How to Read Your Texas Notice of Appraised Value

What Is the Notice of Appraised Value?

The Notice of Appraised Value is an annual document sent by your county appraisal district (CAD) informing you of the estimated market value of your property as of January 1st of the current tax year. It is NOT your tax bill — the actual tax bill comes later in the year from your taxing units (county, city, school district, etc.) once tax rates are set. The notice is your first look at what the appraisal district thinks your home is worth. If that number is too high, this notice is also your signal to protest. Your protest deadline is triggered by the mailing date on this notice.

Section 1: Property Information — Check These First

The top section of your notice identifies the property being valued. This seems basic, but errors here are more common than you'd think — and they can cause your assessment to be inflated significantly.

• ✓Property address: Confirm this is the correct property. Mailed to wrong address? Contact your CAD immediately.
• ✓Legal description: Should match your deed and county records.
• ✓Account/Property ID: Your unique identifier in the appraisal district's system.
• ✓Owner name and mailing address: If wrong, update it — an incorrect mailing address means you may miss future notices.
• ✓Property type: Should say 'residential' or the correct classification. Wrong classification = wrong valuation model.
• ✓Land area/Lot size: Wrong lot size? This directly inflates your land value and total assessment.

Section 2: Appraised Value — The Number That Matters Most

The heart of your notice is the appraised value section, which shows last year's value and this year's new value. In Texas, the appraisal district is required to value your property at 100% of its fair market value as of January 1st. This means the appraised value on your notice should reflect what your home would sell for on the open market on that date — not what it sold for when you bought it, not what you think it's worth, and not what your neighbor thinks it's worth. The question to ask is simple: would my home actually sell for this amount today?

• ✓Prior year appraised value: Last year's assessed amount — compare to see if your value increased
• ✓Current year appraised value: This year's market value estimate — the number you can protest
• ✓Market value vs. assessed value: In most cases these are the same unless a cap applies
• ✓Homestead cap: If you have a homestead exemption, your assessed value may be capped at a 10% annual increase even if market value rose more

Section 3: Exemptions Applied to Your Property

Your notice will show any exemptions the appraisal district has on file for your property. Exemptions reduce your taxable value — not your market value assessment — and are critical for calculating your actual tax bill. The most important exemption is the homestead exemption, which Texas homeowners can apply for on their primary residence.

• ✓General Homestead Exemption (HS): Reduces your school district taxable value by $100,000 as of 2023
• ✓Over-65 Exemption (OA): Additional exemption for homeowners 65 and older
• ✓Disabled Person Exemption (DP): For qualifying disabled homeowners
• ✓Veteran exemptions (DV1-DV4, DVHS): Various levels based on disability rating
• ✓Agricultural exemption: If land qualifies under open-space agricultural use
• ✓If an exemption you applied for is missing, contact your CAD immediately — this costs you money every year it's wrong

Section 4: Your Protest Deadline — The Most Critical Line on the Notice

Somewhere on your notice — often in a box or highlighted section — is the protest deadline. This is the date by which you must file your protest to challenge the assessed value. Under Texas Tax Code § 41.44, your deadline is May 15 or 30 days from the mailing date on this notice, whichever is later. The mailing date is the key date — it's printed on the notice. Do not miss this deadline. Once it passes, you cannot protest your 2026 assessment regardless of how inflated the value is.

• ✓Find the mailing date on your notice — usually at the top or in the protest section
• ✓Your deadline = May 15 OR mailing date + 30 days, whichever is LATER
• ✓If the notice was mailed April 20, your deadline is May 20 (30 days later, since that's after May 15)
• ✓If the notice was mailed April 1, your deadline is May 15 (standard deadline is later)
• ✓Write this date down and act before it arrives

Section 5: How to Check Your Appraisal District Records for Errors

One of the most valuable things you can do after receiving your notice is pull your property's official record from your county appraisal district's website. Your account number from the notice is all you need. Search the CAD's public database and compare the official record to what you know about your property. Common errors that inflate assessments include wrong square footage, a pool listed that doesn't exist or was removed, extra bathrooms not present, an incorrect year built, finished basement counted when it's unfinished, and wrong lot size. Any discrepancy is grounds for protest.

• ✓Square footage: The most impactful error — every extra 100 sqft can add thousands to your assessment
• ✓Pool: Listed as having a pool when you don't have one (or it was filled in)
• ✓Bedroom/bathroom count: Extra rooms inflate the model's value estimate
• ✓Year built: Wrong year = wrong age-adjusted value
• ✓Condition rating: Most CADs use condition ratings (Good/Average/Fair) — if your home is Fair, not Good, that's an argument
• ✓Lot size: Especially important for larger properties where land value is a significant portion

What to Do After Reading Your Notice

Once you've reviewed your notice and your property record, you have a clear picture of whether a protest makes sense. If your appraised value is higher than what comparable homes in your neighborhood have sold for recently, or if you found errors in your property record, file a protest. The risk of filing is zero — Texas law prevents your value from being raised as a result of your protest. TaxAppeal handles everything from here: we pull your property data, run the comparable sales analysis, draft your formal protest letter, and file via USPS certified mail before your deadline. You never have to interact with the appraisal district directly.

Frequently Asked Questions