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Frequently Asked Questions

OWNERSHIP

Is HCAD notified by the title company when I purchase a new property?

  • Not in most cases. HCAD receives property transaction reports for deeds that have been filed at the County Clerk’s office. When you purchase property in Harris County you should always submit form 25.25(b)RP, “Request to Correct Name or Address on a Real Property Account,” and include documentation for evidence of title, such as a copy of the recorded deed, signed closing settlement statement or probated will.

Where can I get my deed?

  • Contact the Harris County Clerk’s office at (713) 274-8600 for a copy of your deed.

Do I need an attorney to change the owner name listed on a deed or to obtain an Affidavit of Heirship?

  • We cannot give legal advice. A property tax attorney can answer your questions concerning heirship or making changes to an existing deed. You may also contact Lone Star Legal Aid at www.lonestarlegal.org or the Earl Carl Institute for Legal & Social Policy Inc. at www.tsulaw.edu/centers/ECI for free assistance with these issues.

How do I submit a name or mailing address change request?

  • Fill out form 25.25(b)RP, “Request to Correct Name or Address on a Real Property Account,” on our website at FORMS > POPULAR FORMS, and send it to the address in the upper left of the form or submit it electronically. If you are requesting a change in ownership, please include evidence of title, such as a copy of the recorded deed, signed closing statement or probated will.


EXEMPTIONS

How do I qualify for a residential homestead exemption?

  • You must own and occupy the property as your primary residence and provide a valid Texas driver's license or ID card with a matching address.


How do I apply for a general homestead exemption or the over 65 exemption?

  • The same form, 11.13, is used to apply for a general residential homestead, the over-65, disability, 100% disabled veteran and the surviving spouse exemption. The form can either be mailed in or dropped off at our office at 13013 Northwest Freeway, or electronically submitted.
  • Fill out form 11.13, “Application for Residence Homestead Exemption,” on our website at FORMS > POPULAR FORMS, generally steps 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6.
  • Using the HCAD MOBILE APP to apply for the homestead or over 65 exemptions is as simple as taking a picture of the front and back of your Texas driver’s license. Go to www.hcad.org > ONLINE SERVICES > HOMESTEAD to find more information and further instructions. To use the mobile app successfully, the name and address listed on your driver’s license must match the name and property address listed on your account.

What do I need to include with the application?

  • You must provide a copy of your Texas driver’s license or state issued ID with the same property address of the account for which you are applying. You can submit the temporary paper license with the application when you have updated your license address.
  • If the property is not listed in your name, include a copy of your deed with the application.

Where do I find information on exemptions and property taxes for older or disabled homeowners?

  • The information sheet titled “Appraisals, Exemptions, & Property Taxes for Older or Disabled Homeowners” on our website under FORMS > ALL FORMS > RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION contains specific exemption qualification and deadline information.


Am I exempt from paying taxes if I am over-65 years of age?

  • No. Reaching age 65 does not automatically exempt you from paying property taxes. You must apply and qualify for the over-65 exemption. The exemption can put a ceiling on your school taxes. In addition, depending upon the value of your property and the jurisdictions in which it is located, you may still owe some property tax.

How do I submit my exemption application to you?

  • You can send your application by mail with a copy of your driver’s license, bring it to our third floor customer service counter at 13013 Northwest Freeway, or submit it electronically if completed online.



PROTESTS

When is the protest deadline?

  • The protest deadline is May 15, unless it falls on a weekend or holiday, in which case the deadline would be the next business day. You can file until May 15, or 30 days after the date your notice of appraised value was mailed, whichever is the later date.
  • If the appraisal district does not mail a required notice of appraisal value on or before April 15th, the protest deadline will be 30 days after the date printed on the notice of appraised value.

How do I file a protest?

  • The easiest way is to file the protest online through your owner’s account using HCAD’s Electronic Filing and Notice System. Once you’ve signed up, you can submit your protest electronically, have access to iSettle and receive all your communications from HCAD electronically. Your iFile number is automatically linked to your account.
  • Fill out form 50-132, Property Appraisal – Notice of Protest, under FORMS > POPULAR FORMS on our website.
  • You may file a paper protest by mail, drop a paper protest off at our office at 13013 Northwest Freeway or file an online protest.
  • If you file by mail, you must make sure the protest is postmarked by the U. S. Postal Service on or before the protest deadline for your account or sent in a way that you are able to retain a receipt as proof that the protest was mailed on or before the deadline date.
  • If you plan to drop off the protest at our office, you must do it during office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We do not have a drop box for you to leave your protest after our normal business hours.
  • You can also file the protest online by using the iFile number printed on the notice of appraised value.

Where do I get my iFile number?

  • Your iFile number is printed in the upper right of the notice of appraised value. You can also use the HCAD mobile app to retrieve your iFile number using your driver’s license, but your license must have the same address as the address on your account.
  • If your account has not been “noticed” yet, there will not be an iFile number available. When the notice has been generated, your account will say “Noticed” with the Notice Date, and value displayed in the Value Status Information section for your account on the HCAD website.
  • The iFile number for any property other than your primary residence must be obtained through a public information request.

I created an online owner user account to file my protest and have forgotten my password or user ID. What do I do?

  • When you sign in to the electronic filing and notice system, there is a link you can access to retrieve a forgotten user ID or password. An email will be sent to the email address associated with your online user account. To update personal data/change user settings/add or remove an account, sign-in and go to “User Settings” in the top-right corner.
  • Once you have signed in to your online owner user account, click on “Help” in the top right, and you will find frequently asked questions as well as an instructional video for online filing.


Where can I find additional information about iFile and iSettle once I have created my online owner user account?

  • Once you have signed in to your online owner user account, click on “Help” in the top right, and you will find frequently asked questions as well as an instructional video for online filing.

Can I file a protest after the deadline?

  • If you missed the protest deadline, you have missed your opportunity to protest for that year. If you can show you had good cause for missing the deadline, you can submit a paper protest together with a statement of good cause that will be sent to the Appraisal Review Board. The ARB will determine whether your protest will be accepted as a late protest.

Why does the system say my account is linked to another user?

  • If you are a new property owner, the prior owner may have created an online owner account that is still associated with the property. The account number needs to be deleted from their online owner account, for you to go in and create your own.
  • The property may only be associated to one online owner account and one email address. Sometimes a property owner may not recall they or their spouse already created a user account, or a prior company employee no longer there created it. There could be several reasons, so to have it corrected, you would contact us for assistance.

Can I file a protest if I just bought this house?

  • First, it depends what time of year you purchased, and where the account is in the property tax process. The January 1 owner is sent the notice of appraised value. If it is early in the year, the ownership can be changed, and new owner receive the notice. However, if it is later in the year, the January 1 owner or a taxing agent may have already filed a protest for the year on the account, and may or may not have settled the market value. If the protest is still active, you may attend the informal meeting or ARB formal hearing as the new owner. We usually begin certifying the values to the tax offices mid-August throughout the fall. Once the protest deadline has passed or the account certified, the protest option is unavailable. Upon purchase of your home, you would submit the form request to update ownership information, and contact us to see where the account is in the protest process.

My account is locked. I sent an email but I haven’t received a response yet. What should I do?

  • During some seasons of the year, we have high volume of incoming calls and emails which may delay assistance. Once your account is locked, the system is set up that after 30 minutes all locked accounts will unlock.

How long does the iSettle process take?

  • We provide a response as quickly as possible but it depends on how many requests we have.

How long is an informal meeting with an appraiser and an ARB hearing?

  • Both go quickly – generally 15 minutes or less. The meeting with an appraiser is more relaxed and offers more opportunity for presenting your information and asking questions. Although the actual meeting/hearing time is 15 minutes, it is suggested to allow two hours between signing in and the actual start of the meeting/hearing.

TAX PAYMENTS

How much are my taxes?

  • The appraisal district does not assess or collect property taxes. You need to contact the appropriate taxing jurisdictions for questions concerning the amount of your taxes and tax payments or refunds.

I need a copy of my tax bill or payment receipt?

  • The appraisal district is a separate entity from the tax offices. As a courtesy, when the tax offices generate the bills, they are uploaded to our system. If you click on the blue tax office name listed, you will be directed to their website to obtain contact information.


What if my account certifies late, and it is past the January 31 tax payment due date?

  • Accounts that certify late beyond the normal January 31 payment deadline, will receive a 21-day extension due date from the date of the bills to pay.

Are there any tax payment plans?

  • Yes, but you need to contact the tax offices directly for their payment plan options.

 

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