Texas Property Tax Exemptions 2026: Find the Exemption, Form, Local Benefit and Filing Office You Actually Need
This is a task-completion guide rather than a list of exemption names. Use it to decide which Texas property-tax relief applies to you, open the correct official form, know exactly what to enter, find the appraisal district that receives the application, verify local-option benefits, recover from a missed deadline, and confirm that the exemption actually reached your appraisal record.
2026 quick answer for a Texas homeowner
A qualifying residence homestead receives a mandatory $140,000 school-district exemption. A homeowner who is age 65 or older or legally disabled may receive an additional $60,000 school exemption. Counties, cities, school districts and special districts may add local-option exemptions, so two homes with the same market value can have different taxable values depending on the taxing units attached to the property.
The normal deadline for most exemption applications is April 30, but Texas law allows important late-filing windows for residence homesteads and disabled-veteran exemptions. Missing April 30 does not automatically mean the benefit is permanently lost.
Start here: which Texas property-tax relief path applies to you?
Texas property-tax changes that matter in 2026
The 2026 tax year is not simply a copy of the old Texas exemption rules. Voters approved several property-tax constitutional amendments on November 4, 2025, and multiple provisions took effect for 2026.
| 2026 change | Who should care | Practical action |
|---|---|---|
| $140,000 school homestead exemption | Texas homeowners using the property as their residence homestead | Verify that the HS/general homestead exemption appears on the 2026 appraisal record and tax statement. |
| $60,000 additional school exemption | Qualifying age-65 or disabled homeowners | Confirm both the general homestead and the additional qualifying exemption appear. |
| $125,000 business-personal-property exemption | Owners of income-producing tangible personal property | Compare total taxable business personal property at each applicable location/taxing unit with the new threshold. |
| Animal feed held for retail sale | Qualifying retailers holding exempt animal feed inventory | Review Tax Code Section 11.162 and current Form 50-107 requirements. |
| Residence-homestead improvement destroyed by fire | Homeowners whose qualifying residence structure is completely destroyed by fire and remains uninhabitable for at least 30 days | File Form 50-339 with the local appraisal district within 180 days after the fire. |
| Qualifying veteran-death surviving-spouse exemption | Certain surviving spouses of veterans who died due to qualifying presumed service-connected conditions/diseases | Review the new Section 11.136 category on Form 50-114 and Comptroller guidance. |
| Border-security infrastructure exemption | Certain qualifying owners in counties bordering Mexico where value arises from qualifying border-security infrastructure | Review Form 50-847 and Section 11.38 criteria. |
The statewide school-district amounts now relevant to this guide are $140,000 for the general residence homestead exemption and an additional $60,000 for qualifying age-65 or disabled homeowners.
General Texas residence homestead exemption — actual qualification checklist
A residence homestead is more than “I own a house in Texas.” The property must generally be owned by an individual and used as that individual’s principal residence. A person cannot claim the Texas residence-homestead exemption while claiming another residence homestead in Texas or outside Texas.
Ownership interest
You need an ownership interest recognized under the applicable homestead rules. Fee-simple ownership is common, but qualifying trusts, life estates and heir property can require additional documentation.
Principal residence
The home must be the residence you actually use as your principal home. A second home, rental or investment house generally does not qualify merely because you own it.
One residence homestead
The Form 50-114 affirmation requires the applicant to confirm that another residence-homestead exemption is not being claimed elsewhere.
What can count as the homestead?
The residence can include a conventional house, condominium, manufactured home or another qualifying residential structure. A residence homestead may also include land used for residential purposes, subject to the statutory acreage and use requirements.
Texas now allows a qualifying owner who acquires the residence after January 1 to receive the general residence homestead exemption for the applicable portion of that tax year once the owner qualifies, if the prior owner did not already receive the same exemption for that tax year.
The 10% homestead appraisal cap is related, but it is not the same thing as an exemption
Once a residence homestead becomes subject to the appraisal limitation, Texas generally limits the increase in its appraised value to the statutory formula based on the preceding year’s appraised value plus permitted new-improvement value. The cap does not mean the market value cannot increase. Your appraisal notice can therefore show a market value above the capped appraised value.
If your property has both an appraisal cap and a percentage local-option homestead exemption, reducing market value can sometimes change the dollar value of the percentage exemption. Bexar CAD published a 2026 example in which a successful market-value reduction changed the local-option exemption calculation enough to increase the estimated tax for the illustrated account. Compare market value, capped appraised value, exemption amount and taxable value together.
Form 50-114: micro-step guide — what to do after opening the official PDF
The official Texas form is free. You can normally file directly with the appraisal district. A private service is not the appraisal district and does not create eligibility that you otherwise lack.
What to do after submitting a Texas homestead exemption
Filing is not the end of the task. A high-value workflow includes verification that the appraisal district received, processed and correctly applied the exemption to the intended property and taxing units.
Texas age-65 property-tax exemptions, tax ceilings and transfer benefits
A homeowner age 65 or older who owns and occupies a qualifying residence homestead can receive the additional $60,000 school-district exemption. Local taxing units may also offer an additional age-65 exemption of at least $3,000.
School tax ceiling: what “freeze” really means
When the age-65 or disabled school-tax ceiling applies, school taxes on the qualifying residence homestead are generally limited based on the statutory ceiling calculation. It is often casually described as a “freeze,” but this should not be interpreted to mean that every property-tax line from every taxing unit can never change.
Counties, cities and junior college districts may also adopt qualifying tax-ceiling provisions. Whether they do so is a local question.
A tax ceiling is not a blanket promise that taxes will never rise under any circumstance. Certain new improvements can increase the amount subject to tax.
Moving after you already have an age-65 or disabled tax ceiling
Texas allows transfer of a proportionate school-tax limitation to another qualifying Texas residence homestead. Similar transfer rules can apply when a county, city or junior college district has adopted a qualifying ceiling.
50-272, 50-311 or 50-808. These form numbers relate to tax-ceiling certificates/transfer documentation. Ask the former and new appraisal districts which current certificate is required for your transfer situation.
Surviving spouse
A surviving spouse who is at least age 55 when the qualifying spouse dies may be able to continue the deceased spouse’s age-65 school-tax ceiling if statutory conditions are satisfied and the home remains the surviving spouse’s residence homestead.
Disabled-person residence homestead exemption — do not confuse program disability with Texas qualification
Texas defines a disabled person for this exemption by reference to disability for purposes of disability insurance benefits under the federal Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Act administered by the Social Security Administration. Receiving disability benefits from another program does not automatically establish property-tax eligibility.
Potential benefits
- General $140,000 school homestead exemption.
- Additional $60,000 school exemption.
- Possible local disabled-person exemptions.
- School tax-ceiling protection.
- Possible local county/city/junior-college ceilings where adopted.
What to prepare
- Form 50-114.
- Required identity documentation.
- Evidence supporting statutory disability qualification when requested.
- Property account number.
- Ownership and occupancy information.
The Comptroller explains that an eligible person can have both statuses in the same year, but the same taxing unit does not simply stack both additional homestead exemptions. Ask your appraisal district how each applicable taxing unit is applying your status.
Texas disabled-veteran property-tax exemptions — the correct exemption depends on the situation
“Veteran exemption” is not one single Texas exemption. Texas Tax Code provides several different disabled-veteran and surviving-spouse provisions, and using the wrong form can delay the claim.
| Veteran category | Benefit | Property limitation | Primary form |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10%–29% service-connected disability | Up to $5,000 value exemption | One qualifying property selected under Section 11.22 | 50-135 |
| 30%–49% | Up to $7,500 | One qualifying property | 50-135 |
| 50%–69% | Up to $10,000 | One qualifying property | 50-135 |
| 70%–100% | Up to $12,000 under Section 11.22 | One qualifying property | 50-135 |
| 100% disabled / individual unemployability meeting Section 11.131 requirements | Total residence-homestead exemption | Qualifying residence homestead | 50-114 |
| Partially disabled veteran with qualifying donated residence homestead | Partial residence-homestead exemption based on qualifying disability rules | Qualifying donated residence homestead | 50-114 |
| Surviving spouse of qualifying 100% disabled veteran | May continue total exemption if requirements are met | Residence-homestead rules apply | 50-114 |
The Comptroller describes the Section 11.22 partial exemption as applying to any one property owned by the qualifying disabled veteran. Do not multiply the $5,000–$12,000 benefit across every parcel you own.
100% disabled veteran: what the VA evidence must show
The total residence-homestead exemption under Section 11.131 requires qualifying VA disability compensation due to a service-connected disability together with the statutory 100% rating or individual-unemployability determination. A Texas driver license by itself is not proof of the disability rating.
For the surviving-spouse continuation of the 100% disabled-veteran residence-homestead exemption, the Comptroller states that the surviving spouse does not qualify after remarriage. The home must also satisfy the applicable residence-homestead continuity requirements.
If the surviving spouse later moves
A qualifying surviving spouse who has not remarried may be able to transfer an exemption amount to a subsequently qualified residence homestead. The transferred benefit may be the dollar amount of the exemption on the former home rather than a total exemption of the new home’s entire value.
Inherited Texas home without a clean deed? Use the heir-property homestead process
Heir property is a major real-world filing problem. A family member dies, relatives continue living in the home, but title has never been fully cleaned up. Texas provides a residence-homestead procedure for qualifying heir property instead of requiring every applicant to first solve the entire probate/title problem.
Documents the Comptroller says may be required when the applicant is not identified as the owner in a recorded deed or instrument
- An affidavit establishing the applicant’s ownership interest.
- A copy of the prior property owner’s death certificate.
- A copy of the property’s most recent utility bill.
- A citation to a court record relating to ownership, if one exists.
- Authorizing affidavits from other heir-property owners who also occupy the property as their principal residence.
Ctrl+F or use your browser’s page search, type 50-114-A, open the Residence Homestead Exemption Affidavits package, identify the affidavit that matches your ownership/heir situation, and submit it with Form 50-114 and the supporting evidence requested by your appraisal district.
Receiving a homestead exemption does not necessarily resolve every ownership/title issue. The Comptroller notes that an heir owner may record an interest with the county clerk and points applicants to the State Bar of Texas for legal-assistance resources when needed.
Local-option Texas homestead exemptions: where additional savings are found
The statewide $140,000 school exemption is only one layer. A county, city, school district or special district can adopt a local-option homestead exemption of up to 20% of appraised value, with a statutory minimum exemption value of $5,000. Local units may also provide age-65 or disabled-person exemptions.
A January 2026 Texas Attorney General opinion concluded that Tax Code Section 11.13(n-1) prevents a school district, municipality or county that adopted a local-option homestead exemption for tax year 2022 from reducing or repealing that exemption through the protected period ending in 2027.
Localized examples that show why your exact taxing unit matters
| Location / taxing unit | 2026-relevant example | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Harris CAD states Harris County currently provides a 20% optional homestead exemption to homeowners. | A homeowner can receive the statewide school exemption and additional local percentage relief from a county. |
| Fort Bend County | Fort Bend CAD identifies a 20% Fort Bend County homestead exemption. County commissioners also approved 2026 local-option figures including $100,000 over-65 and disabled-person exemptions for the county. | Local age/disability benefits can be far larger than the statutory minimum. |
| Bexar / San Antonio example | A BCAD 2026 tax illustration shows 20% local-option homestead percentages for Bexar County, the City of San Antonio and University Health, while other units in the same example use different percentages. | One property can sit inside several taxing units with different exemption structures. |
| Harris-Fort Bend ESD 100 | Fort Bend CAD announced that for tax year 2026 ESD 100 eliminated its prior 20% homestead and $100,000 over-65 exemptions while retaining its $100,000 disabled-person exemption. | Special-district exemptions can change independently from county, city or school benefits. |
How to discover every exemption attached to your own property
This example isolates exemption arithmetic and does not account for appraisal caps, tax ceilings, local-option exemptions, new improvements or every taxing-unit rule.
Texas business property-tax exemptions in 2026
Business owners should not stop at the residence-homestead rules. Texas has property-tax exemptions for certain low-value income-producing personal property, exported goods, goods in transit, qualifying pollution-control property, specialized inventory and other statutory categories.
New $125,000 income-producing tangible personal-property exemption
For 2026, income-producing tangible personal property can qualify for an exemption of up to $125,000 of appraised value under the applicable statutory rules. The Comptroller’s 2026 valuation guidance notes that if the personal property’s total taxable value is $125,000 or less in a taxing unit, it is exempt in that taxing unit.
Rendition rules remain relevant. Texas generally requires business owners to render taxable business personal property, and the standard rendition deadline for most property is April 15, with statutory extension procedures available in qualifying circumstances.
Freeport exemption
Freeport treatment can exempt qualifying goods, wares, ores, merchandise and certain aircraft-related property that are acquired in or imported into Texas and transported outside Texas within the statutory 175-day period. Oil, gas and certain petroleum products do not qualify.
Goods in transit
The goods-in-transit exemption covers qualifying goods acquired inside or outside Texas, detained for storage and shipped to another destination within the statutory period. The owner generally cannot have a direct or indirect ownership interest in the storage facility for the ordinary rule described by the Comptroller.
Other specialized business/property categories worth checking
Agricultural, timber and wildlife “exemptions”: important correction — these are usually special appraisals
Texas open-space agricultural, timber and wildlife-management relief normally changes how qualifying land is appraised. It does not make the land tax-free. Calling it an “ag exemption” is common shorthand, but it can mislead property owners about qualification, rollback/change-of-use consequences and taxable value.
1-d-1 open-space agricultural appraisal
The common 1-d-1 route generally requires the land to satisfy historical agricultural-use requirements and current degree-of-intensity standards applied by the local appraisal district. The Comptroller explains that land generally must have been devoted to agricultural or timber production for at least five of the preceding seven years, with additional rules for certain land inside incorporated cities or towns.
What Form 50-129 actually asks you to prove
The current form asks about current and historical agricultural use, acreage by use category, livestock/exotics/wildlife, livestock counts, crops, acreage and other land-use details. A new owner may need to provide a more complete use history depending on the circumstances.
Wildlife management
Wildlife management is generally a continuation of qualifying 1-d-1 open-space appraisal under a qualifying wildlife-management use, not a stand-alone “wildlife tax exemption.” A written wildlife-management plan and evidence of qualifying practices can be required.
Do not assume the special appraisal automatically follows you forever. Ownership changes, land-use changes and requests from the chief appraiser can trigger a need for a new application or additional documentation.
Texas solar and wind-powered energy-device property-tax exemption
Tax Code Section 11.27 provides an exemption related to the appraised-value increase attributable to qualifying solar or wind-powered energy devices. It is different from a federal solar tax credit and different from a utility rebate.
Compare the pre-installation property record, the new market-value breakdown and the exemption line after the appraisal district processes your application. The exemption is designed to address qualifying value attributable to the device, not to erase the taxable value of the entire residence.
Texas disaster and fire-damage property-tax exemptions
Temporary exemption for property damaged in a governor-declared disaster area
Tax Code Section 11.35 can provide a temporary exemption for qualifying property that is at least 15% damaged in a governor-declared disaster area. Qualified property can include income-producing tangible personal property, improvements to real property and certain manufactured homes.
| Damage level | Approximate damage range | Exemption percentage used in the statutory calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | 15% to under 30% | 15% |
| Level II | 30% to under 60% | 30% |
| Level III | 60% to under 100% | 60% |
| Level IV | 100% / total loss | 100% |
The temporary exemption is then prorated based on the number of days remaining in the year after the disaster declaration date.
New 2026 exemption when a residence-homestead improvement is completely destroyed by fire
Tax Code Section 11.351 applies to the improvement-structure portion of a residence homestead when the qualifying improvement is completely destroyed by fire, was a habitable dwelling immediately before the fire and remains uninhabitable for at least 30 days.
Charitable, religious, school and nonprofit property-tax exemptions
Being a nonprofit corporation or holding IRS 501(c)(3) status does not automatically make every parcel of Texas real estate property-tax exempt. Property ownership, organizational qualification and actual use of the property can all matter.
Charitable organization property
Review Form 50-115 and the specific Tax Code charitable qualification. Some organizations must also complete a separate Comptroller organization-exemption process depending on the provision used.
Religious organization property
Review Form 50-117 for local property-tax purposes and AP-209 when applying to the Comptroller for the separate state-tax exemption status applicable to religious organizations.
Private schools
Review Form 50-119 and the statutory ownership/use requirements rather than assuming nonprofit school status automatically exempts all property.
Two different application systems can be involved
The Comptroller administers certain state tax-exemption determinations for organizations, while the local appraisal district determines whether specific property qualifies for local property-tax exemption under the applicable Tax Code provision.
50-115 charitable, 50-117 religious, 50-119 private school, 50-120 cemetery, 50-140 transitional housing, 50-214 nonprofit water/wastewater, or another category matching the property’s actual use.
Texas property-tax exemption form map — which form should you open?
Texas property-tax exemption deadlines — including the late-filing windows most articles miss
| Application | Normal deadline | Important late / special rule |
|---|---|---|
| Most exemptions | April 30 / before May 1 | Depends on exemption; not every exemption has the same late-filing right. |
| Residence homestead | April 30 | May generally be late-filed up to two years after the date the taxes become delinquent. |
| Age 65 or older | Apply when qualified | Application may be filed up to two years after the date the owner became age 65. |
| Section 11.22 disabled veteran | April 30 | May be filed up to five years after the delinquency date for taxes on the property. |
| Donated residence homestead of partially disabled veteran | April 30 | Veteran and survivor rules have special statutory windows; review the current disabled-veteran FAQ rather than assuming the general homestead period. |
| Disaster-damage temporary exemption | Event-based | File within 105 days after the governor declares the disaster area. |
| Homestead improvement destroyed by fire | Event-based | File no later than 180 days after the qualifying fire. |
| 1-d-1 agricultural special appraisal | April 30 / before May 1 | Special-appraisal extension/late rules differ from homestead rules; written good-cause extension procedures may apply. |
A homeowner who discovers in 2026 that a residence-homestead exemption was never filed may still be within the Texas late-filing window. Contact the appraisal district, identify the tax year you first qualified, ask specifically for a late residence-homestead application, and retain proof of the filing.
exemption, homestead, April 30, protest or your specific form category. When a deadline lands on a weekend/holiday or a special statutory situation applies, confirm directly with the appraisal district.
What to do if your Texas property-tax exemption is denied, removed or missing
An exemption problem can occur at several different stages: the district never received the application, additional information was requested but not provided, the chief appraiser denied eligibility, an existing exemption was canceled, or the appraisal record is correct but the tax bill is wrong.
PTAD provides education, forms, monitoring and technical assistance, but the chief appraiser and local review/appeal system handle individual local exemption determinations.
Texas appraisal district contacts: major metro filing offices and Google Maps links
The office receiving your exemption application is the appraisal district for the county where the property is located. The examples below are current quick-reference contacts from the Texas Comptroller county directory. Always verify office hours before an in-person visit.
Harris Central Appraisal District
Address: 13013 Northwest Frwy., Houston, TX 77040-6305
Phone: 713-957-7800
Dallas Central Appraisal District
Address: 2949 N. Stemmons Fwy., Dallas, TX 75247-6102
Phone: 214-631-0910
Tarrant Appraisal District
Address: 2500 Handley-Ederville Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76118-6909
Phone: 817-284-0024
Bexar Central Appraisal District
Address: 411 N. Frio St., San Antonio, TX 78207-4416
Phone: 210-242-2432
Travis Central Appraisal District
Address: 850 E. Anderson Ln., Austin, TX 78752
Phone: 512-834-9317
Collin Central Appraisal District
Address: 250 Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney, TX 75069-8023
Phone: 469-742-9200
Toll free: 866-467-1110
Fort Bend Central Appraisal District
Address: 2801 B.F. Terry Blvd., Rosenberg, TX 77471-5600
Phone: 281-344-8623
Texas Comptroller Property Tax Assistance Division contact information
Phone assistance
512-305-9999
800-252-9121
For general property-tax matters on the Comptroller system, the agency’s phone menu identifies a property-tax/general assistance path. PTAD provides education and technical assistance rather than deciding your individual local exemption.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Attn: Property Tax Assistance Division
P.O. Box 13528
Austin, TX 78711-9939
Do not mail Form 50-114 here. Residence homestead applications go to the appraisal district where the property is located.
Texas exemption mistakes that cause lost savings, delays or incorrect advice
1. Filing with the Comptroller instead of the appraisal district
The Comptroller publishes the model form, but Form 50-114 and most local property-exemption forms must be submitted to the county appraisal district.
2. Using an old exemption amount
A page still telling 2026 homeowners that the statewide school homestead exemption is $100,000 is outdated.
3. Calling agricultural special appraisal an exemption
This creates incorrect expectations about market value, productivity value and change-of-use consequences.
4. Assuming local benefits are statewide
Harris County’s 20% optional homestead exemption does not mean every Texas county or every taxing unit provides 20%.
5. Giving up after April 30
Homestead and disabled-veteran statutes contain important late-filing windows.
6. Assuming a 100% VA rating and Section 11.22 partial exemption are the same
They are different statutory pathways with different property scope and forms.
7. Claiming the partial veteran exemption on every property
The Section 11.22 benefit applies to any one qualifying property selected by the qualifying owner, not every property owned.
8. Assuming surviving-spouse veteran exemption continues after remarriage
Several surviving-spouse residence-homestead provisions require that the surviving spouse has not remarried.
9. Confusing market value with taxable value
Your market value can be different from capped appraised value, which can be different again from taxable value after exemptions.
10. Not checking the final tax bill
An approved exemption should ultimately affect taxable value and the tax calculation. Verify the appraisal record and tax statement rather than assuming approval automatically propagated correctly everywhere.
Complete exemption audit checklist for a Texas property owner
Texas property tax exemption FAQs for 2026
What is the Texas homestead exemption amount for 2026?
A qualifying Texas residence homestead receives a $140,000 exemption from school-district taxation. Local taxing units may provide additional local-option exemptions.
What is the 2026 over-65 exemption in Texas?
A qualifying homeowner age 65 or older can receive an additional $60,000 school-district residence-homestead exemption in addition to the $140,000 general school exemption. Local taxing units may offer additional age-65 exemptions.
What is the additional disabled-person homestead exemption?
A qualifying disabled homeowner can receive the additional $60,000 school exemption along with the general $140,000 school homestead exemption, subject to the statutory disability qualification.
Where do I file Form 50-114?
File it with the appraisal district in the county where the property is located. Do not send Form 50-114 to the Texas Comptroller merely because the Comptroller publishes the form.
Is the Texas homestead exemption free to file?
The official form is free. Property owners can normally file directly with their county appraisal district without paying a private filing service.
Can I file for homestead after April 30?
Yes, Texas provides a late-filing period for residence homestead exemptions. A qualifying residence-homestead application may generally be filed up to two years after the date the taxes become delinquent.
I turned 65 last year and forgot to apply. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Texas provides a late-application period of up to two years after the date a qualifying owner became age 65.
Can I claim a homestead exemption if I bought my home after January 1?
A qualifying owner who acquires the property after January 1 may receive the general residence-homestead exemption for the applicable portion of the tax year when the statutory conditions are met and the previous owner did not receive the same exemption for that year.
Can I claim Texas homestead if my name is not on a deed because I inherited the home?
Potentially yes. Texas has an heir-property homestead procedure using affidavits and supporting documentation such as a death certificate, utility bill and ownership information.
Is a Texas agricultural exemption really an exemption?
Usually no. The commonly called “ag exemption” is generally a special appraisal based on qualifying agricultural productivity/use rather than a complete exemption from property taxation.
What form is used for 1-d-1 agricultural appraisal?
Form 50-129 is the Comptroller’s model Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal.
Does Texas offer a solar property-tax exemption?
Texas provides an exemption related to qualifying appraised value attributable to eligible solar or wind-powered energy devices under Tax Code Section 11.27. Form 50-123 is the model application.
What is the Texas disabled-veteran property exemption amount?
Under Section 11.22, the partial exemption can range from $5,000 to $12,000 depending on qualifying service-connected disability rating and other statutory conditions. Separate provisions can provide total residence-homestead exemption for qualifying 100% disabled veterans.
Can a disabled veteran use the partial exemption on every property owned?
No. The Comptroller describes the Section 11.22 partial exemption as applying to any one property owned by the qualifying disabled veteran.
What form does a 100% disabled veteran use for the residence-homestead exemption?
Form 50-114 is used for the qualifying 100% disabled-veteran residence-homestead exemption under Section 11.131.
Can the surviving spouse of a 100% disabled veteran remarry and retain the exemption?
The Comptroller states that the surviving spouse does not qualify for that surviving-spouse exemption after remarriage.
How do I find my local Texas homestead exemption?
Open your appraisal district property account, identify all taxing units, and review the exemption amount applied by each unit. You can also contact the appraisal district or taxing unit directly.
Does every Texas county give a 20% homestead exemption?
No. Local-option exemptions vary. Harris County and Fort Bend County are examples of counties offering a 20% homestead exemption, but you must verify the units attached to your own property.
What is the new 2026 business personal-property exemption?
For 2026, Texas law provides a $125,000 exemption threshold for qualifying income-producing tangible personal property under the applicable Tax Code rules.
What is the deadline for a Texas disaster-damage exemption?
For the temporary exemption under Tax Code Section 11.35 in a governor-declared disaster area, the property owner must generally apply within 105 days after the governor declares the disaster area.
What is the 2026 fire-destroyed homestead exemption deadline?
For the new temporary exemption on a qualifying residence-homestead improvement completely destroyed by fire, Form 50-339 must generally be filed within 180 days after the fire.
Can a church or 501(c)(3) assume its real estate is automatically exempt?
No. Organization status and property-tax qualification are separate questions. Ownership, organizational qualification and actual property use can all matter, and an application with the local appraisal district may be required.
Who should I call if my homestead exemption does not appear?
Contact the appraisal district in the county where the property is located. The Comptroller’s county directory provides official appraisal-district phone numbers and websites.
Who handles the property tax bill after the exemption is applied?
The appraisal district handles appraisal and exemption records. The county tax assessor-collector or another collecting unit handles tax bills, payments and receipts.
Official Texas property-tax sources and what each one is useful for
Texas property-tax forms and publications are updated periodically. Use the Comptroller’s live forms and publications pages as the source of truth for the newest revision instead of relying on a PDF copied to another website.
AppraisalDistrict.org is an independent informational website. It is not an appraisal district, tax assessor-collector, Texas Comptroller office, law firm or government agency. Local chief appraisers make individual exemption determinations.