Texas property-tax protest timing is simple until it is not.
The deadline most homeowners hear is May 15. That is real, but it is not the whole rule. The Texas Comptroller says that in most cases the protest deadline is **May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district mails the notice of appraised value, whichever is later**.
That second part matters. If the notice arrives late, or if the homeowner does not realize the clock started from the mailed notice date, the protest window can feel blurrier than it should.
Start with the document
Texas homeowners should first ask: what did I receive?
An appraisal notice is not the same thing as a tax bill. The appraisal notice is about value. The tax bill comes later and reflects value, exemptions, tax rates, and local budgets.
If the appraisal district increased the appraised value from the prior year, the Comptroller says the district generally must send a notice of appraised value by May 1, or by April 1 if the property is a residence homestead, or as soon as practical after that.
What to do before the deadline
Do not spend the first week debating whether protesting is awkward. Spend it checking the basics:
- Is the property address and account number correct?
- Did the appraisal district mail a notice?
- What is the protest deadline printed on the notice?
- Did the market value jump?
- Is the homestead exemption showing correctly?
- Are you protesting market value, unequal appraisal, record errors, or something else?
The deadline is not the evidence strategy
Filing a protest keeps the door open. It does not build the case by itself.
The Texas ARB process still expects homeowners to show evidence. That can include photos, repair estimates, closing documents, sale information, comparable-property evidence, and other facts that speak to the property value.
The practical move is to file before the deadline if you intend to preserve the protest right, then organize the evidence before the informal meeting or ARB hearing.
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Censum note
Censum is publishing Texas property-tax explainers as state-level education. Texas homeowners should verify deadlines with their county appraisal district before filing.