Harris County

Key Dates

File by May 15 or 30 days after receiving your Notice of Appraised Value — whichever is later.

Harris County processes 500,000+ protests annually — one of the most active protest counties in Texas.

Filing Methods

Online

File at owners.hcad.org using HCAD's iFile system. Upload your evidence report as supporting documentation. No printing or mailing needed.

By mail

Send signed Form 50-132 to P.O. Box 922012, Houston, TX 77292-2012. Must be postmarked by the deadline. Use certified mail for proof of filing.

In person

Deliver to the HCAD office at 13013 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040. Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

After You File: iSettle

After filing your protest, HCAD may offer you an online settlement through iSettle — an appraiser reviews your property and makes an offer you can accept or reject without attending a hearing in person. Not available for all properties.

How to Protest Your Harris County Property Taxes: Step by Step

1. Receive your Notice of Appraised Value. HCAD mails these in April. The notice shows your property's appraised value for the upcoming tax year and includes your HCAD account number and online protest PIN.
2. Review your appraisal. Compare your appraised value to recent sales and appraisals of similar homes in your neighborhood. Look at the $/sq ft — if yours is higher than comparable properties, that data may be relevant to your protest. How to read your Notice of Appraised Value →
3. Gather evidence. Evidence often includes comparable property data: similar homes and their appraised values or sale prices. The two main approaches are unequal appraisal (HCAD appraises similar homes at less per square foot) and market value (recent sales in your area are below your appraised value). Unequal appraisal vs. market value explained →
4. File using HCAD iFile by the deadline. File online at owners.hcad.org using the iFile system, by mail to P.O. Box 922012, Houston, TX 77292-2012, or in person at 13013 Northwest Freeway. The deadline is May 15 or 30 days after your notice — whichever is later. Deadline details →
5. Check for an iSettle offer. After filing, HCAD may send you an online settlement offer through iSettle. You can accept, reject, or let it expire and proceed to a hearing. What to expect at your hearing →
6. Attend your hearing or accept a settlement. If no iSettle offer or you reject it, HCAD holds an informal hearing with an appraiser if you requested one on your protest form. Bring two copies of your evidence. If you don't reach agreement, you can proceed to a formal ARB hearing at no cost.

What Evidence Do You Need?

Texas law provides two grounds for protesting your property taxes. You can use one or both:

TaxProtestTx compiles both types of comparable data from public HCAD records and MLS data, and pre-fills the required forms. Learn more about both approaches →

Common Protest Mistakes to Avoid

• Missing the deadline. If you file after May 15 (or 30 days after your notice), HCAD will reject your protest. Mark your calendar. Deadline guide →
• Bringing opinions instead of data. "My taxes are too high" is not evidence. Harris County processes 500,000+ protests annually — the panel sees thousands of cases and expects comparable property data with specific properties, appraised values, and $/sq ft comparisons.
• Using the wrong comps. Your best comps are from your own neighborhood group. HCAD groups properties by neighborhood code for a reason — the panel expects to see apples-to-apples comparisons from similar areas.
• Forgetting to request HCAD's evidence. Under Texas Tax Code §41.461, you can request the evidence HCAD plans to present. Send a written request at least 14 days before your hearing, and turn on portal notifications at owners.hcad.org so you receive the packet when HCAD posts it.

5 common mistakes that weaken your protest →

DIY Protest vs. Hiring a Firm

Property tax consulting firms in Harris County typically charge 25-40% of the first year's savings.

TaxProtestTx charges a flat $50 for the evidence packet. You file the protest yourself and keep 100% of any savings. The comparable property data in the packet comes from public HCAD records.

Firms do offer hearing representation, which is a different service. If you prefer someone to attend the hearing for you, a firm may be worth the cost. Full comparison: DIY vs. hiring a firm →

Related Guides

• How Harris County Appraises Your Home
• Informal Conference with HCAD: Sourced Facts
• What to Expect at Your Informal Property Tax Hearing
• Texas Property Tax Protest Deadlines
• Unequal Appraisal vs. Market Value: Two Ways to Protest
• How to Read Your Notice of Appraised Value
• DIY Protest vs. Hiring a Firm
• Full Texas Property Tax Protest Guide

Areas We Cover

TaxProtestTx covers residential properties throughout Harris County, including:

Your Rights

Under Texas Tax Code §41.461, you can request the evidence HCAD plans to use at your hearing — the comparables they picked, the schedules, the math, and any other information they intend to introduce. HCAD must provide it at least 14 days before. Include a written request when you file your protest.

Opt in to HCAD portal notifications. HCAD typically posts §41.461 evidence to the online protest portal rather than mailing it. After you file, log in at owners.hcad.org, enable hearing-notification and evidence-delivery alerts in your account preferences, and check the portal every few days starting 14 days before your hearing.

Under Tex. Tax Code §41.47(c-2), the appraisal review board may not set your appraised value above the value the chief appraiser submitted, except as you request and agree to. This limit does not stop the district from adding new construction or omitted property, or correcting records under §25.25, through separate procedures that can increase your value.

You may also designate an agent to represent you at the hearing using Form 50-162. You can also present your own evidence.