evidence. |
| Assessed or taxable value | Value after applicable caps, special appraisal or exemptions. | The amount currently due at the Tax Office. | Open the Polk Tax account. |
Enroll before you need a deadline-sensitive online service
Polk CAD’s updated taxpayer portal allows owners to access property details, choose electronic communication, review available documents and manage eligible applications from one account.
Use the Polk CAD interactive map without treating it as a survey
What to do when Polk CAD shows no matching property
| Problem | Likely reason | Practical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Owner is not found | The account may use a spouse, trust, estate, LLC, prior owner or different name order. | Search only the surname or one distinctive entity word. |
| Address search fails | The CAD situs address may use a shortened road, rural route or subdivision format. | Search only the main street name, then try the map. |
| Lake lot is missing | The lot may have no dependable situs address or may be indexed by subdivision. | Search subdivision, lot, Geographic ID, owner or map location. |
| Mobile home is missing | The home may use a Mobile Home or improvement-only account separate from the land. | Select Mobile Home and search the owner, serial detail, park or address. |
| Business equipment is missing | Business assets are usually separate from the real-estate account. | Select Personal and search the legal business and DBA. |
| Mineral interest is missing | Minerals may use a separate owner, estate, company or mineral account. | Select Mineral and search the current and prior owner. |
| Recently purchased property shows seller | The recorded deed may not yet be reflected in the appraisal owner record. | Verify the deed with the County Clerk and search the seller. |
| Tax balance is not visible | The CAD search is not the county tax-collection account. | Use esearch.polk-tax.com and match the property and year. |
Check more than the mailing address on lake and acreage accounts
Confirm the property location, Livingston ISD, county and any city or special-district jurisdictions.
Check the subdivision, lot, access, shoreline influence, Memorial Point UD or other applicable utility district.
Verify City of Corrigan and Corrigan-Camden ISD rather than relying only on the postal city.
Confirm Goodrich ISD, city status and the exact physical parcel rather than a mailing-address assumption.
Use owner, abstract, legal description and map because rural properties may not have a standard street format.
Some Polk accounts can include Woodville or Chester school districts. Confirm the parcel and jurisdiction boundary.
Check whether multiple lots are combined, whether utility access exists and whether improvements use another account.
Review market value, productivity value, use history, road access, acreage and improvement accounts separately.
Wording such as “IMP ONLY” can indicate that the structure and underlying land are appraised separately.
Read market value, appraised value and assessed value separately
Polk CAD’s opinion of the property’s market value as of January 1.
The value after an applicable homestead cap, circuit-breaker limitation or special appraisal.
The value used after exemptions and other adjustments for each taxing unit.
| Value component | What can affect it in Polk County | Evidence to gather |
|---|---|---|
| Land value | Lake influence, subdivision, acreage, access, timber class, agricultural use and utilities. | Deed, survey, map, sales, access facts and use records. |
| Improvement value | Size, age, condition, construction class, additions, shops, barns and removed structures. | Measurements, photos, permits, estimates and inspections. |
| Mobile-home value | Serial data, age, condition, ownership, land relationship and improvement-only classification. | Title or statement of ownership, serial details, photos and sale documents. |
| Timber or agricultural value | Qualifying use, intensity, history, acreage and application status. | Use history, leases, receipts, timber records, maps and production evidence. |
| Taxable value | Homestead, senior, disability, veteran, local exemptions and tax ceilings. | Application, approval, qualification proof and selected tax year. |
Use Polk CAD, the Tax Office or County Clerk correctly
| Your question | Correct office | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| What is my appraised value? | Polk CAD | Property ID, year and disputed value component. |
| Why is my exemption missing? | Polk CAD | Application, identification, qualification date and filing proof. |
| Does my land qualify for timber or agricultural appraisal? | Polk CAD | Land-use history, acreage, maps, leases and production records. |
| How much property tax is due? | Polk County Tax Assessor-Collector | Tax account, owner, property and payment date. |
| Did my payment post? | Polk County Tax Office | Confirmation, amount, method, account and year. |
| Who legally owns the property? | Polk County Clerk or title professional | Grantor, grantee, date range, volume and page. |
| Where can I find a deed, lien or plat? | County Clerk Recording and Research | Names, document type, date range and known recording references. |
| Who adopts the tax rate? | Each local taxing unit | The jurisdiction list from the property account. |
Correct the source record that contains the mistake
Confirm the recorded deed or probate document with the County Clerk, then provide Polk CAD the ownership evidence it requests.
Use Polk CAD’s property-owner or address-change request because appraisal notices depend on the CAD mailing record.
Determine whether the correction belongs to CAD, county addressing, a city, a subdivision or the postal service.
Prepare the deed, plat, survey, Property ID and Geographic ID before requesting review.
Use measurements, dated photos, permits, plans, condition evidence or demolition documentation.
Provide ownership, serial, HUD, location, condition and land-account information.
Contact the Tax Office with the receipt, confirmation number, amount, method, account and year.
Contact the County Clerk or a qualified professional about correction instruments and recording requirements.
Use Polk CAD’s online homestead and official form library
Use the new online application or Form 50-114 for a qualifying owner-occupied principal residence.
Review the additional exemption, school-tax ceiling, deferral and eligible instalment rights.
Use the application matching the VA rating, total disability or surviving-spouse situation.
Use the correct 1-D-1 application and prepare use history, lease, map and production evidence.
Use the rendition form and review the district’s 2026 business-property guidance.
The library includes disaster, cemetery, charitable, confidentiality, tax-deferral and other forms.
What to prepare before filing
Check storm or tornado damage against Polk CAD’s disaster guidance
Polk CAD published temporary-disaster-exemption information for property damaged in a governor-declared disaster. Its 2026 news notice referenced the January winter storm and published May 8, 2026 as the filing deadline.
Temporary exemption generally requires at least 15% physical damage to qualifying property.
Use dated photographs, insurance records, estimates, invoices, inspection reports and damage dates.
Polk CAD lists disaster@polkcad.org for disaster forms and supporting documentation.
Prepare proof of qualifying land use rather than relying on acreage alone
Polk CAD provides separate agricultural and timber applications, local use guidelines, an agricultural lease questionnaire and timber-information material. Rural ownership or vacant acreage does not automatically establish qualification.
Document how the tract was used during the required historical period and identify interruptions.
Prepare management information, stand details, harvesting history, receipts, maps and professional records.
Keep livestock, crop, grazing, hay, lease, income, expense and production records.
Prepare the management plan, annual report and evidence of qualifying management practices.
Review both values because special appraisal changes taxable treatment rather than removing market value.
Ask how subdivision, development, clearing, timber-use changes or discontinued agriculture could affect additional tax.
Search the land and mobile home as potentially separate property
Use the correct account type and follow Polk CAD’s new 2026 business rules
Search Personal and compare equipment, furniture, machinery, inventory, acquisition dates and location with the rendition.
Search Mineral by current owner, former owner, estate, trust or company rather than surface address alone.
Use the correct inventory or Auto account and the matching dealer statement and annual declaration.
2026 business-property checklist
Build a Polk County protest around one clear appraisal problem
Evidence packet
Use the Polk County Tax Office system for the live amount due
Use the Polk County Clerk when legal ownership matters
| Service | Published fee | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Real-property recording | $25 first page | Confirm the document and total before mailing payment. |
| Additional recording page | $4 per page | Every recordable page can affect the total. |
| Additional indexed name | $0.25 per name above five | Long party lists can increase the fee. |
| Plat recording | $100 | Confirm all approval and format requirements first. |
| Noncertified copy | $1 per page | An 11-by-17-inch copy is listed as $2. |
| Certification | $5 plus copying charge | The Clerk request form states $5 to certify plus $1 per page. |
| Clerk search | $5 | Provide names or volume and page; description-only searches are unavailable. |
| Fax or email | $2 | Confirm whether other copy or certification charges apply. |
Complete these checks before relying on one Polk County record
Search real estate, mobile home, personal property and mineral records connected to the transaction.
Review current and prior balances, payment posting, penalties and receipts.
Review deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, plats, probate and easements.
Seller homestead exemptions, caps and tax ceilings may not continue after ownership changes.
Confirm county, school, city, utility district and fresh-water-district jurisdictions.
Determine whether qualifying use will continue and whether a change can create additional tax.
Check the home, land and any improvement-only account before closing.
Use the relevant county, survey, title and utility authorities rather than the appraisal map alone.
Keep the deed, title policy, survey, tax receipt, appraisal record and exemption submission proof.
Important Polk County appraisal and property-tax dates
Polk County appraisal, tax and recorded-property offices
Livingston, Texas 77351-3425
Phone: 936-327-2174
Fax: 936-327-2545
Email: support@polkcad.org
Protest email: protest@polkcad.org
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM; closed noon-1:00 PM.
Chief Appraiser: Chad S. Hill
Livingston, Texas 77351-2838
Phone: 936-327-6801
Fax: 936-327-6885
Email: tatum.white@co.polk.tx.us
Tax Assessor-Collector: Tatum White
Use this office for property-tax statements, payments, posting, receipts and collection questions.
Livingston, Texas 77351
Phone: 936-327-6805
Fax: 936-327-6855
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
County Clerk: Schelana Hock
Livingston, Texas 77351
Phone: 936-327-6804
Research fax: 936-327-6874
Property records dating to 1846 can be reviewed during normal business hours.
Polk County appraisal, tax and property-record links
Access notices, forms, maps, open records, support and district information.
Open Polk Central Appraisal DistrictSearch owners, addresses, IDs, ARB records and advanced property fields.
Open Polk CAD eSearchResearch parcel location, lake-area property, roads and nearby accounts.
Open Polk CAD mapAccess property details, electronic communication and eligible online applications.
Open taxpayer portalFind online homestead, timber, agricultural, rendition, protest and disaster forms.
Open Polk CAD formsReview the published deadline and the evidence Polk CAD recommends bringing.
Open appraisal-notice guidanceDownload certified rolls, spreadsheets, parcel shapefiles and tax-rate data.
Open CAD records and dataSearch tax accounts, verify open years and submit an online payment.
Open Polk Tax searchReview payment fees, posting timelines, tax rates and collection contacts.
Open Tax Office pageReview proposed and adopted tax-rate information for local taxing entities.
Open Polk tax transparencyReview deeds, liens, recording requirements, research access and fees.
Open County Clerk researchRequest a deed, deed of trust, release of lien, plat map or another identified document.
Open real-property search requestHow this Polk County guide was rebuilt
Independent research with task-specific official guidance
This version preserves the existing Polk CAD search image and editor image while adding property-type search instructions, taxpayer-portal guidance, Lake Livingston scenarios, timber and mobile-home help, 2026 disaster and business-property updates, payment-posting times, Clerk search limits and current official contacts.
The review used Polk Central Appraisal District, Polk County Tax Assessor-Collector, Polk County Clerk and the Texas Comptroller Polk County directory.
AppraisalDistrict.org is an independent informational website and is not operated by Polk CAD, Polk County or any local taxing unit.
10 common Polk County Appraisal District questions
1. What is the official Polk County Appraisal District website?
The official website is polkcad.org. Use it for property search, forms, maps, appraisal notices, protest access, certified rolls and contact information.
2. How do I search Polk County property records?
Open Polk CAD eSearch and choose Owner, Address, ID, ARB Search or Advanced Search. Use the Property ID when available.
3. What property types can I search?
The official search includes Real, Personal, Mineral, Auto and Mobile Home accounts. Search more than one type when the land, home, business assets or mineral interest may be separate.
4. Are the Polk County 2026 appraisal rolls certified?
Polk CAD currently lists 2026 certified real, business-personal-property and mineral appraisal rolls on its open-records page. Always verify the current property detail and selected year.
5. Who collects Polk County property taxes?
The Polk County Tax Assessor-Collector handles property-tax bills, payments, receipts and collection for the consolidated taxing units it serves.
6. How do I pay Polk County property taxes online?
Use the official Polk Tax property search. Verify the account and every tax year, review the 2.40% service fee and save the confirmation.
7. What was the Polk CAD 2026 protest deadline?
Polk CAD published May 15, 2026 as its general 2026 protest deadline. Review the official notice for any later property-specific deadline.
8. Can I apply for a homestead exemption online?
Yes. Polk CAD’s forms page links a new online homestead application as well as the standard residence-homestead form, Spanish form and affidavit.
9. Where can I get deeds or lien records?
Use Polk County Clerk Recording and Research. Property records date back to 1846. Search requests require grantor, grantee or volume and page because the Clerk cannot search by property description.
10. Is the Polk CAD map a legal survey or flood determination?
No. Use the CAD map for appraisal research. Use a survey for boundaries, recorded documents for title and the appropriate county authority for flood or development decisions.