- File a written protest. The Texas State Comptroller has many forms available for property tax information and appeals. Some of the forms are are available here such as a blank protest form. We have a "Fill-in-the-Blank" form here for Tarrant County. A notice of protest is sufficient if it identifies the owner, the property that is the subject of the protest, and indicates that you are dissatisfied with a decision made by the appraisal district.
- File your notice of protest by May 31 or no later than 30 days after the appraisal district delivers a notice of appraised value to you, whichever date is later.
The real truth is this: If you do not try to reduce the value, you WILL PAY THE HIGHER TAXES. The worst case is you tried, but the ARB says the CAD value should not be changed.
If your protest is late because the chief appraiser or ARB failed to mail your notice of appraised value or denial of exemption or agricultural appraisal, you may still be able to file a protest. There are strict rules that apply to late filing. Start by reading the Comptroller's Taxpayer Rights and Remedies. Make sure a late protest is filed before the taxes on your property become delinquent. Sometimes, you must pay some current taxes before the delinquency date to be entitled to this type of hearing.
In some cases, you may file with the ARB to correct an error even after these deadlines. Contact your appraisal district office if you have questions about clerical errors, substantial value errors, double taxation, or other areas.
What type of protest should you file? Since our site helps you determine market value, a protest of Value Over Market is suggested. There are many other types of protest available beyond the scope of this site. We suggest that if your protest is complex, contact a property tax agent or,
at their web site here.