Exemptions
Property tax in Texas is a locally assessed and locally administered tax. There is no state property tax. Property tax brings in the most money of all taxes available to local governments to pay for schools, roads, police and firemen, emergency response services, libraries, parks and other services provided by local governments.
Texas offers a variety of partial or total, sometimes referred to as absolute, exemptions from appraised property values used to determine local property taxes. A partial exemption removes a percentage or a fixed dollar amount of a property’s appraised value from taxation. A total exemption excludes the entire property’s appraised value from taxation. Taxing units are required by the state to offer certain mandatory exemptions and have the option to decide locally on whether or not to offer others (local option).
Exemptions from property tax require applications in most circumstances. Applications for property tax exemptions are filed with the appraisal district in which the property is located. The general deadline for filing an exemption application is before May 1. Appraisal district chief appraisers are solely responsible for determining whether or not property qualifies for an exemption.
Tax Code exemption requirements are extensive. Property owners should read applicable statutes carefully. The Comptroller’s publication Property Tax Exemptions (PDF) offers a short summary of the exemption provisions.
