Cameron Property Tax: CAD Rates, Exemptions & Appeal (2026)

For the 2026 tax year, Cameron County homeowners generally had to file a written protest by May 15, 2026, or 30 days after the Notice of Appraised Value was mailed, whichever was later. File with the Cameron Appraisal Review Board / Cameron Appraisal District online through the Prodigy portal, by mail to P.O. Box 1010, San Benito, TX 78586, by email/fax, or in person at 2021 Amistad Drive, San Benito, TX 78586. Because today is after the 2026 deadline, the next regular statewide deadline would be May 17, 2027 if Cameron CAD follows the same rule and May 15, 2027 falls on a Saturday; a later notice can still create a later 30-day deadline. (cameroncad.org)

How assessments work in Cameron County

Cameron Appraisal District, usually searched as Cameron CAD, sets the taxable property values; the county tax office collects the bills. CAD says the market value on your notice is its estimate of what the property is worth compared with similar open-market sales as of January 1, while the taxable value is the value after caps and exemptions used by each taxing unit. (cameroncad.org)

Cameron CAD is not on a once-a-decade reassessment system. Its adopted reappraisal plan says it reappraises all property at least once every three years, and the 2026 planned real-estate reappraisal areas were Harlingen ISD and Point Isabel ISD. The 2026 calendar shows Notices of Appraised Value on April 6, 2026, exemption applications due April 30, 2026, and ARB Notices of Protest due May 15, 2026. (cameroncad.org)

Three numbers matter on the notice. Market value is the CAD’s opinion of the January 1 value. Net appraised value can be lower because of the residence-homestead 10% cap or the temporary circuit-breaker limitation. Taxable value is after exemptions and is multiplied by the rates of the county, school district, city, college, drainage, MUD or other units that tax your account. (cameroncad.org)

For 2026, Cameron County’s own adopted county rate is 0.424393 per $100 of taxable value. Your total bill is usually much higher because it also includes school, city and special-district rates; the county’s Truth in Taxation table lists each taxing unit separately and says each unit is responsible for its own rate. (cameroncountytx.gov)

Whether you should appeal

Appeal if the CAD’s January 1 market value is higher than a recent arm’s-length purchase, lower comparable sales, or the real condition of your home supports. Also appeal if your property is unequally appraised compared with similar Cameron County homes, if an exemption was denied or modified, if the property description is wrong, or if a special appraisal or circuit-breaker limitation was denied. Those are all protest reasons Cameron CAD lists. (cameroncad.org)

A common local trap: the 10% homestead cap does not mean your market value cannot rise more than 10%. Cameron CAD says the limitation takes effect only after the homestead exemption has been in place for a year; it does not apply to new improvements, and it is removed when ownership changes. If your capped value already controls your tax bill, still check the market value—CAD specifically says to protest market value if you disagree, even when you agree with the capped value. (cameroncad.org)

Cameron CAD and the Texas Comptroller publish process rules, but I did not find an official Cameron CAD or Comptroller source publishing homeowner protest success rates or median reductions for Cameron County. Do not rely on private protest-company marketing statistics as county results.

Worked example: suppose your 2026 taxable value is reduced by $30,000 at informal settlement or ARB. Using the county’s actual 2026 rate of 0.424393 per $100, the county-only savings are $30,000 ÷ 100 × 0.424393 = $127.32. If the same reduction also applies to your school, city and other units, the total savings can be much larger; use your notice’s taxing-unit list and multiply the reduction by each rate.

Step-by-step how to file

1. Find the notice and deadline. For most 2026 Cameron County homeowners, the notice mailing began April 6 and the protest deadline was May 15. If your notice was mailed later, use the later date: 30 days after the notice date. (cameroncad.org)

2. Use the right form. The official statewide form is Form 50-132, Property Owner’s Notice of Protest. Cameron CAD also says an official form is not required if the writing identifies the owner, the property and dissatisfaction with a CAD action. If someone represents you, use Form 50-162, Appointment of Agent for Property Tax Matters. (comptroller.texas.gov)

3. Choose every protest reason that fits. For a home, the usual boxes are incorrect appraised/market value and unequal appraisal. Add exemption denial, incorrect property description, or circuit-breaker limitation only if those are real issues.

4. File by one of Cameron CAD’s accepted methods. Online: use the public portal at https://cameron.prodigycad.com/public-portal/sign-in; the notice PIN and owner ID let you create the account, file the protest, upload evidence, see CAD’s evidence and accept or decline offers. Mail: Cameron Appraisal District, P.O. Box 1010, San Benito, TX 78586. In person/drop box: 2021 Amistad Drive, San Benito, TX 78586. Cameron CAD’s FAQ also says written protests may be faxed to 956-399-6969 or emailed to protest@cameroncad.org. (cameroncad.org)

5. Fees. Cameron CAD’s protest materials do not list a filing fee for a property-owner protest. The filing itself is normally free; fees/deposits arise only if you later pursue certain post-ARB appeal options such as SOAH or binding arbitration. (comptroller.texas.gov)

6. Upload evidence early. Use the settlement statement from a recent purchase, dated photos of damage, contractor bids, floor-area corrections, maps, and comparable sales or assessments. For 2026 formal hearings, Cameron CAD required evidence at least 3 days before the scheduled formal hearing and limited pictures to 10 photographs. (cameroncad.org)

What happens after

After filing, you may get an informal review with a CAD appraiser. In 2026, walk-in informals ran April 13 through May 18 on a first-come basis; requested informal hearings were by telephone only, and agents could request video. Only one informal per account was allowed. If you accept an appraiser’s offer, the protest is settled; if not, you proceed to the formal ARB hearing. (cameroncad.org)

The appeal authority is the Appraisal Review Board of Cameron County, also called the Cameron ARB or Cameron Appraisal Review Board. It is separate from the appraisal office; Cameron CAD describes it as a citizen board that sits in panels of one, three, or the whole board to hear testimony and review evidence. (cameroncad.org)

A formal Cameron ARB hearing is short. Cameron CAD says hearings last 15 minutes. You and the CAD representative present evidence and answer questions from the ARB panel; the panel then makes a decision. For 2026, formal hearings began May 18, 2026 and could be attended by phone, virtual hearing, or in person at the San Benito office. (cameroncad.org)

If you do not want an oral hearing, use Form 50-283, Property Owner’s Affidavit of Evidence. Cameron CAD requires the affidavit to be notarized and submitted at least three days before the hearing for non-appearance/remote evidence use. (cameroncad.org)

After the ARB rules, Cameron CAD says Board Orders are mailed soon thereafter by certified mail; the Comptroller says ARB orders may be delivered by email or certified mail. If you disagree, you may appeal by district court, regular binding arbitration if eligible, and in some cases SOAH; district-court petitions are due within 60 days of receiving the written order. (cameroncad.org)

Local tips

Check exemptions before you protest. Cameron CAD’s walkthrough says the current state-mandated residence homestead exemption amount is $140,000. Also check over-65, disabled person, disabled veteran, surviving spouse, agricultural appraisal, Freeport and other exemptions; Cameron CAD’s 2026 calendar listed exemption and agricultural applications due April 30, 2026. (cameroncad.org)

If you are over 65, disabled, a disabled veteran, or a surviving spouse with a qualifying homestead, the Cameron County Tax Office notes you may be eligible for the quarter-payment installment option. That does not reduce value, but it can help cash flow after the bill is issued. (cameroncountytx.gov)

Finally, remember that a protest is about value and exemptions, not whether taxes feel high. The ARB cannot lower rates; rates are adopted by the county, cities, schools and other local governments. Bring evidence that changes the January 1 value or proves unequal appraisal, because that is what the Cameron ARB can act on.

Cameron County Property Tax Rate

Cameron County adopted 2026 property tax rate: $0.424393 per $100 of taxable value (county taxing unit only; a property's total bill may include school, city, drainage, navigation, and other taxing units). The county's 2026 tax notice shows an average residence homestead taxable value of $165,658 and tax on the average homestead of $703.04 at the $0.424393 per $100 rate.

Source: https://www.cameroncountytx.gov/truth-in-taxation-summary-table/

When Are Property Taxes Due in Cameron County?

Property tax statements are mailed in October and taxes are due by January 31 of the year following the year the tax statements are mailed; Cameron County's current Tax Assessor-Collector page states 2025 property taxes must be paid in full on or before January 31, 2026 to avoid penalty and interest. Quarter-payment installment plan is available for qualifying accounts with an Over-65 or Disabled Person exemption that elect the option and make the 1st payment on or before January 31; installments are due January 31, March 31, May 31, and July 31.

This is not the same as the assessment appeal deadline above. The appeal deadline is your window to contest your assessed value; the payment due date is when the resulting tax bill must be paid. Missing one does not affect the other, but missing either has real consequences — one forfeits your right to appeal for the year, the other can trigger penalties and interest.

Source: https://www.cameroncountytx.gov/tac/

Property Tax Exemptions in Cameron County

• General Residence Homestead Exemption — An owner who owns and occupies the property as the owner's principal residence.. State-mandated school district residence homestead exemption: $140,000; local-option homestead exemptions may also apply depending on the taxing unit. Yes, one-time application unless the Chief Appraiser requests a new application or the owner's residence homestead changes. Apply by Generally no later than April 30 for the year requested; late residence homestead applications may be filed up to two years after the filing deadline.. (Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/exemptions/)
• Age 65 or Older Residence Homestead Exemption — A property owner age 65 or older who has an ownership interest in the property and lives in the home as the owner's principal residence; a surviving spouse age 55 or older may be eligible to continue the deceased spouse's age-65-or-older exemption if the statutory conditions are met.. Additional mandatory school district exemption of $60,000, plus a school-tax ceiling; local-option exemptions may apply depending on the taxing unit. Yes, one-time residence homestead application unless the Chief Appraiser requests a new application or the homestead changes. Apply by Generally no later than April 30; late homestead applications, including age 65 or older, may be filed up to two years after the filing deadline.. (Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/exemptions/)
• Disabled Person Residence Homestead Exemption — A property owner who meets the disability definition for disability insurance benefits under the Federal Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Act and occupies the property as the principal residence.. Additional mandatory school district exemption of $60,000; local-option exemptions may apply depending on the taxing unit. Yes, one-time residence homestead application unless the Chief Appraiser requests a new application or the homestead changes. Apply by Generally no later than April 30; late homestead applications, including disabled person exemptions, may be filed up to two years after the filing deadline.. (Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/exemptions/)
• Disabled Veteran and Surviving Spouse/Child Exemptions — Texas veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability rating, and certain surviving spouses or children; the standard disabled veteran exemption can apply to any one property owned by the disabled veteran, while the 100% disabled veteran exemption applies to the veteran's residence homestead.. Partial disabled veteran exemption: up to $5,000 for 10%-29% disability, $7,500 for 30%-49%, $10,000 for 50%-69%, and $12,000 for 70%-100%; a 100% disabled veteran or unemployable veteran may receive an exemption of the total appraised value of the residence homestead. Yes; the Comptroller identifies Form 50-135 for the partial disabled veteran/survivor exemption and Form 50-114 for qualifying residence homestead veteran exemptions. Apply by Generally April 30; partial disabled veteran applications may be filed up to five years after the delinquency date for taxes on the property, and 100% disabled veteran residence homestead late filing rules may also allow up to five years.. (Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/exemptions/disabledvet-faq.php)
• Agricultural Use / Open-Space Special Appraisal — Land principally devoted to agricultural use to the degree of intensity generally accepted in the area, used to produce crops, livestock, or other qualified farm or ranch commodities, and with a history of agricultural use for at least five of the preceding seven years.. Special appraisal based on qualifying agricultural productivity/use rather than ordinary market value; the amount varies by property and use. Yes, application with the Cameron Appraisal District. Apply by After January 1 but no later than May 1 of the current year.. (Source: https://www.cameroncad.org/Pages/FAQ)

How to Look Up Your Property Record in Cameron County

You can look up your property's official record at https://www.cameroncad.org/Pages/PropertySearch. The Cameron Appraisal District property search links to the official property-search tool where a user can search by PID, GEO ID, address, or owner name to view information and data on the property account, including property values and account details.