Find the deadline on your notice.
Read the notice of appraised value and record its protest deadline immediately. For an ordinary mailed appraisal notice, the usual protest deadline is May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district mails the notice, whichever is later. Use the deadline on your notice or account; do not count from when you receive or open the letter. Special notices, weekends and holidays can affect the date.
Use your own notice.
Do not copy a neighbour’s deadline or assume that every property in Harris County has the same date. If the date has passed, ask HCAD about the limited remedies that may still apply.
Official source: Texas property tax calendar ↗
Be specific about what is wrong.
Property facts
Check floor area, condition, features and other details in the appraisal record.
Market value
Prepare relevant sales evidence and explain how comparable properties differ from yours.
Unequal appraisal
Compare appropriate appraisal records and explain the differences and adjustments.
Choose the protest grounds that actually apply to your case. A complaint that the bill is unaffordable does not itself establish that the appraisal is wrong. Exemption disputes and other issues may have different evidence needs.
Official source: Protest grounds and procedures ↗
Build a small, organised evidence pack.
Lead with the issue, the value or correction you are requesting, and the evidence supporting it. Label each photograph and document so the appraiser or review board can follow your argument.
- Appraisal notice and property account number.
- A short statement of your protest grounds and requested outcome.
- Comparable sales or appraisal records, with relevant differences explained.
- Dated photographs of condition issues relevant to the appraisal date.
- Repair estimates or other documents supporting those issues.
- A copy of the appraisal district’s evidence and your notes on it.
Keep the original documents. Follow the current hearing instructions for submitting copies and meeting evidence deadlines. This checklist is an organisation aid, not a guarantee of a reduction.
Know where you are in the process.
File
Use HCAD’s official protest system or the filing method in your notice. Keep the confirmation.
Review
Monitor the account and messages. iSettle lets participating owners review and respond to settlement offers.
Hearing
If unresolved, follow the Appraisal Review Board hearing notice and present your evidence.
Do not assume a discussion or pending settlement replaces the requirement to file on time. Read the effect of accepting an offer before you agree to it.
Official source: HCAD protest filing ↗
Official source: HCAD electronic filing and settlement help ↗
Keep the decision and check the next step.
Save any settlement or written ARB order. If you disagree with an ARB decision, further appeal routes may be available, with specific eligibility rules, fees and deadlines. Read the instructions supplied with the order promptly.
Continue tracking tax-payment obligations while the dispute is underway. A protest is not a general permission to ignore the bill.
Official source: Appeals after an ARB decision ↗