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Harris County, TX · 2026

How to protest your Harris County property taxes

✓ Verified August 2026 against official county pages — 3 sources linked below.

2026 protest deadline May 18, 2026 The later of May 15 or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value is delivered Extended this year

HCAD mailed 2026 notices on April 17, putting the 30-day deadline at May 17 — a Sunday — so the 2026 protest deadline moved to Monday, May 18. The 2026 window has now closed; the 2027 season opens when notices mail next April.

Your protest is decided by the Harris County Appraisal Review Board, filed through Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD). Filing is free. Harris County is the largest protest market in Texas — filing is free and hundreds of thousands of owners protest every year. You don't need a lawyer or an agent to file — homeowners do this themselves every year.

Step by step

  1. Watch for your Notice of Appraised Value in April HCAD mails notices in spring — 2026 notices went out April 17. Your protest deadline is the later of May 15 or 30 days after delivery.
  2. File online with HCAD's iFile File Form 50-132 through HCAD's online portal (the number on your notice), by mail, or in person. Filing is free.
  3. Consider iSettle HCAD's online settlement system lets you submit your opinion of value and evidence — many residential protests resolve here without a hearing.
  4. Take the informal meeting Before the formal hearing you can meet with an HCAD appraiser. Bring comparable sales, photos, and repair estimates.
  5. Present to the Appraisal Review Board You get at least 15 days' notice; appear in person, by phone or video, or by affidavit. You and HCAD each present evidence.
  6. If you disagree with the ARB Homestead owners can take binding arbitration, or file in district court within 60 days.

File online: Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) online filing · Paper form: Form 50-132

Missed this year's deadline?

If May 18, 2026 has passed, you generally cannot protest your 2026 value — but next year's window is a fresh start. Watch your mailbox around April for the Notice of Appraised Value (2026 notices mailed April 17) and file early. Meanwhile, make sure you're not overpaying for a simpler reason: check your Harris County exemptions.

Rates, due dates, and the calculator for this county: Harris County, TX property taxes (2026).

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from an official page. Check them yourself: