Travis County tax assessor: everything homeowners need to know

Last updated 2026-07-09

What does the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector actually do?

The Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector bills and collects property taxes and registers motor vehicles. It does not appraise your home, set its value, hear protests, or approve exemptions. The current officeholder is Bruce Elfant. If your value looks wrong, this is the wrong office to call.^[1]

A lot of homeowners mix up two separate offices, and that mistake costs them weeks. One office sends the bill. A different office decides how big the bill is.

The office that appraises your home, sets its market value, and processes exemptions is the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD). TCAD is its own government entity, separate from the county, the city, and every school district. It runs under the Texas Property Tax Code, Chapter 6.^[2]

So say you got a notice showing your home jumped from $480,000 to $620,000 and you want to fight it. The Tax Assessor-Collector cannot help you. You need TCAD, at 850 E. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78752. Hold onto that split. It runs through everything below.

How does TCAD determine your property's appraised value?

Texas law requires appraisal districts to value property at 100% of market value as of January 1 each year.^[2] TCAD does this with mass appraisal, meaning it runs statistical models across large groups of similar homes instead of walking through each one. The models pull recent sales, square footage, year built, condition data, and neighborhood location factors.

That approach works fine for a typical house on a stable street. It misfires all the time in a market as jumpy as Austin's. One odd sale can drag a whole neighborhood up. Sales ratios swing. And no algorithm knows about the cracked foundation your inspector flagged.

Model errors are the whole reason the protest system exists.

You can pull your appraised value, applied exemptions, and taxing-unit breakdown from the TCAD property search on the district's website. The same page shows your Notice of Appraised Value if TCAD mailed one this cycle. Every dollar of appraised value above what you can back up with evidence is money out of your pocket.

What is the protest deadline for Travis County property taxes?

The protest deadline is May 15, or 30 days after the date TCAD mailed your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. That rule comes from Texas Tax Code Section 41.44.^[3] If May 15 lands on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

Notices go out in batches through March, April, and sometimes early May. Look at the mailing date printed on your notice, count 30 days forward, then compare that to May 15. Use the later date.

Miss the deadline and you lose the right to protest that year's value. Narrow exceptions exist for clerical errors and for properties that got no notice, but the law is strict. Once the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) certifies the roll, your window is shut.^[3] TCAD does not hand out extensions because you were busy.

File early. You can protest the day your notice lands. Filing early moves you up the informal hearing queue, and plenty of owners settle at the informal stage without ever seeing the ARB.

Event	Typical Date
January 1	Appraisal date (values set as of this day)
Mid-March to early May	Notices mailed in batches
May 15 (or 30 days from notice)	Protest filing deadline
May through July	Informal hearings
June through August	ARB hearings
July 25	Appraisal roll certified
October	Tax statements mailed by Assessor-Collector
January 31	Property tax payment deadline (penalties begin Feb 1)	[1][3]

What exemptions can Travis County homeowners claim?

Exemptions cut the taxable value of your home, which cuts your bill directly. These are the ones that matter most for homeowners in Travis County.^[4]

Homestead Exemption. Texas school districts must grant a $100,000 homestead exemption off your appraised value, a figure raised by House Bill 3 in 2023.^[10] Travis County adds a 20% exemption off the county's taxable value (minimum $5,000). The City of Austin adds a 10% exemption off city taxable value. You have to own the home and live in it as your principal residence as of January 1. File with TCAD, not the Tax Assessor-Collector. You can file an exemption application late, but to apply it to the current tax year you generally need to file by April 30.

Over-65 Exemption. Homeowners 65 or older get an extra $10,000 off school taxes on top of the standard homestead exemption, plus a school tax ceiling that freezes the school tax dollar amount on that home.^[4] Some taxing units, the county included, add their own over-65 amounts.

Disabled Person Exemption. If you draw disability benefits under the Social Security Act or meet other disability tests, you get the same school-tax ceiling as the over-65 exemption.^[4]

100% Disabled Veteran Exemption. A veteran with a 100% VA service-connected disability rating pays zero property tax on one Texas residence, no matter the value. It is a full exemption.^[4]

Agricultural (Ag) Exemption. Land that qualifies for agricultural or wildlife management use gets taxed on productivity value, not market value. On rural Travis County parcels, that gap can be huge. Apply through TCAD with documentation of qualifying use.

All exemption applications go to TCAD. The homestead application is Form 50-114, available on the TCAD website. Once your homestead exemption is approved, it renews on its own as long as your ownership and residency stay the same.

How does the homestead cap limit your taxable value increase?

The 10% homestead cap limits how fast your taxed value can rise, and it is one of the most misread rules in Texas property tax. Under Texas Tax Code Section 23.23, once you have a homestead exemption on file, your taxed value cannot climb more than 10% a year no matter what the market does.^[5]

Here is the catch. The cap sits on your taxed value, not your appraised value. TCAD still appraises your home at full market value. If your home is worth $700,000 but the capped value is $400,000, your record shows both. Your bill uses the capped number. The gap between the two is real, and it vanishes the moment you sell or lose the exemption.

The cap also resets when ownership changes. Buy a home in 2022 at peak prices and the prior owner's cap benefit does not come with it. Your first year sets a new baseline, and the 10% protection builds from there.

Rentals, investment property, and commercial real estate get no cap at all. Those get taxed on full appraised value every year, which is one reason protesting commercial and rental values pays off so well.

How do you file a Travis County property tax protest?

You have three ways to file a protest with TCAD.^[3]

Online. The TCAD website runs an online protest portal. It is the fastest route and gives you a confirmation number. TCAD also uses an online settlement platform where you submit evidence and a proposed value, and a TCAD appraiser reviews it without a live hearing.

By mail. Send Form 50-132 (Notice of Protest) to TCAD at 850 E. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78752. The form downloads from the TCAD website. Use certified mail with return receipt so you have proof. The protest has to be received by the deadline, more than postmarked.

In person. Walk your form into the TCAD office during business hours.

On the form you can check more than one ground. Check "value is over market value" and "value is unequal compared with other properties" at a minimum. Checking both keeps your options open at the ARB. You can narrow your argument later. You cannot add grounds after the deadline.

After you file, TCAD schedules an informal hearing first. That is a phone call or in-person meeting with a TCAD appraiser who has authority to settle. Bring your evidence. Agree on a value and you sign a settlement and you are done. No agreement, you move to the ARB.

The ARB is a panel of citizens appointed by the local administrative district judge. Hearings are informal but run under rules in Texas Tax Code Chapter 41. You present evidence, the TCAD appraiser presents theirs, the panel votes on a value. You carry the burden to show the value is too high by a preponderance of the evidence.^[3]

Lose at the ARB and you can still appeal to district court, to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH), or through binding arbitration. Those steps cost money and only make sense on high-value properties where the tax savings clear the cost.

Want to run the whole thing yourself without handing a contingency firm 30% to 40% of your first year's savings? TaxFightBack's DIY Appeal Kit walks you through evidence gathering and the ARB hearing step by step so you keep every dollar you save.

What evidence wins a Travis County property tax protest?

Comparable sales win protests. Everything else is a distant second. TCAD appraisers and the ARB respond to sales data on similar homes, so that is where your energy goes.

For a market value protest, pull three to six recent sales of homes close to yours in size, age, condition, and location that sold for less per square foot than TCAD says your home is worth. "Recent" in practice means sales in the 12 months before January 1 of the tax year. TCAD uses its own sales grid, so use it too. The grid shows how the appraiser weighted each comparable.

For an unequal appraisal protest, you are not claiming your home is worth less than market. You are claiming TCAD taxes you at a higher ratio than similar homes. Pull five to ten comparable properties from the TCAD property search. Divide each one's appraised value by its most recent sale price. If those ratios sit below your property's ratio, you have an unequal appraisal case under Texas Tax Code Section 41.43.^[3] This one works even in a hot market where your home really did climb.

Other evidence that helps: a recent independent appraisal (a licensed Texas appraiser runs $300 to $600, worth it on high-value homes), photos of condition problems the model never saw, contractor repair estimates for real defects, and listing data showing your home sat and sold below the appraised value.

Skip these. Your gut feeling about your home's worth. What you paid for it years ago (unless it was a recent arm's-length sale). Speeches about taxes being too high. The ARB rules on value and nothing else. It cannot cut your taxes because you are on a fixed income or because you think the city wastes money.

Protesting in neighboring Williamson County (Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown)? The process is nearly identical because both counties run under the same Texas Property Tax Code. Protests go to the Williamson Central Appraisal District, not TCAD. Deadlines and evidence rules match.^[6]

What are the Travis County property tax rates?

Your bill is the sum of rates from every taxing entity that overlaps your parcel. In Travis County that usually means the county, your school district (Austin ISD is the largest), the City of Austin if you are inside city limits, Austin Community College, the Travis County Healthcare District, and sometimes a Municipal Utility District (MUD) or emergency services district.

Rates are set each year and quoted in dollars per $100 of taxable value. The table below shows approximate 2023 rates for a property inside Austin ISD and Austin city limits. Your exact rate depends on which entities cover your address.^[7]

Taxing Entity	Approx. 2023 Rate (per $100)
Travis County	$0.3049
Austin ISD	$0.9966
City of Austin	$0.5410
Austin Community College	$0.1048
Travis County Healthcare District	$0.0953
Travis County ESD (varies)	$0.05 - $0.10
Total (typical inside Austin)	~$2.05 - $2.10

Source: Travis Central Appraisal District / Travis County Tax Office, 2023 tax year^[7]

Take a home appraised at $600,000 with the $100,000 school homestead exemption. Its school taxable value drops to $500,000. At Austin ISD's rate, that is roughly $4,983 in school taxes. Other entities tax the full $600,000 minus their own exemptions. The math stacks up fast.

Knock $20,000 off your appraised value and you save around $400 to $420 a year at a combined rate near $2.10. Over five years that clears $2,000. A few hours of protest work returns real money.

How do you pay Travis County property taxes, and what happens if you're late?

The Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector mails tax statements in October, once the appraisal roll is certified. The full amount is due by January 31 of the following year.^[1] Pay by mail and the postmark has to read January 31 or earlier.

Miss it and a 6% penalty plus 1% interest hits on February 1. The penalty climbs to 12% if the bill stays unpaid through July. After July 1, an attorney collection fee of up to 20% can pile on. Delinquent taxes get ugly fast.^[2]

Cannot pay in full? A few options exist. The Tax Assessor-Collector offers installment agreements on homesteaded property under certain conditions. The over-65 and disabled person homestead exemptions also come with a deferral under Texas Tax Code Section 33.06, which lets you defer taxes (interest runs at 5% a year) until the property changes hands.^[11] This is not forgiveness. It is a lien that grows. But it keeps you in your home.

If your mortgage servicer escrows your taxes, it pays from your escrow account and you may never see a direct bill. Read your escrow analysis every year and confirm the servicer used the right taxable value. If a successful protest lowers what you owe, your servicer needs to know.

How does Travis County compare to other Texas counties for property taxes?

Texas has no state income tax, so property taxes carry most of the local funding load. That is true statewide, more than here. But Austin's price run-up from 2019 to 2023 pushed appraised values, and bills, up harder than almost anywhere else in the state.

The Texas Comptroller's 2022 Property Value Study found Travis County's median residence appraisal ratio landed inside the legally acceptable range, between 95% and 105% of market value. In plain terms, TCAD's model was statistically on target at the median.^[8] Median accuracy hides a lot, though. Plenty of individual homes still get over-appraised. The protest system exists for exactly those homes.

For context: Harris County (Houston) runs a combined rate near $2.00 to $2.20 for HISD properties. Dallas County sits near $2.00 to $2.30. Bexar County (San Antonio) runs near $2.30 to $2.50. Travis County's rates are competitive. Austin's higher home prices just make the dollar bills feel heavier. Homeowners in other big Texas metros face the same appeal machinery. Bexar County owners protest through a nearly identical system at the Bexar Appraisal District. Curious how big metros outside Texas run it? See how Maricopa County and San Diego handle theirs.

What if you disagree with the ARB's decision?

Lose at the Appraisal Review Board and Texas law gives you three ways forward.^[3]

Binding arbitration. Open to residential homestead property valued at $5 million or less (raised from $3 million by SB 2 in 2023) and to non-homestead property valued at $5 million or less. You file with the Texas Comptroller and pay a deposit ($500 for properties under $500,000 in dispute, sliding up from there). An arbitrator hears the case. Win by 10% or more and you get your deposit back. Faster and cheaper than court.

State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). Commercial owners with values over $1 million can use this. Hearings run more formally than the ARB. An administrative law judge presides.

District court. You sue TCAD in Travis County district court. This is the heavy option. It costs real attorney fees and takes one to three years. It fits large commercial property or very high-value homes where six-figure savings are on the table.

For most homeowners, if the ARB result is unfair, binding arbitration is the next logical move. District court almost never pencils out on a single-family home. Know your numbers before you escalate.

How do I contact the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector and TCAD?

Keep these two straight, because dialing the wrong office burns your time.

Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector (tax bills, payments, vehicle registration) Phone: (512) 854-9473 Main office: 5501 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM^[1]

Travis Central Appraisal District (appraisals, exemptions, protests) Phone: (512) 834-9317 Office: 850 E. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78752 Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:45 AM - 4:45 PM^[4]

For questions about a specific taxing entity's rate (Austin ISD, City of Austin, and so on), call that entity directly. You can also estimate your total by address using the Travis County tax estimator on the Tax Office website.

For Williamson County property (Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Georgetown), contact the Williamson County Tax Assessor-Collector and the Williamson Central Appraisal District at wcad.org.^[6] Same rules, different offices.

Ready to build your own protest file? TaxFightBack's DIY Appeal Kit has county-specific comparable-search guides and an ARB prep checklist, so you walk in with the same evidence package a contingency firm would assemble.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector?

Bruce Elfant holds the office. His team handles property tax billing and collection, motor vehicle registration, and tax receipts for every taxing entity in the county. He does not set property values. That job belongs to the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD), a separate entity. For appraisal questions or protests, go to TCAD, not the Tax Assessor-Collector.

What is the Travis County property tax protest deadline?

Under Texas Tax Code Section 41.44, the deadline is May 15, or 30 days after the date printed on your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. Check the mailing date, count 30 days, compare to May 15, and use the later one. Miss it and you cannot protest that year's value, apart from narrow exceptions for clerical errors.

How do I file a property tax protest in Travis County?

File Form 50-132 with the Travis Central Appraisal District, not the Tax Assessor-Collector. You can file through the TCAD online portal, by certified mail to 850 E. Anderson Lane, Austin TX 78752, or in person. Check both "value over market value" and "unequal appraisal" on the form. After filing, you get an informal hearing with a TCAD appraiser first, then an ARB hearing if you still disagree.

What is the homestead exemption in Travis County and how much does it save?

Texas law grants a $100,000 homestead exemption off school district taxable value (raised in 2023). Travis County adds 20% off county taxable value, and the City of Austin adds 10% off city taxable value. On a $600,000 home, the school exemption alone cuts school taxable value to $500,000, saving roughly $997 a year at Austin ISD's 2023 rate of about $0.9966 per $100.

Does the 10% homestead cap apply to my Travis County property?

Yes. Once a homestead exemption is on file, Texas Tax Code Section 23.23 caps your taxed value increase at 10% a year regardless of the market. The cap applies to your taxed value, not the appraised value TCAD puts on paper. It resets when the property changes ownership, so buyers do not inherit the prior owner's cap benefit.

How do I qualify for the over-65 property tax exemption in Travis County?

You must be 65 or older as of January 1 of the tax year and have a homestead exemption on the property. The exemption adds $10,000 off school district taxable value and freezes the dollar amount of school taxes on that home. Some other taxing entities add their own over-65 amounts. Apply through TCAD using Form 50-114.

What is the property tax rate in Travis County?

Rates depend on which entities cover your address. A typical property inside Austin city limits and Austin ISD faces a combined 2023 rate near $2.05 to $2.10 per $100 of taxable value. Travis County's own rate was $0.3049, Austin ISD $0.9966, City of Austin $0.5410. Add Austin Community College, the healthcare district, and any special districts for your total. Look up your address on the Travis County tax estimator.

When are Travis County property taxes due?

Statements mail in October and payment is due by January 31. Pay by mail and the postmark has to read January 31 or earlier. A 6% penalty plus 1% interest hits on February 1, penalties climb through the year, and attorney collection fees up to 20% can be added after July 1. Over-65 and disabled homeowners can defer under Texas Tax Code Section 33.06 at 5% annual interest.

Can I protest my Travis County property taxes without hiring a company?

Yes, and it costs nothing. File Form 50-132 with TCAD before the May 15 deadline, gather comparable sales showing lower values for similar homes, and attend your informal and ARB hearings. Texas law lets any owner represent themselves. Contingency firms typically take 30% to 40% of your first year's savings. Do it yourself and you keep all of it.

What happens after the Travis County Appraisal Review Board hearing?

Lose at the ARB and you can appeal through binding arbitration (homestead property valued at $5 million or less, deposit starting at $500 depending on the disputed amount), through the State Office of Administrative Hearings (commercial property over $1 million), or by suing in Travis County district court. For most single-family owners, binding arbitration through the Texas Comptroller is the practical next step.

How do I look up my Travis County property appraisal?

Use the property search tool on the TCAD website. Search by owner name, address, or property ID. Your record shows appraised value, capped (assessed) value, active exemptions, and the taxing entities that cover your parcel. You can also see the comparable sales TCAD used, which helps when you build a protest.

Is Williamson County property tax handled the same way as Travis County?

Yes. Williamson County runs under the same Texas Property Tax Code. Protests go to the Williamson Central Appraisal District at wcad.org, not to Travis County. The filing deadline, protest grounds, ARB process, homestead cap, and exemptions all match. The Williamson County Tax Assessor-Collector handles billing and collection separately from the appraisal district.

What evidence should I bring to my Travis County ARB hearing?

Bring comparable sales: three to six recent sales of homes similar in size, age, condition, and location that sold for less per square foot than TCAD's implied price. For an unequal appraisal argument, bring five to ten comparable properties from TCAD's database showing lower appraised-to-sale ratios than yours. Photos of defects, repair estimates, and any independent appraisal strengthen the case. Put it all in a simple packet you can hand the panel.

Does Travis County have a homestead exemption for disabled veterans?

Yes. Texas grants a 100% property tax exemption on one residence for veterans with a 100% VA service-connected disability rating, so those homeowners owe zero property tax regardless of home value. Partial exemptions apply for ratings between 10% and 90%, from $5,000 to $12,000 off taxable value. Apply through TCAD with your VA award letter. Surviving spouses may also qualify.

Sources

1. Travis County Tax Office, official website: Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector office contact information, payment deadlines, and office hours
2. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Property Tax section: Texas requires appraisal at 100% market value; TCAD is independent of the county; penalties for late payment
3. Texas Tax Code, Chapters 41 and 41A (protest and arbitration), via Texas Legislature Online: Protest deadline of May 15 or 30 days from notice mailing; ARB procedures; unequal appraisal protest grounds; binding arbitration threshold
4. Travis Central Appraisal District, official website: Homestead, over-65, disabled, disabled veteran exemption descriptions, application process, and TCAD contact information
5. Texas Tax Code Section 23.23, Texas Legislature Online: Homestead appraisal value cap of 10% per year; cap resets on change of ownership
6. Williamson Central Appraisal District, official website: Williamson County property tax protests filed with WCAD; same Texas Property Tax Code rules apply
7. Travis Central Appraisal District, tax rate information: 2023 approximate tax rates for Travis County, Austin ISD, City of Austin, Austin Community College, and Travis County Healthcare District
8. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Property Value Study: Travis County 2022 appraisal ratio was within the legally acceptable 95%-105% range
9. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Property Tax Assistance Division forms: Form 50-132 Notice of Protest and Form 50-114 residence homestead exemption application
10. Texas House Bill 3, 88th Legislature (2023), Texas Legislature Online: School district homestead exemption raised to $100,000 effective 2023 tax year
11. Texas Tax Code Section 33.06, Texas Legislature Online: Over-65 and disabled homeowner tax deferral at 5% annual interest until property changes ownership