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. You need comparable property data showing your home is overvalued. 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 schedules an informal hearing with an appraiser. 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. Most successful protests 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.

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. On a $30,000 reduction, that's $200-$350 in fees.

TaxProtestTx charges a flat $50 for the evidence packet. You file the protest yourself and keep 100% of any savings. The same comparable property data is available to everyone — it's public record from HCAD.

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. But for the evidence and filing, the data is the same. Full comparison: DIY vs. hiring a firm →

Related Guides

• How Harris County Appraises Your Home
• 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. HCAD must provide it at least 14 days before. Include a written request when you file your protest.

Texas law (Tax Code Sec. 41.71) generally prohibits the appraisal district from raising your appraised value solely because you filed a protest.

You may also designate an agent to represent you at the hearing using Form 50-162. However, most homeowners present their own evidence — especially with a well-prepared evidence packet.