Travis Property Tax: TCAD Rates & Appeal Guide (2026)

The ordinary 2026 Travis County property tax protest deadline was May 15, 2026, or 30 days after TCAD mailed your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever was later. File with the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) online through its property-owner portal, by mail to P.O. Box 149012, Austin, TX 78714, or in person at 850 E. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78752; TCAD’s current protest instructions do not list email as a protest-filing method. (traviscad.org)

Because today is July 30, 2026, the regular 2026 residential deadline has generally passed. For a countdown, the next normal deadline is May 17, 2027 because May 15, 2027 falls on a Saturday and TCAD says weekend May 15 deadlines move to the following business day; a late-mailed notice can still create its own later 30-day deadline. (traviscad.org)

How assessments work in Travis

TCAD does not set tax rates or collect the bill. It appraises property for Travis County taxing units; cities, school districts, the county, Central Health, ACC, MUDs and other units set rates later. TCAD’s 2026 mass appraisal report states that the appraisal records were effective January 1, 2026 and that the 2026 market-value total submitted for review was about $484.996 billion. (traviscad.org)

For a homeowner, the number to study first is market value—what TCAD believes the property would sell for as of January 1. Your net appraised value may be lower because of a homestead cap or the 20% circuit-breaker limitation for certain non-homestead real property, and your taxable value is what remains after exemptions. TCAD sends notices every spring to owners whose market value increased by at least $1,000, but you can look up your values online even if no notice arrived. (traviscad.org)

Travis is a mass-appraisal county. TCAD’s reappraisal plan says it aims to appraise property at fair market value as of January 1 using market data, but not every property is physically inspected every year. The plan uses targeted reappraisal, permit and condition-change reviews, neighborhood sales-ratio analysis, and a three-year reinspection cycle by physical inspection or reliable alternatives such as deeds, aerial imagery, street-level photos, maps and sketches. (traviscad.org)

Whether you should appeal

Appeal if you can support a lower value with evidence—not just because the bill feels high. Good Travis evidence includes: recent comparable sales near January 1, closing documents if you bought near the valuation date, photos and contractor bids for condition problems, incorrect square footage or property characteristics from TCAD’s record, or a comparison showing similar homes are appraised lower.

A realistic savings example: TCAD’s 2025 annual report lists the Travis County taxing-unit rate at 0.375845 per $100 of taxable value. If a protest lowers the taxable value by $25,000, the county portion alone drops by about $94: $25,000 ÷ 100 × 0.375845. If your home is also in Austin and Austin ISD, the same value reduction can save more because those units’ rates apply too; the same report lists Austin ISD at 0.925200 and City of Austin at 0.524017 per $100. (traviscad.org)

Do not assume a protest always changes the bill. If your homestead’s market value is reduced but remains above the capped net appraised value, your current-year tax may not move much. Still, reducing market value can matter later if the cap catches up.

TCAD publishes process statistics, but not a homeowner “median reduction” that you can reliably use. In its 2025 annual report, TCAD showed 210,038 total appeals, 71% filed electronically, and, for residential appraisal, 189,382 protests, 24,939 informal agreements reached, 133,748 joint-motion/topline agreements, and 19,459 formal hearings. That is useful for understanding volume, not a promise of success. (traviscad.org)

Step-by-step how to file

1. Confirm the deadline on your notice. The rule is May 15 or 30 days after the notice was mailed, whichever is later. If May 15 falls on a weekend, TCAD moves the deadline to the following business day. (traviscad.org)

2. Use the right form. Online, TCAD calls it Property Value Protest. For paper filing, use the Texas Comptroller’s Property Owner’s Notice of Protest, Form 50-132, or TCAD’s protest form from its forms database. If someone else will represent you, TCAD says to complete an Appointment of Agent form. (traviscad.org)

3. File by an official method. The fastest method is TCAD’s online portal, which gives immediate confirmation and lets you upload evidence, view TCAD evidence, and accept or reject settlement offers. You may also mail the protest to Travis Central Appraisal District, P.O. Box 149012, Austin, TX 78714-9012, or hand-deliver it to 850 E. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78752. TCAD lists online, mail and in-person filing; it does not list email as a protest-filing method. (traviscad.org)

4. Fee. TCAD does not list a fee to file a value protest. Do distinguish that from later appeals after an ARB order—binding arbitration or court can involve costs. Homestead exemption filing is also free, and TCAD warns homeowners not to pay someone just to file an exemption. (traviscad.org)

5. Choose your protest grounds carefully. For a typical home, the broadest issues are usually “incorrect appraised value” and “unequal appraisal.” The Comptroller’s taxpayer pamphlet says your selected reasons affect what evidence you may present and what appeal rights you preserve. (traviscad.org)

What happens after

First comes the informal stage. TCAD says owners who protest market value can submit evidence and may receive a settlement offer; informal meetings are offered by phone or video conference, with one informal meeting per property. If you meet with an appraiser, TCAD says to expect a settlement offer within 10 business days. (traviscad.org)

If you do not settle, your case goes to the Travis Appraisal Review Board (ARB)—an independent citizen board, not TCAD staff. The formal hearing is short: TCAD says both you and a district representative present evidence and answer questions from an ARB panel, hearings last about 15 to 20 minutes, and the panel decides the protest. You may participate by phone/videoconference, by written affidavit, or in person if requested. (traviscad.org)

The ARB hearing season in Travis typically runs June through August. TCAD says the ARB will contact owners at least 15 days before the scheduled hearing, and that the Notice of Final Order is sent by certified mail about three to four weeks after the hearing. If you miss the hearing, TCAD says your protest can be dismissed unless you timely ask the ARB chair to reopen it for good cause. (traviscad.org)

Local tips

Check exemptions before you obsess over comps. TCAD lists general residence homestead, age 65 or older, disabled person, 100% disabled veteran, partial disabled veteran, and certain surviving-spouse exemptions. A homestead also limits assessed-value increases to 10% after you have owned and occupied the home for at least one full calendar year. (traviscad.org)

For 2025 rate/exemption context, TCAD’s annual report lists Travis County with a 20% homestead exemption and a $143,220 senior/disabled exemption, while Austin ISD shows a $140,000 school homestead exemption line. Exemptions vary by taxing unit, so verify the entities on your own account. (traviscad.org)

If your property is not a homestead, check the circuit breaker. TCAD says qualifying real property valued at $5.16 million or less can receive a 20% limitation on net appraised value for 2026, but homesteads are not eligible because they already use the standard 10% homestead limitation. (traviscad.org)

If you missed the deadline, do not rely on a late protest unless you have real good cause. TCAD’s FAQ says a late protest may be filed with documented good cause only up until the ARB approves the appraisal records in mid-July. After that, your remaining options are narrow and fact-specific.

Travis Property Tax Rate

FY 2026 / tax year 2025 Travis County adopted total property tax rate: $0.375845 per $100 of taxable value (37.5845 cents per $100). This is the Travis County taxing-unit rate only; a homeowner's total bill also depends on city, school district, health care district, community college, MUD/PID, and other applicable taxing units. The county's taxpayer impact statement shows the average taxable homestead at $515,213 and the Travis County portion of taxes at $1,936.40 using the $0.375845 per $100 adopted rate.

Source: https://www.traviscountytx.gov/planning-budget/tc-taxpayer-statement

When Are Property Taxes Due in Travis?

Property taxes are due by January 31; if January 31 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the last day to pay without penalty and interest moves to the next business day. Four-installment options are listed for qualifying homesteads: over-65, disabled, disabled veteran, surviving spouse/partially disabled veteran categories generally have installment deadlines of Feb. 28/29, Mar. 31, May 31, and Jul. 31; disaster-area damaged homesteads have installment deadlines of Jan. 31, Mar. 31, May 31, and Jul. 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://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/taxes/important-dates

Property Tax Exemptions in Travis

• General residence homestead exemption — Individuals who own and occupy the home as their primary residence and do not claim another homestead; the Travis County Tax Office lists requirements including primary residence as of January 1, 20 acres or less for private residential use, and not used for agricultural or commercial business.. For the Travis County taxing unit on the 2026 TCAD exemption listing: 20% local-option homestead exemption, with a $5,000 local-option minimum. Yes; TCAD accepts exemption applications online, by mail, or in person. TCAD says you do not have to reapply unless requested by the Chief Appraiser, you move, or your qualifications change. Apply by April 30 each year; if April 30 falls on a weekend, the deadline moves to the following Monday.. (Source: https://traviscad.org/wp-content/uploads/2026_ExemptionListingTravis-07192026.pdf)
• Person age 65 or older homestead exemption, including qualifying surviving spouse — Property owners in the year they become 65; a surviving spouse may continue the exemption/tax ceiling if the homeowner with the exemption dies, the spouse is 55 or older, continues to own the home, and the home remains the residence homestead.. For the Travis County taxing unit on the 2026 TCAD exemption listing: $145,269 local-option amount for OV65/OV65S. TCAD also notes the over-65 exemption establishes a mandatory school-tax ceiling, and other taxing units may adopt ceilings. Yes; application with proof of age. TCAD says homestead exemptions generally do not require annual reapplication unless requested, the owner moves, or qualifications change. Apply by April 30 each year for exemption applications.. (Source: https://traviscad.org/wp-content/uploads/2026_ExemptionListingTravis-07192026.pdf)
• Disabled person homestead exemption, including qualifying surviving spouse — A person who meets Social Security Administration disability standards, including a medically determinable impairment preventing substantial gainful activity that is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death; TCAD also notes certain disability-benefit recipients may qualify.. For the Travis County taxing unit on the 2026 TCAD exemption listing: $145,269 local-option amount for disabled person / disabled person surviving-spouse codes. TCAD also notes the disability exemption establishes a mandatory school-tax ceiling. Yes; application with disability documentation, such as a current disability determination issued by the Social Security Administration. TCAD says homestead exemptions generally do not require annual reapplication unless requested, the owner moves, or qualifications change. Apply by April 30 each year for exemption applications.. (Source: https://traviscad.org/wp-content/uploads/2026_ExemptionListingTravis-07192026.pdf)
• Disabled veteran or survivor exemption — partial exemption — A Texas-resident veteran classified as disabled with a service-connected disability of 10% or more by the service branch or Veterans Administration; a surviving spouse may qualify if they are a Texas resident and have not remarried.. TCAD states the exemption amount varies from $5,000 to $12,000 depending on VA documentation; the 2026 Travis exemption listing shows DV1 $5,000, DV2 $7,500, DV3 $10,000, and DV4 $12,000. Yes; application with Department of Veterans Affairs documentation showing disability percentage. Apply by April 30 each year for exemption applications.. (Source: https://traviscad.org/wp-content/uploads/2026_ExemptionListingTravis-07192026.pdf)
• 100% disabled veteran residence homestead exemption, including qualifying surviving spouse — A disabled veteran receiving 100% disability compensation due to a service-connected disability and a 100% disabled rating or individual unemployability from the Department of Veterans Affairs; qualifying surviving spouses may be eligible if they have not remarried and the property remains their qualifying residence homestead.. Exemption from taxation of the total appraised value of the veteran's qualifying residence homestead. Yes; application with current Department of Veterans Affairs documentation; surviving spouses must apply with supporting documentation. Apply by April 30 each year for exemption applications.. (Source: https://traviscad.org/homesteadexemptions)
• Surviving spouse of a U.S. armed services member killed in action — Surviving spouse of a U.S. armed services member killed in action, if the surviving spouse has not remarried.. 100% property tax exemption on the residence homestead. Yes; TCAD says to apply with an application, Report of Casualty, and copy of marriage license. Apply by April 30 each year for exemption applications.. (Source: https://traviscad.org/homesteadexemptions)

How to Look Up Your Property Record in Travis

You can look up your property's official record at https://traviscad.org/propertysearch. The Travis Central Appraisal District property search provides the TCAD database searchable by owner name, property address, account number, or DBA for ad valorem taxation records; TCAD notes current-year information is a work in progress.