One date stands between you and a lower tax bill
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Texas homeowners miss their property tax protest deadline. They receive their Notice of Appraised Value, see that their home's assessed value went up, intend to do something about it — and then May 15 passes. Once it does, their right to protest is gone for the entire tax year. No exceptions, no extensions, no second chances (with very limited late-filing provisions that are not guaranteed).
The Texas property tax protest deadline is not complicated. But it has a nuance that trips people up every year: the deadline is not always May 15. Understanding that nuance can be the difference between filing on time and losing your protest rights entirely.
This guide covers the statutory deadline, the county-by-county timeline for 2026, the late-filing rules you should know about but never rely on, and a month-by-month action plan so you are ready before your NOAV even arrives. Whether you own property in Harris County, Dallas County, or any other jurisdiction in Texas, the dates in this guide apply to you.
The statutory deadline: May 15 — with a critical exception
Under Texas Tax Code Section 41.44, the deadline to file a property tax protest is May 15 or 30 days after the date your Notice of Appraised Value is mailed, whichever is later.
Read that again. Whichever is later. This is the part most people miss.
Why this matters
If your county mails NOAVs on April 10, your deadline is May 15 (because May 15 is later than 30 days from April 10, which would be May 10).
But if your NOAV is mailed on April 25, your deadline is May 25 — not May 15 — because 30 days from April 25 is later than May 15.
Always check the date printed on your Notice of Appraised Value. That date starts the 30-day clock.
For most Texas homeowners in the major counties, the practical deadline is May 15. NOAVs typically mail in mid-April, well within the window where May 15 applies. But if you receive your notice late — which happens with late-mailing counties or properties that required additional review — you may have more time than you think.
The safe approach: file as soon as you receive your NOAV. Do not wait for the deadline. Filing early gives you better hearing scheduling options and removes any risk of missing the cutoff.
County-by-county 2026 filing calendar
The protest process is the same across Texas, but each county has its own appraisal district, its own filing system, and its own NOAV mailing schedule. Here are the major counties and their 2026 details.
| County | Appraisal District | NOAVs Mail | Filing System | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | HCAD | Mid-April | iFile Online | May 15* |
| Dallas | DCAD | Mid-April | uFile Online | May 15* |
| Tarrant | TAD | Mid-April | iFile Online | May 15* |
| Bexar | BCAD | Mid-April | BCAD Portal | May 15* |
| Travis | TCAD | Mid-April | TCAD Online | May 15* |
| Collin | CCAD | Mid-April | iFile Online | May 15* |
| Denton | DCAD (Denton) | Mid-April | Online Protest | May 15* |
| Fort Bend | FBCAD | Mid-April | iFile Online | May 15* |
| Williamson | WCAD | Mid-April | iFile Online | May 15* |
| Brazoria | BCAD (Brazoria) | Mid-April | Online Protest | May 15* |
*Or 30 days after your NOAV is mailed, whichever is later. The date on your notice controls.
Every major Texas county offers an online filing system. There is no reason to file by mail in 2026. Online filing is instant, gives you a confirmation number, and eliminates any risk of postal delays causing you to miss the deadline. For county-specific filing instructions, see our Harris County guide and Dallas County guide.
What to do when your NOAV arrives
The Notice of Appraised Value is the official document from your county appraisal district that tells you what they believe your property is worth. It is not a tax bill — it is the starting point for calculating your taxes. When it arrives, usually in mid-April, here is exactly what to look at.
Check the mailing date
This is printed on the notice and starts your 30-day clock. If the mailing date is April 16 or later, your deadline extends beyond May 15. Write this date down and calculate your personal deadline immediately.
Compare market value to last year
Your NOAV shows both the current year's appraised market value and the prior year's value. A large increase is worth investigating. But even a small increase — or a stable value — may still mean you are over-assessed relative to comparable properties. For more on reading your NOAV, see our NOAV explainer.
Look at assessed value versus market value
If your assessed value is significantly lower than your market value, you have a cap-gap — the homestead cap is still protecting you. Protesting may reduce your market value on paper but will not change your current tax bill until the gap closes. If the two values are equal, protesting can directly reduce what you pay.
Verify the property details
Check the square footage, number of bedrooms, year built, and any noted improvements. Appraisal districts make data errors — wrong square footage, extra bedrooms that do not exist, or improvements you never made. If anything is wrong, that alone is grounds for a protest and correction.
The NOAV contains three values that confuse most people: market value, assessed value, and taxable value. They are not the same thing. Our complete NOAV guide explains each one and how they relate to your actual tax bill.
Do not wait for your NOAV to check your property
Your current appraised value is already public. Our free tool checks it against comparable properties and tells you if a protest is worth filing.
Check Your Property FreeLate filing rules: What Texas law actually says
If you are reading this after the deadline, here is what you need to know. Texas Tax Code Section 41.44(b) does allow late filing under specific, narrow conditions. But the word "allows" is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence.
When late filing may be accepted
Good cause shown to the ARB
If you can demonstrate a legitimate reason you missed the deadline — medical emergency, military deployment, natural disaster, or other circumstances beyond your control — the Appraisal Review Board may accept a late filing. "I forgot" or "I was busy" typically does not qualify as good cause.
Change in use or new improvements
If your property underwent a change in use, had new improvements added, or there was a clerical error in the appraisal records that was not discoverable before the deadline, late filing may be permitted. This applies to situations where the basis for protest did not exist or was not knowable before the deadline passed.
County leniency varies
Some counties are more lenient with late filings than others. Larger counties with higher protest volumes tend to be stricter. Smaller counties may have more flexibility. But no county is required to accept late filings, and you should never plan around this as a strategy.
The bottom line on late filing
Late filing is an emergency provision, not a strategy. Approval is at the discretion of the ARB, and rejection means you have no recourse until the following year. If your deadline has not passed yet, file today. If it has, submit a late filing with documentation of your good cause, but understand that the outcome is uncertain.
The best way to avoid this situation entirely is to file the moment your NOAV arrives. There is no benefit to waiting. Filing early does not weaken your case, does not change the hearing process, and does not affect your evidence. It only removes risk.
What to do right now — before NOAVs even mail
If you are reading this before mid-April, you are ahead of schedule. Use this time to prepare so that when your NOAV arrives, you can file and submit evidence the same day. Here is what to do now.
Check your current appraised value online
Every Texas county appraisal district publishes property records online. Go to your county's website (HCAD for Harris, DCAD for Dallas, TAD for Tarrant, etc.) and look up your property. Your current appraised value, assessed value, and property details are all available now. You do not need to wait for the NOAV.
Start gathering comparable properties
Look at properties in your neighborhood with similar square footage, age, and condition. Calculate their per-square-foot assessed value. If your property is assessed higher per square foot than most of your neighbors, you have the beginning of an unequal appraisal argument. Our evidence preparation guide walks you through this step by step.
Review last year's NOAV
If you still have last year's Notice of Appraised Value, compare it to the current online records. Look at how your market value, assessed value, and taxable value have changed. This gives you context for what to expect when the 2026 notice arrives.
Understand your cap-gap
If you have a homestead exemption, check whether there is a gap between your market value and your assessed value. If the gap is large, protesting will not affect your current tax bill. If the gap is zero, a successful protest translates directly to tax savings. Our cap-gap guide explains this in detail with real examples.
Use our free property check tool
Enter your address at our homepage and get an instant assessment of whether your property appears over-appraised. It compares your value to neighborhood data and flags properties where the numbers suggest a protest is worth filing. Free, no signup required.
Your 2026 property tax calendar
Here is the full timeline from preparation to resolution. Bookmark this page and check back as each milestone approaches.
February – March: Research and preparation
Look up your property value online. Review comparable properties in your area. Understand the cap-gap and whether it applies to you. Use our decision framework to evaluate whether protesting makes financial sense. This is the best time to prepare because there is no deadline pressure yet.
Use our 30-minute protest checklist as your preparation roadmap.
Mid-April: NOAVs arrive
Open your notice the day it arrives. Check the mailing date, compare the new appraised value to last year, verify the property details, and calculate your deadline. If the value looks high, file your protest that same week. Do not set it aside and forget.
Late April: File your protest online
Use your county's online filing system. Harris County uses iFile, Dallas County uses uFile, and most other counties have their own portals. Filing takes under 10 minutes. Evidence can be uploaded at filing or submitted later before your hearing. Do not wait until May 15.
May 15: Statutory protest deadline
The final day to file for most properties. If you have not filed yet, do it today. If your NOAV was mailed after April 15, check whether the 30-day rule gives you additional time. But do not count on it — file now.
May – June: Informal hearings
Your county schedules an informal hearing where you meet with an appraiser one-on-one. Bring your evidence — comparable properties, per-square-foot calculations, photos of any condition issues. Many cases are resolved here. If you receive a satisfactory offer, you can accept and you are done. If not, you proceed to the ARB.
July – September: ARB hearings
The Appraisal Review Board is a panel of citizens who hear your case and the appraisal district's case, then issue a decision. ARB hearings are more formal than informal meetings but still accessible to homeowners without professional representation. The decision is binding unless you pursue further legal remedies.
October and beyond: Reductions reflected
If your protest was successful, your new appraised value is certified and your fall tax bill reflects the reduction. The savings are automatic — you do not need to take any additional action. Your new value also becomes the baseline for future years, which can compound savings over time.
Why filing early is always the right move
There is a common misconception that filing close to the deadline gives you some kind of advantage — as if the appraisal district will take you more seriously or be more willing to negotiate. This is false. The timing of your filing has no effect on the strength of your case or the district's willingness to settle.
What early filing does give you is practical advantages. Counties schedule hearings in the order protests are received. Filing in late April means you get first pick of hearing times. Filing on May 15 means you get whatever is left, which often means longer wait times and less convenient scheduling.
Early filing also eliminates risk. Life happens. Emergencies come up. Mail gets delayed. If you intend to file on the last day and something prevents it, you are out of luck for the entire year. Filing the week your NOAV arrives means the deadline becomes irrelevant.
Read the full Texas property tax protest guide for a complete overview of the process, or use our free guides library to prepare your evidence and hearing strategy.
Do not let the deadline pass you by
The Texas property tax protest system is designed to be accessible to every property owner. The filing is free, the online systems are straightforward, and the process is well-defined. The only thing the system cannot forgive is being late.
Mark May 15, 2026 on your calendar right now. Better yet, set a reminder for mid-April when NOAVs start arriving. And best of all, start preparing today so you can file and submit evidence the moment your notice hits your mailbox.
If you want to know right now whether your property is worth protesting, check your address for free. Our tool compares your current appraised value against comparable properties in your area and gives you an instant assessment. No signup, no cost, no obligation. Just data. You can also review our county-specific guides for Harris County, Dallas County, and success rates by county.