Travis County Property Tax Protest: How to Do It Yourself
If your Travis Central Appraisal District/TCAD notice shows a value that feels too high, you can protest it — free, on your own, without paying a company a percentage of your savings. The process runs through TCAD and an independent Appraisal Review Board/ARB, and most Austin-area homeowners can work through it in a few hours. This guide covers exactly how.
Who Sets Your Value: TCAD and the ARB
The Travis Central Appraisal District appraises every property in Travis County for tax purposes. TCAD does not collect taxes — it sets the assessed value that the City of Austin, Austin ISD, and other taxing units use to calculate what you owe. When you protest, you challenge TCAD's number before the ARB, an independent panel with no stake in defending TCAD's figure.
The Protest Deadline — Confirm It Before Anything Else
Under Texas law, the deadline to protest is generally May 15 or 30 days after TCAD mailed your Notice of Appraised Value — whichever is later. Miss that window and you lose your chance for the current tax year; there is no grace period. Check the exact date at tcad.org the moment your notice arrives. For deadline details in neighboring counties, see Property Tax Protest Williamson County.
Two Grounds Worth Filing On
You need a stated reason — called a ground for protest — to file. Most Travis County homeowners have at least one of these, and often both.
- Market value: TCAD's appraised value exceeds what your home would realistically sell for today. You back this up with recent comparable sales — similar homes nearby that closed for less than TCAD's figure. The same approach applies in neighboring counties; see Property Tax Protest Williamson County and Property Tax Protest Dallas Texas.
- Unequal appraisal (equity): your home is assessed at a higher ratio to market value than comparable properties nearby — even if the absolute number seems plausible on its own. Texas is one of the few states where this uniformity argument alone can produce a reduction. The same ground applies in other Texas counties; see guides for Property Tax Protest Tarrant County, Property Tax Protest Dallas Texas, and Denton County Property Tax Protest.
You can check both grounds on the same protest form at no extra cost. Most Travis County homeowners do exactly that. TCAD's online portal lets you view the comparables TCAD used when valuing your property, so you can spot inconsistencies before you even submit your protest.
How to File Your Protest With TCAD
TCAD accepts protests online through its e-file portal at tcad.org, by mail using Form 50-132 (Notice of Protest), or in person at the TCAD office in Austin. Online is the fastest option and gives you a timestamped confirmation. State your grounds — market value, unequal appraisal, or both — when you file. You do not need to submit evidence at this stage; bring it to the hearing.
After filing, TCAD may send an informal settlement offer before your ARB date — many protests resolve here without a formal hearing. If you reject the offer, your case moves to a formal ARB hearing (~15–30 minutes) where both sides present evidence. For how informal hearings work in neighboring counties, see Denton County Property Tax Protest.
Evidence That Moves the ARB
Print everything — the ARB panel will not scroll through your phone. Recency matters here: Austin's fast-moving market means comps older than 12 months carry less weight.
- Three to five comparable sales from the past 12 months: homes in your neighborhood with similar square footage, lot size, age, and condition that sold below TCAD's appraised value. Zillow, Redfin, and the Travis County deed records are all usable sources.
- Appraised value per square foot for neighboring properties from TCAD's public records — showing your figure is higher — supports an unequal-appraisal argument. For how this evidence is used in other Texas counties, see Denton County Property Tax Protest.
- Photos and repair estimates for condition problems TCAD may not know about: foundation movement, roof damage, drainage issues, or outdated systems.
- A recent independent appraisal from a refinance or purchase, if the appraised value came in below TCAD's figure — this carries real weight as a licensed professional's opinion.
A reduction is not guaranteed. It depends on how well your evidence lines up with TCAD's data and the ARB panel's judgment. Strong, recent comps pulled from within your neighborhood are the most reliable path to a lower value.
DIY vs. Hiring a Protest Company
Protest firms in Travis County typically work on contingency — a percentage of first-year tax savings if they win. For a standard single-family home with clear comparable sales, the DIY path often produces the same outcome at zero cost. A firm may be worth it when comps are scarce or the property is complex — if you go that route, confirm the fee structure upfront.
Protesting in Neighboring Texas Counties
The same ARB framework applies across Texas, but each appraisal district has its own portal and informal-hearing procedures. If you own property nearby, see Denton County Property Tax Protest, Williamson County property tax protest, and Harris County property tax protest for each district's specific filing steps.