How to Challenge Your Property Taxes in Austin, Texas

Let’s be direct: property taxes in Austin are high, and there’s a good chance yours are higher than they should be.

In working with homeowners across Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties, we’ve seen assessed values come in above what a home would actually sell for in the current market more often than not. Values have continued to climb across the Austin metro area, and in many cases the appraisal district simply doesn’t have enough accurate information about your specific home to assess it fairly. That’s your opening.

Texas law gives every property owner the right to protest their assessed value each year. The process is designed to be accessible, it costs nothing to file yourself, and there is no penalty for trying. If you’ve received your Notice of Appraised Value and something feels off, you’re probably right to question it. Here’s exactly what to do about it. Not sure what you should actually be paying in the first place? Start with our guide to Austin luxury home property taxes — including how to estimate your bill and which exemptions can lower it.

Why You Should Protest Every Year

The most common reason a home is over-assessed is simple: the appraisal district is working from incomplete data. They don’t walk through your home. They don’t know about the roof that needs replacing, the HVAC that’s on its last legs, the foundation issue you’re managing, or the fact that homes on your street have been sitting on the market longer than their models suggest.

Appraisal districts also assess thousands of properties at once using mass appraisal methods. That process works reasonably well at scale but often misses the details that matter for individual homes. A home with dated finishes, a problematic lot, noise from a nearby road, or any number of other factors that affect buyer interest is not the same as the newer, updated home two streets over, even if they share a similar square footage and year built.

Beyond factual errors, Texas law also allows you to protest based on “unequal appraisal,” meaning your home is assessed at a higher percentage of market value than comparable homes nearby. This argument alone wins reductions all the time, and it doesn’t require you to prove your home is worth less than assessed. You only need to show it’s assessed more than similar homes around you.

The other thing worth knowing: protesting cannot increase your assessment. Filing a protest does not flag your home or put you on a list for higher values next year. The appraisal district appraises every property annually regardless of whether you protest. All you can do is reduce your bill or keep it the same.

There is no good reason not to protest.

Mark Your Calendar Now

Appraisal notices typically go out around April 1 in Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties. The protest deadline is May 15, or 30 days after your notice was mailed, whichever is later.

Do not wait for your tax bill in the fall. By then, the protest window has been closed for months. The notice in the spring is your one opportunity each year to challenge the value.

If you don’t receive a notice, check your county’s appraisal district website directly to look up your current assessed value. You can still protest even without receiving a mailed notice.

Step 1: Check Your Notice for Errors

When your notice arrives, read it carefully before you do anything else.

Your notice shows three numbers:

• Market value: What the district believes your home would sell for as of January 1
• Net appraised value: The market value adjusted for any homestead or other exemptions
• Taxable value: The value used to calculate your actual tax bill

Look at the market value and compare it honestly to what your home would sell for today. Then review the property details on file: square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, lot size, year built, and any features listed. Errors in these details are common and can directly cause over-valuation. If anything is wrong, document it with photos or records and note it as a reason for protest.

Step 2: Gather Your Evidence

The strongest protest arguments come down to two things: sales data and comparable assessed values.

For sales data, you want recent closed sales of homes similar to yours in size, age, condition, and location. Focus on sales from the past six to twelve months. Homes in your subdivision or immediate neighborhood carry the most weight. Try to find properties within 10 to 15 percent of your home’s square footage, similar age, and similar construction type. If similar homes nearby have been selling for less than your assessed value, that’s your case.

For comparable assessed values, look up what the appraisal district has your neighbors assessed at. If homes similar to yours are assessed lower, you can argue unequal appraisal under Texas Property Tax Code Section 42.26. This strategy is particularly effective in areas that have experienced rapid price swings, because the district’s data often lags behind actual market conditions. In a market like Austin where values have moved significantly in recent years, this argument wins reductions regularly.

Beyond comps, think about any condition issues with your home that the appraisal district wouldn’t know about. Deferred maintenance, an aging roof, an HVAC system due for replacement, foundation monitoring, drainage issues, or anything else that would cause a buyer to discount the price are all legitimate evidence. Photograph these issues and bring documentation if you have it.

You can pull comparable sales from real estate websites, your county’s property search tool, or the MLS if you have access. If you’d like help pulling sold comps specific to your neighborhood, reach out to us at (512) 827-8323 or info@11OaksRealty.com. We’re happy to put that data together for you.

Step 3: File Your Protest

All three counties now offer online filing, which is the fastest and most efficient option. Here’s where to go based on your county:

Travis County (TCAD)

File online at traviscad.org/portal using the property owner ID and PIN on your notice. Through the portal you can file, upload your evidence, review TCAD’s evidence, and accept or decline any settlement offer. You can also mail your protest to PO Box 149012, Austin TX 78714, or drop it off in person at 850 E Anderson Lane.

For help: 512-834-9317 or visit traviscad.org/protests

Williamson County (WCAD)

File online at wcad.org/online-protest-filing. Mail and in-person options are also available.

For help: visit wcad.org/protest-procedures

Hays County (Hays CAD)

File online at propertysearch.hayscad.com using the Online Protest ID on your notice. If you can’t create an account, you can email your protest to protests@hayscad.com with your account number and supporting evidence attached. ARB hearings are held at 21001 N IH 35, Kyle TX 78640, with a video conference option also available.

For help: 512-268-2522 or visit hayscad.com/protest

Step 4: The Informal Hearing

After you file, each county will schedule an informal meeting between you and an appraiser from the district. This is where most protests get resolved, and it’s your best opportunity to negotiate without going to a formal hearing.

Come prepared with your evidence organized and ready to present calmly and factually. Lead with your strongest argument, whether that’s comparable sales below your assessed value or neighboring homes assessed lower than yours. The appraiser is not your adversary; they’re reviewing your evidence and working within the system just like you are. A professional, factual presentation goes further than an emotional one.

The appraiser will either make a settlement offer or decline to reduce the value. You are not obligated to accept the first offer. In many cases there is room to negotiate further if you push back with solid data. If the first offer feels low relative to the evidence you’ve brought, it’s reasonable to say so and ask whether there’s any flexibility.

If you reach an agreement, you sign off and you’re done. The reduction will be reflected in your tax bill later in the year. If you don’t reach an agreement, you move to the formal hearing.

One practical note: if you filed online, many counties allow the informal review to happen through the portal without requiring you to appear in person. Check your county’s process after filing, as this can save significant time.

Step 5: The Appraisal Review Board (ARB) Hearing

If the informal process doesn’t resolve your protest, you’ll be scheduled before the Appraisal Review Board. The ARB is an independent panel of citizens who hear both sides and make a final determination. It is a more formal process than the informal meeting, but it is not a courtroom, and you don’t need a lawyer to participate.

You’ll receive notice of your hearing date at least 15 days in advance, along with the district’s evidence packet. Under Texas Property Tax Code Section 41.461, the appraisal district must provide their comparable sales data and valuation methodology to you at least 14 days before your hearing. Request it and review it carefully. Look for weaknesses in their comparable selection, outdated sales, or properties that aren’t genuinely similar to yours.

Bring five sets of your own evidence to the formal hearing in Travis County. Other counties may differ, so check your notice for specific instructions. Present your case calmly, stick to the data, and avoid emotional arguments about affordability or tax bills in general. The panel’s job is to determine value, and factual evidence is what moves the needle.

If you cannot make your scheduled date, you can request a reschedule before the hearing. If you’d like someone else to represent you, you’ll need to file an Appointment of Agent form with your county’s appraisal district. Most professional protest companies handle this automatically when you sign up.

Should You Hire a Company to Do This for You?

Yes, and we do exactly that for our own properties.

Even with full access to MLS data and years of experience valuing homes, we hire a professional protest company and let them handle it. They know how to present evidence effectively, what arguments carry weight with specific appraisal districts, and how to negotiate. For most homeowners, the time saved and the results achieved are worth it.

Most of these companies work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless they reduce your value. There’s very little downside.

Here are several companies that handle Austin-area protests:

• Home Tax Shield (the one we personally use)
• Texas ProTax
• Five Stone Tax Advisors
• TaxProtestMap
• Ownwell

Sign up early in the season. These companies get busy as the deadline approaches.

Property Tax Protest FAQs

Don’t Skip This Year

With values up across much of the Austin metro area and many assessed values sitting above what homes are actually selling for in today’s market, this is a year where protesting could make a real difference to your tax bill. The process takes less time than most people expect, and the potential savings are worth it.

If you have questions about what your home might actually sell for in the current market, or if you’d like comps to use in your protest, we’re glad to help. Call or text us at (512) 827-8323 or email info@11OaksRealty.com.

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Protest procedures and deadlines are subject to change. Always verify