Property Tax Appraisals Hit Mailboxes Soon and We’re All Grumbling

From the Nextdoor app to workplace message boards, the level of collective grumbling throughout Dallas-Fort Worth peaked on April 15 when not only were federal income taxes due, but county appraisal districts mailed out their annual property tax appraisals to homeowners.

That means we’re all receiving our updated property tax appraisals for 2025 this month, and to say that taxes are too damn much would be an understatement. Now before you head down to your local appraisal district with pitchfork in hand, remember you can protest what the county says your house is worth.

So, once the sticker shock wears off and the grumbling becomes a low hum, it’s time to get to work lowering your property tax bill.

First Step: File Your Intent to Protest

The first and most important thing you need to do in order to fight your appraisal is to file your intent to appeal your property’s appraisal to the Appraisal Review Board (ARB). That is due May 15, or 30 days from the date you receive your appraisal. This is the only time of the year when you can appeal the value of your home. Once you receive your final tax bill in October, it will be too late.

The Notice of Protest form (shown above) was included along with your tax appraisal. You can also file your intent to protest by logging onto your appraisal district’s website, which gives you the option of filing your protest electronically.

Keep in mind, the appraisal of your property is based on what the county believes to be the value of your home on Jan. 1, 2025. This is the value you are disputing when you file an appeal. Your goal is to drop it below the appraised or assessed value.

So when it comes to what box to check on the protest form, check as many as you think you believe you can prove and will give you the best chance to lower your value.

Review Your Appraisal Thoroughly

After filing your intent to protest, you need to look at your appraisal with a fine-tooth comb and make sure there are no errors. 

First and foremost, make sure the county has your homestead exemption on your property and any other exemption, such as disability, senior, veteran/military, etc. These exemptions could save you thousands of dollars if you qualify for them. Appraisal districts are required to recertify homestead exemptions in their respective district every five years. If you missed a letter from your appraisal district and failed to reply to their request, your homestead exemption may have been removed.

Homeowners Could Face Higher Tax Bill if They Overlook New Homestead Exemption Audit

Correcting Errors Could Save You Money

The other area where you could possibly save money is ensuring the appraisal district has the correct information about your home.

For instance, if their information says you have two bathrooms and you only have one, you need to protest that fact. There is no need to pay taxes on a non-existent bathroom. The same goes for the square footage of the home. You want to ensure that you are paying taxes for what you actually own.

The same applies for your garage and other buildings on your property. Is that detached garage used as a garage or as a storage shed? What is the flooring of the garage/storage shed? The key here is that no one knows your home better than you do so if there is something you do not agree with file your protest and start gathering your evidence to prove that you are right and that your value should be lowered.

The first step, however, is filing the protest by the May 15 deadline. Next week, we will get into the specifics of how to build your case and what to take with you when you protest your appraisal. Since each appraisal district has its own forms and procedures, it is recommended to visit your respective county’s appraisal district website and see what they require.

Check your county appraisal in:

• Dallas County  
• Tarrant County
• Collin County
• Denton County