Find Any Texas County Appraisal District, Property Search, Tax Bill, Homestead, Protest and GIS Portal
Texas does not have one statewide Property Assessor or one statewide owner-and-parcel database. Local county appraisal districts determine property values, exemptions and appraisal protests, while local tax assessor-collector offices or other collecting units calculate bills, collect payments and issue receipts.
The safest statewide starting point is the Texas Comptroller’s county directory. It covers all 254 Texas counties and identifies the responsible appraisal district, tax office, chief appraiser, taxing units and local tax-information links.
2026 Appraisal Season Is Mostly Over — Tax-Rate Season Is Underway
Ordinary protests
The normal deadline for most ARB protests was May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district mailed the notice of appraised value, whichever was later.
Appraisal rolls
ARBs generally approve appraisal records by July 20; qualifying appraisal districts in counties of 1 million or more can have an August 30 extension.
Tax estimates now changing
August and September are when local no-new-revenue, voter-approval and proposed/adopted tax rates populate county property-tax transparency databases.
Best August 2026 action: find your county in the Comptroller directory, open the county’s property-tax transparency link and compare the estimated tax from each county, school district, city, MUD, hospital district or other taxing unit serving your parcel.
Missed the normal protest deadline? Some late-protest or correction remedies still exist, including certain good-cause protests, failure-to-receive-notice protests and correction motions. Eligibility is fact-specific, so contact the local appraisal district immediately.
Interactive 254-county finder
Find Your Texas County Property Appraisal & Tax Office
Type a county name below. The finder identifies its official Texas county number. Then open the Comptroller directory and select that county to reach the current appraisal district, tax assessor-collector and taxing-unit links without guessing a local website.
Select a Texas county above.
The official state directory will show the appraisal district, chief appraiser, tax assessor-collector, addresses, phones, websites and taxing units.
Texas office decoder
Who Values, Bills, Collects and Records Texas Property?
Appraisal District
Property search
Market / appraised value
Homestead exemptions
Agricultural appraisal
Property characteristics
ARB protests
Tax Assessor-Collector
Property-tax bill
Payment balance
Tax rates
Receipts
Tax certificates
Delinquent collection
Appraisal Review Board
Value protests
Exemption disputes
Special-appraisal disputes
Formal hearings
Orders determining protest
County Clerk
Deeds
Deeds of trust
Liens
Plats
Recorded instruments
Legal land records
Important Texas exception: not every elected county Tax Assessor-Collector actually collects the property taxes for every taxing unit. In some counties the appraisal district, school district, city or another consolidated tax office performs collection. Always use the Comptroller county directory to identify the correct collecting unit.
Select the county.
The county page identifies the current appraisal district and local property-search website.
Open the appraisal district property search.
Local systems may be called Property Search, Property Search & Pay, Property Records, CAD Search, BIS, True Automation, PACS, qPublic or another vendor name.
Search owner name.
Try last name first or the business/trust name appearing in local records.
Search address if the name fails.
Start with street number and street name; remove punctuation, unit numbers or suffixes if necessary.
Use account, property ID or geographic ID for the strongest match.
These identifiers are usually better than owner name when several parcels share similar names.
Open the parcel and review taxing units.
Look for county, school district, city, MUD, hospital district, emergency-services district and other units.
Move to the correct tax collector.
Use the Comptroller county page to identify who actually bills and collects taxes for those units.
Use the county clerk for title documents.
Appraisal-district ownership is useful for tax research but should not replace the recorded deed for legal title work.
Texas appraisal rules
How Texas Appraisal Districts Determine Property Value
January 1
Most taxable property is appraised at market value as of January 1.
Property Data
District identifies characteristics such as size, use, age, construction and location.
Appraisal Method
Sales-comparison, income and cost approaches can be used depending on property type.
Notice
A Notice of Appraised Value explains current value, exemptions and protest rights when legally required.
Local Tax Rate
Taxing units—not the appraisal district—adopt rates used to calculate the bill.
Texas appraisal districts must reappraise all property in their jurisdiction at least once every three years, although many large districts review market values annually.
Major 2026 Texas tax relief
Texas 2026 Residence Homestead Exemptions
$140,000 School Exemption
School districts must exempt $140,000 of a qualifying residence homestead’s appraised value.
+$60,000 Age 65 / Disabled
School districts provide an additional $60,000 exemption for qualifying age-65-or-older or disabled homeowners.
Up to 20% Local Option
Local taxing units may adopt an additional percentage homestead exemption of up to 20%, subject to the statutory minimum.
Disabled Veteran Relief
Texas provides partial and, in qualifying 100%-disabled-veteran situations, total residence-homestead exemptions.
Example: a qualifying $400,000 residence homestead subject to the mandatory $140,000 school exemption would generally have $260,000 remaining for school-tax purposes before any other applicable school exemption.
Apply with the appraisal district—not the Comptroller. The chief appraiser determines whether the property qualifies.
What if You Missed the April 30 Homestead Deadline?
The general deadline for many Texas exemption and special-appraisal applications is April 30, but the law provides important late-filing routes.
Regular residence homestead
A late application can generally be filed up to two years after the date the taxes become delinquent.
Age 65 or older
Qualifying homeowners can have special late-filing rights tied to the date they become eligible.
Disabled veteran
Certain veteran exemptions have separate late-filing periods that can extend for several years.
If you bought and began using the home as your principal residence after January 1, Texas law can allow the general homestead exemption for the qualifying portion of that tax year when the prior owner did not already receive the same exemption.
Residence homestead appraisal limitation
The Texas 10% Homestead Appraisal Cap Is Not a 10% Tax Cap
A qualifying residence homestead’s appraised value generally cannot increase more than 10% per year under the statutory formula once the limitation applies.
Market value can be higher
The CAD may show a market value above the capped appraised value.
New improvements are added
Qualifying new improvements are added outside the ordinary 10% limitation.
Taxes can change differently
Tax rates, exemptions and taxing-unit changes mean the final tax bill does not simply follow the 10% cap.
The homestead appraisal limitation generally begins January 1 of the tax year following the year the owner first qualifies the property for the residence-homestead exemption.
Special 2026 non-homestead limitation
2026 Texas 20% Circuit Breaker for Certain Non-Homestead Real Property
Tax Code Section 23.231 temporarily limits annual appraised-value increases on qualifying non-residence-homestead real property.
2026 value ceiling
The property must be valued at $5,320,000 or less to meet the 2026 maximum-value condition.
20% limitation
The capped formula uses the prior appraised value plus 20%, plus the market value of qualifying new improvements.
Temporary program
The current circuit-breaker limitation expires December 31, 2026.
Agricultural land, timberland and several other specially appraised property types are excluded from this circuit-breaker provision. Check the parcel’s classification before assuming the cap applies.
Read the Notice of Appraised Value.
Residence-homestead appraisal notices are generally mailed by April 1 or as soon thereafter as practicable; other property notices generally by May 1 or as soon thereafter as practicable when a notice is required.
Check the exact protest deadline.
Most protests are due May 15 or the 30th day after the appraisal district mails the notice, whichever is later.
File with the local Appraisal Review Board.
The protest is filed through the appraisal district/ARB, not with the Texas Comptroller.
Request the district’s evidence.
Review the appraisal records, comparable sales and other evidence before the formal hearing.
Try an informal settlement if offered.
You can still continue to the formal ARB hearing if the matter is not resolved.
Attend the ARB hearing.
Present evidence regarding value, unequal appraisal, exemption, special appraisal or another protestable action.
Read the ARB Order Determining Protest.
The order explains the result and further appeal rights.
Consider further appeal.
Depending on property and circumstances, routes can include district court, regular binding arbitration or the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
August 2026: most ordinary protest deadlines are over. Contact the CAD immediately if you missed a required notice, have good cause for a late filing or believe a statutory correction procedure applies.
Texas agricultural land is commonly appraised using productivity value rather than ordinary market value when it qualifies for special appraisal.
File with local CAD
Agricultural and special-appraisal questions belong with the appraisal district where the land is located.
April 30 general deadline
Many special-appraisal applications are due April 30.
Rollback / change-of-use risk
A change in qualifying use can create significant tax consequences depending on the applicable statute.
Do not assume acreage alone qualifies land for agricultural appraisal. Use history, degree of intensity, agricultural use and the local appraisal district’s evidence requirements.
2026 rendition rules
Texas Business Personal Property Search & Rendition
January 1
Taxable business personal property is generally identified as of January 1.
April 15
Normal rendition deadline for most business personal property.
May 15 extension
The chief appraiser must extend the deadline to May 15 after a timely written request.
$125,000 exemption
For 2026, qualifying tangible personal property used for income production with total taxable value of $125,000 or less in a taxing unit is exempt in that taxing unit.
A late required rendition can trigger a penalty equal to 10% of the taxes imposed on the property for that year. False reporting can produce substantially larger penalties.
August–September 2026
How to Find Your Actual 2026 Texas Property Tax Rate
Texas does not have one statewide property-tax rate. Your parcel’s combined rate depends on the taxing units that overlap the property.
Code / unit
Typical tax source
Why it matters
00 — County
County government
Countywide services and debt.
02 — School
Independent school district
Usually one of the largest components of a residential bill.
03 — City
Municipality
Applies when the parcel is inside city limits.
04 — MUD
Municipal utility district
Can materially change taxes in newer developments.
11 — Hospital District
Hospital district
Separate local levy where applicable.
40 — ESD
Emergency services district
Funds fire/EMS services in participating areas.
During August and September, Texas appraisal districts publish access to the Tax Code Section 26.17 property-tax database. Search your parcel there to see estimated taxes as local governments propose and adopt 2026 rates.
Never use a “Texas average property-tax rate” to predict a particular parcel’s bill. Two homes with similar values—even in the same county—can lie in different cities, school districts or special districts.
2026 taxes generally billed in fall
When Texas 2026 Property Tax Bills Arrive & When They Are Due
Appraisal date
Taxable property generally valued as of January 1.
Homestead notices
Residence-homestead notices mailed when legally required.
Most protests
May 15 or 30 days after notice, whichever is later.
Certified roll
Chief appraiser generally certifies appraisal roll to taxing units.
Tax rates
Proposed and adopted local rates populate tax-transparency databases.
Rate deadline
General statutory rate-adoption deadline or later applicable 60-day date.
Tax bills
Collectors mail bills on or about Oct. 1, or as soon thereafter as practicable.
Regular payment
Most original bills should be paid by Jan. 31 to avoid delinquency, subject to weekend/late-mail rules.
2026 assessment year vs. payment year: the bill based on your 2026 appraisal is normally mailed in fall 2026 and paid by the regular January 2027 deadline.
If an original tax bill is mailed after January 10, Texas law postpones the delinquency date so the owner receives at least 21 days to pay. Always use the delinquency date printed on the actual bill.
Penalty, interest & collection
What Happens When Texas Property Taxes Become Delinquent?
February 1 normally
Most original tax bills become delinquent February 1 when normal timing applies.
6% initial penalty
A common original certified-roll bill starts with a 6% penalty in the first delinquent month.
Penalty increases
The ordinary penalty increases by 1 percentage point for each additional delinquent month until the statutory level is reached.
Collection costs possible
Additional attorney/collection penalties can apply later in the delinquency cycle where authorized.
Failure to receive a tax bill generally does not cancel the tax, due date, lien, penalty or interest. Search the local collector’s account whenever you purchase property, change mailing addresses or expect an escrow payment.
Qualifying age-65-or-older or disabled homeowners, disabled veterans and certain disaster-affected owners can have installment or deferral options. Ask the local tax collector which provision applies before missing a deadline.
Use your parcel’s actual exemptions and rates
Texas Property Tax Calculator
Texas tax rates are commonly expressed as dollars per $100 of taxable value. Enter the appraised value, total exemptions applicable to the taxing units you are estimating and the combined tax rate.
Appraised value$0.00
Taxable value$0.00
Estimated tax$0.00
Planning only: exemptions do not necessarily apply equally to every taxing unit. For example, the mandatory $140,000 residence-homestead exemption applies to school districts. Use each taxing unit’s taxable value and adopted rate for a precise calculation.
Legal property records
Where to Search Texas Deeds, Liens, Plats and Mortgages
The appraisal district property-search page is not the final legal title record. Deeds and other recorded land instruments are generally maintained by the county clerk in the county where the property is located.
Find the parcel in the appraisal district first.
Save owner name, property/account number, situs address and legal-description clues.
Open the official county government site.
Locate County Clerk, Official Public Records, Real Property Records or Land Records.
Search grantor/grantee names.
Use known seller, buyer, trust, estate or business names.
Review the actual recorded deed.
Verify legal description, recording date and document/instrument number.
Check other relevant instruments.
Depending on the purpose, review deeds of trust, releases, liens, easements, restrictions and plats.
GIS is not a survey. An appraisal-district parcel map is useful for tax identification but should not be treated as legal proof of boundaries, acreage, easements or encroachments.
Buyer warning: never estimate a future Texas tax bill only from the seller’s current payment. Seller exemptions, appraisal caps, age-based tax ceilings, special appraisal and recently adopted rates can make the next owner’s tax situation materially different.
Texas Property Search Problems & Best Fixes
Problem
Best fix
Office
Looking for a statewide owner search
There is no single Texas statewide assessor parcel search. Start with the county directory.
Texas Comptroller directory
Do not know the county
Use the physical property address to identify the county before searching tax records.
County / address lookup
Owner search fails
Try address, account number, property ID or geographic ID.
Appraisal district
Owner appears outdated
Search the recorded deed with the county clerk, then contact the CAD if the transfer has not posted.
County Clerk + CAD
Value too high
Review appraisal evidence and check whether a timely protest or late statutory remedy remains.
CAD / ARB
Need 2026 tax rate in August
Use the county’s Tax Code 26.17 property-tax transparency database for proposed/adopted rates.
Taxing units / CAD
Cannot find the tax bill
The county tax assessor-collector may not be the collecting office. Check the Comptroller county directory.
Collector
Missed homestead deadline
Ask the CAD about the late residence-homestead filing provisions.
CAD
Tax bill already delinquent
Request a current payoff; penalty, interest and collection fees can change the amount.
Collector
Need exact boundary/title
Use the county clerk’s deed/plat records and professional survey/title work.
County Clerk / Surveyor
Texas Property Tax Assistance Division
When to Contact the Texas Comptroller
The Comptroller’s Property Tax Assistance Division provides statewide forms, manuals, law guidance, directories and taxpayer resources, but it does not have access to your local parcel’s appraisal or tax-payment account.
Use the Comptroller for
State forms, law summaries, deadlines, exemption guidance, ARB resources and county contact lookup.
Use the appraisal district for
Parcel value, exemptions, agricultural appraisal, property characteristics and protests.
Use the collector for
Actual tax balance, bill, payment options, tax certificate and receipt.
Property Tax Assistance Division information line: 512-305-9999 or 1-800-252-9121, then follow the property-tax assistance prompt.
Texas Statewide Property Tax Coverage
This statewide guide covers property located anywhere in Texas. The local appraisal district and collecting office are determined by the county and taxing units serving the parcel.
1. Is there a statewide Texas Property Assessor search?
No. Texas does not have one statewide property assessor or one statewide owner-and-parcel database. Local appraisal districts appraise property and maintain parcel records. The Texas Comptroller’s county directory is the official statewide starting point for finding the responsible appraisal district and tax office in each of Texas’s 254 counties.
2. How do I search Texas property by owner name?
Identify the county where the property is located, open that county through the Texas Comptroller property-tax county directory, then follow the appraisal district website to its property-search system. Depending on the county, you may be able to search by owner, address, account number, property ID or geographic ID.
3. Does Texas have a state property tax?
No. Texas property taxes are locally assessed and locally administered. Counties, school districts, cities, municipal utility districts, hospital districts and other local taxing units can impose property taxes under Texas law.
4. What is the Texas school homestead exemption in 2026?
School districts must provide a $140,000 general residence-homestead exemption. Qualifying homeowners who are age 65 or older or disabled receive an additional $60,000 school-district residence-homestead exemption. Other local option exemptions may also apply.
5. What is the Texas 2026 property-tax protest deadline?
For most property, the ARB protest deadline is May 15 or the 30th day after the appraisal district mails the Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. Different deadlines can apply to special situations, so the date on the local notice and applicable statute should be checked.
6. What is the 10% Texas homestead appraisal cap?
Once the statutory residence-homestead limitation applies, the appraised value generally cannot exceed the lesser of market value or the previous year’s appraised value plus 10% plus the market value of qualifying new improvements. It limits appraised value, not the tax bill itself.
7. What is the Texas 2026 non-homestead circuit breaker?
For 2026, qualifying non-residence-homestead real property valued at $5.32 million or less can receive a temporary appraisal limitation generally based on a 20% annual increase formula plus new improvements. Certain specially appraised land is excluded, and the current circuit-breaker provision expires December 31, 2026.
8. When are Texas 2026 property taxes due?
Tax collectors generally mail 2026 property-tax bills around October 1, 2026 or as soon thereafter as practicable. Most original bills should be paid by the regular January 31 deadline to avoid delinquency, subject to weekend, holiday and late-bill mailing rules. The delinquency date printed on the actual bill controls.
9. Who do I pay Texas property taxes to?
Payment goes to the local collecting office serving the property. That is often the county tax assessor-collector, but some appraisal districts, school districts, cities or consolidated tax offices collect taxes instead. Use the Texas Comptroller county directory to identify the proper collecting unit.
10. Where do I search Texas deeds and property liens?
Recorded deeds, deeds of trust, liens, plats and other land instruments are generally maintained by the county clerk where the property is located. Use the appraisal district to identify the parcel, then use the official county-clerk records system when legal ownership or recorded encumbrances matter.
Editorial verification completed August 12, 2026: official Texas Comptroller sources were reviewed for the 254-county directory, local appraisal/collection responsibilities, January 1 appraisal date, 2026 notice and protest rules, the $140,000 school homestead exemption, additional $60,000 age-65/disabled exemption, 10% homestead appraisal limitation, $5.32 million 2026 circuit-breaker threshold, rendition rules, August–September tax-rate transparency cycle, October billing and regular January payment rules.
CountyPropertyAppraiser.org is an independent informational website. It is not affiliated with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, any county appraisal district, appraisal review board, county tax assessor-collector, county clerk or local taxing unit.
Texas property values, ownership records, exemptions, appraisal caps, agricultural classifications, tax rates, payment balances, protest rights, tax-collection arrangements and online portals vary by county and can change. Use the local appraisal district and responsible collecting office for final parcel-specific information.
County Property Search, Homestead & Tax Help Toolkit
Use this free helper to find the right county office, prepare a property search, understand appraised value,
review homestead exemption steps, and organize TRIM notice or tax bill questions before using official county websites.
Built for Florida county property guides
Helps users find official resources
No fake database or approval claim
Useful after every article
Find the Correct County Office
Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Clerk, GIS, and VAB offices do different jobs. Pick your task below.
Quick rule: Property Appraiser = value, records, parcel details, exemptions. Tax Collector = bill and payment.
Clerk/Recorder = deeds and recorded documents. VAB = formal value disputes.
Official Property Search Helper
Use this when a county article tells you to search by owner, address, parcel number, folio, PCN, STRAP, or alternate key.
Search tip: If address search fails, try only the house number and main street name. Avoid typing Street, Avenue, Road,
Drive, unit numbers, or punctuation unless the official portal requires it.
Homestead Exemption Readiness Check
This helps homeowners prepare before filing through the official county Property Appraiser website.
Important: This is not an eligibility decision. The official county Property Appraiser decides approval,
required documents, late filing options, and exemption status.
TRIM Notice & Value Review Helper
Use this to organize your questions before calling the Property Appraiser or preparing an appeal.
Your preparation checklist
Value term
Simple meaning
Market value
The appraiser’s estimate of the property’s value as of the assessment date.
Assessed value
The value after limits or caps may be applied.
Exemptions
Approved reductions such as homestead or other exemptions.
Taxable value
The value used by taxing authorities after exemptions.
Property Tax Bill Direction Helper
The Property Appraiser values property, but the Tax Collector usually handles the actual bill and payment.
Florida timing reminder: Many Florida tax bills are mailed around November and become delinquent if unpaid after March 31.
Always verify exact dates, discounts, and payment fees with the official county Tax Collector.
County Office Call Script Generator
Generate a simple call or email script so you can ask the right office the right question.