Last call for property appraisal protests

Wednesday is the deadline in many North Texas counties to file a protest to your home's 2024 appraised value.

Why it matters: Because Texas doesn't have a state income tax, property taxes help fill the gap by funding public programs such as schools, road repairs and law enforcement.

• They're also a dreaded expense for property owners. Median property taxes in Texas rose 26% between 2019 and 2023.

State of play: The Dallas , Denton and Collin appraisal districts say Wednesday is the deadline to submit a protest or 30 days since a notice of appraisal was mailed, whichever date is later.

• The Tarrant Appraisal District , which experienced web outages because of a cyberattack this year, extended the deadline to May 24.

Zoom in: The Denton Central Appraisal District estimates 100,000 property owners will challenge their valuations by Wednesday's deadline, per KERA .

Between the lines: If you're planning to stay in your home, it helps to keep the property appraisal as low as possible — because appraisals determine taxes.

• And if you're planning to sell soon, you may want that value to be as high as possible.

How it works: Most counties let you file a protest online or a physical form sent to the appraisal review board.

• The board can either schedule a hearing or resolve the protest without one.
• Property owners can provide supporting documents such as a bank appraisal, repair estimates and photos with their protest.
• Appraisal districts certify their valuations by the summer . County tax assessor-collector offices send property tax bills in the fall and collect the money.

The bottom line: Make sure any relevant exemptions are listed on your notice, and double check all of the other information.

• Some homeowners hire a company to protest their property value on their behalf. The company keeps a cut of the tax savings if it's able to lower the value.
• If you have an in-person hearing, bring hard copies of your evidence.