Property Tax Exemptions
Filing For Tax Exemptions
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One of the great benefits of owning a home is being able to take advantage of the tax exemptions associated with homeownership. Whether you're a seasoned homeowner or purchasing your first home, we've compiled everything you need to know about property taxes and how to successfully file your tax exemptions in one place.
- Property Tax Exemptions, Deadlines & Qualifications - information is on this page below.
- County Appraisal Districts, Phone Numbers, Addresses & Links - information is on this page below.
- How To Protest Property Taxes - follow link
- DFW Property Taxes & Deadlines - follow link
- North Texas Tax Rates - follow link
- 1031 Exchange Rules - follow link
- FIRPTA - Foreign Investment In Real Estate Tax Act - follow link
Applying for exemptions is the taxpayer’s responsibility. It is also important to be wary of imposters and scammers claiming to file on your behalf. You can file easily, and FOR FREE, on your county’s CAD website using the links below. Each site will have the necessary forms and instructions to file your homestead exemption.
Property tax exemptions remove part, or in some cases all, of your home's value from taxation, so they lower, or possibly eliminate, your taxes. Your local county appraisal district is responsible for approving exemptions on your property. There is no state property tax.
In some cases, there are statutory periods and deadlines to apply for an exemption, to appeal should an exemption be denied or to protest if you disagree with a property appraisal valuation. See Deadlines and Important Dates below. Check the following list of Tax Exemptions for which you may be qualified. Included below are links to each county appraisal district so you can find the applicable exemption forms and instructions for your county.
Property Tax Exemptions
The following categories of property tax exemptions are made available through your local county appraisal district based upon your specific qualification. Some of these exemptions can be combined; however, there may be restrictions, as noted. Also, there are some exemptions that can eliminate property tax payment for life, for instance for the surviving spouse of a military service member or first responder killed in the line of duty.
1. General Homestead Exemption
Virtually all residential property owners in the State of Texas qualify for a General Homestead Exemption on their property taxes which:
- Requires school districts to offer a $40,000 exemption on residence homesteads (raised from $25,000 with voter approval May 7, 2022 by Proposition 2)
- Allows any taxing unit the option to decide locally to offer a separate residence homestead exemption of up to 20 percent of a property's appraised value. The local option exemption cannot be less than $5,000.
- Requires counties that collect farm-to-market or flood control taxes to offer a $3,000 residence homestead exemption.
Qualifications
The qualifications for the general homestead exemption are:
- Ownership interest in the property
- Property is used as the owner's principal residence
- Required to state that he or she does not claim an exemption on another residence homestead in or outside of Texas.
Application Deadline
A recent change in the law that became effective January 1, 2022, makes homebuyers eligible to receive the homestead exemption beginning on the date they obtain ownership. This change now permits homebuyers, who purchase a property that does not already have a homestead exemption, to apply for the exemption immediately.
A new homeowner must apply for the exemption for the applicable portion of the tax year before the first anniversary of the date they acquired the property. If the new owner qualifies to receive the exemption prior to January 1 of the following year, the taxing units will recalculate the amount of tax due and correct the tax roll. If the tax has already been paid, the excess amount will be refunded to the payer. All other qualification requirements still apply.
2. Inherited Residence Homestead
Heir property is property owned by one or more individuals where:
- At least one owner claims the property as a residence homestead
- The property was acquired by will, transfer on death deed, or intestacy
Qualifications
An applicant must provide the following when not specifically identified as the residence homestead owner on a deed or other recorded instrument in the county where the property is located:
- an affidavit establishing ownership of interest in the property
- a copy of the prior property owner's death certificate
- a copy of the property's most recent utility bill; and
- a citation of any court record relating to the applicant's ownership of the property, if available.
Application Deadline
Application should be made as soon as ownership is finalized as with the General Homestead Exemption.
3. Over 65 Exemption
The Tax Code provides a mandatory exemption for persons 65 and older and:
- Requires school districts to offer an additional $10,000 residence homestead exemption
- Allows any taxing unit the option to decide locally to offer a separate residence homestead exemption. This local option exemption cannot be less than $3,000.
- The 65+ exemption statewide exemption ‘freezes’ the Public School (ISD) taxes to the year the individual became eligible; however, in some cities, like the City of Plano, it freezes all elements of the property tax bill, County, City of Plano, Plano ISD, etc.
Qualifications
- Property owner must be age 65 or older and live in the house for which the exemption is applied for.
- If the age 65 or older homeowner dies, the surviving spouse may continue to receive the local option exemption if the surviving spouse is age 55 or older at the time of death and lives in and owns the home; however, they must apply for the exemption as it will not automatically roll over to them.
Application Deadline
Application can be made immediately when the property owner qualifies, for instance, immediately upon turning 65 years of age and provides the exemption for the entire year and beyond.
4. Property Tax Deferment
The Texas Legislature recognized a number of years ago that some senior citizens, particularly those on a fixed income, may struggle to pay increasing property tax bills as their property value appreciates. As a response to this, in Texas, you can defer payment of your property tax as a senior citizen until after your pass on or you sell your home. The deferral DOES NOT EXEMPT payment of property taxes but it does allow the payments to be deferred or postponed without penalty. The deferment should not be approached lightly as there are Pros and Cons that must be considered.
Pros
- The deferment is for the life of the property owner. A surviving spouse can apply, if they meet the qualifications (below). The deferment on the property will be continued for their lifetime with the prior deferment "rolling over" to theirs. The original deferment does not need to be paid unless the spouse does not qualify or sells the property.
- The deferment is for all of the elements of the property tax - school, city and county. The property owner can make voluntary payments of any amount toward the deferred amount if they wish to but no payments are required until the owner is deceased or sells the property.
Cons
- When the owner dies the accumulated deferred taxes and interest (see below) must be paid within 180 days, unless the spouse qualifies and applies for their own deferment.
- Deferments are assessed interest at 5% compounded annually. This was established by the State Legislature several years ago when it was reduced from 8%; however, the lesson is that it can change.
- If you have an escrow account your deferments can be rejected by a mortgage lender because they represent an added, unforeseen liability to the lender.
Qualifications
To be eligible you must meet at least ONE of the following categories of exemption:
- Senior age 65+ and eligible for the 65+ exemption
- Certified disabled person
- Disabled veteran or their surviving un-remarried spouse
- Un-remarried surviving spouse of a U.S. armed services member killed in action or a first responder killed while on duty.
The deferment is applied for through your County Central Appraisal District.
Application Deadline
None, but you must be at least 65+, owner of the property and the property is your primary residence, same as qualification for Homestead Exemption.
* Not all counties work the same way. Check with your County Appraisal District for details.
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5. Disabled Exemption
The Tax Code provides a mandatory exemption to disabled property owners.
- Requires school districts to offer an additional $10,000 residence homestead exemption
- Allows any taxing unit the option to decide locally to offer a separate residence homestead exemption. This local option exemption cannot be less than $3,000.
Qualifications
- The disabled property owner must meet the definition of disabled for the purpose of receiving disability insurance benefits under the Federal Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Act
- Eligible disabled persons aged 65 or older may receive both exemptions in the same year, but not from the same taxing units.
- FAQ - Disabled Veterans Exemption
Application Deadline
Application can be made immediately when the property owner qualifies, for instance, immediately upon receiving the disability notice stating the percent of disability awarded. Contact your local (CAD) for more information on how to apply for these exemptions from different taxing districts or authorities.
6. Surviving Spouse of First Responder or Military Service Member
The Tax Code provides the following property tax exemption:
- A total property tax exemption for the residence homestead of a surviving spouse of a first responder or military service member killed or fatally injured in the line of duty
- If the surviving spouse has not remarried since the first responder’s death.
- Applies regardless of the date of the spouses’ death.
- The surviving spouse, if eligible for the exemption, may qualify a different property as a residence homestead and is entitled to the same dollar amount of the former exemption that was last received at the former homestead.
- FAQ - Surviving Spouses Exemption
Qualification
A surviving spouse, not remarried, of a fire fighter, law enforcement officer or military service member killed in the line of duty or who died from injuries received in the line of duty.
Application Deadline
Application can be made immediately when the property owner receives a notice of death from the proper authority. Annual re-application is required to maintain the exemption status.
7. Veterans Exemption
The Tax Code provides partial to full property tax exemptions for any property owned by disabled veterans, surviving spouses and children of deceased disabled veterans.
- A disabled veteran who receives 100 percent disability compensation due to a service-connected disability and a rating of 100 percent disabled or of individual unemployability to a total property tax exemption
- Extends to a surviving spouse who was married to a disabled veteran who qualified or would have qualified for this exemption if it has been in effect at the time of the veteran's death
- A partial exemption for residence homesteads donated to disabled veterans by charitable organizations that also extends to surviving spouses who have not remarried. The amount of exemption is determined according to percentage of service-connected disability.
- FAQ - 100 Percent Disabled Veterans
Qualification
- the surviving spouse has not remarried;
- the property was the residence homestead of the surviving spouse when the veteran died
- the property remains the residence homestead of the surviving spouse.
Application Deadline
Application can be made immediately when the property owner qualifies, for instance, immediately upon receiving the notice of disability. Annual re-application is required to maintain the exemption status.
The chief appraiser is also required, under Tax Code Section 11.431 to accept and approve or deny an application for the surviving spouse after the deadline for filing has passed, if the application for the exemption is filed not later than two years after the delinquency date for the taxes on the homestead.
Check with your local county appraisal district (CAD) regarding specific application forms and criteria.
8. Solar and Wind-Powered Energy Devices
The Tax Code provides an exemption for these energy saving devices installed on a qualified property owner’s property.
- The Texas State Comptrollers’ office assists local officials in the administration of the exemption for solar and wind-powered energy devices
- Application for this exemption is Form 50-123, Exemption Application for Solar or Wind-Powered Energy Devices (PDF).
- Solar and Wind-Powered Energy Device Exemption Guidelines (PDF)
Application deadline
The deadline to file for a solar and wind exemption is April 30th.
9. Charitable Organizations and Businesses
Several exemptions are available for charitable organizations and businesses. Refer to Texas Property Tax Exemptions (PDF) for more information. Most of these exemptions have specific application forms that can be found through this link or for county-specific forms at your local CAD office.
Application Deadline
Call for deadline.
COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICTS (Tax Appraisers)
Below are the local tax appraisers offices. Click the link to your local appraiser and find, download and fill out the form to apply for your exemption if you don't already have one.
To verify the status of your property tax exemption you can go to your county appraiser's website, find your property and it will list your tax exemptions. To apply for additional exemptions your county may require an in-person visit to the Appraisers' office. For guidance or to obtain specific forms and a list of necessary documents to be provided contact your county tax appraiser.
Collin County Appraisal District
250 Eldorado Pkwy | McKinney, TX 75069 | 469.742.9200
Dallas County Appraisal District
2949 North I-35E | Dallas, TX 75247 | 214.631.0910
Denton County Appraisal District
3911 Morse St. | Denton, TX 76208 | 940.349.3800
Ellis County Appraisal District
400 Ferris Avenue | Waxahachie, TX 75165 | 866.348.3552
Fannin County
831 Texas 56 | Bonham, TX 75418 | 903.583.8701
Grayson County Appraisal District
512 North Travis | Sherman, TX 78090 | 903.893.9673
Johnson County Appraisal District
109 North Main St. | Cleburne, Texas 76033 | 817.648.3000
Kaufman County Appraisal District
3950 S Houston St. | Kaufman, TX 75142 | 972.932.6081
Parker County Appraisal District
1108 Santa Fe Dr. | Weatherford, Texas 76086 | 817.596.0077
Rockwall County Appraisal District
841 Justin Road | Rockwall, TX 75087-4842 | 972.771.2034
Tarrant County Appraisal District
2500 Handley Ederville Rd. | Richland Hills, TX 76118 | 817.284.0024
