Harris County Homeowners: How to Protest Property Appraisal Values by May 15th

Understanding Property Tax Protests

• 📌 The Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and HCAD are providing information on protesting property appraisal values.
• ⏰ The deadline to protest is May 15th, or 30 days after the value notice was mailed, whichever is later.
• 💡 The protest process through HCAD is free and available to all homeowners who believe their assessed property value is inaccurate or unfair.

Filing Your Protest with HCAD

• 💻 Homeowners can protest electronically using HCAD's iFile system, which requires a personal confidential iFile number from the value notice.
• 📄 Alternatively, a hard copy protest form can be downloaded from hcad.org or obtained at their office.
• 🤝 HCAD has settled over half a million protests annually in recent years, offering options for easy and efficient resolution.

Settlement and Hearing Process

• 📧 Through iFile, homeowners can use the iSettle system to review evidence and receive settlement offers electronically.
• ⚖️ If a settlement is not reached electronically, the case will be scheduled for a hearing before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB), an independent panel of citizens.
• 🌐 Informal meetings with an appraiser can be conducted in person or remotely via WebEx, with settlement offers available if an agreement is reached.

Preparing Your Appeal

• 🏠 To lower a property appraisal, homeowners can submit evidence of repairs needed, such as estimates for roof replacement or foundation repair.
• 📈 Contacting a real estate agent can provide comparable sales data (comps) from the neighborhood to support a lower valuation.
• ✅ Homestead status reduces tax liability but does not directly affect the property's appraised value; homeowners should ensure they are receiving all eligible exemptions (e.g., general homestead, over 65, disability, veteran).

Resources and Workshops

• 🌐 Homeowners can find a full schedule of free property tax workshops hosted by the Harris County Tax Office and HCAD at hctax.net.
• 📞 For more information, residents can call the Harris County Tax Office at 713-274-8000 or email [email protected].
• 🗣️ Information and resources are also available in Spanish.