Texas6 min readJune 27, 2026Updated October 18, 2026
McLennan County Texas Property Tax Protest Guide 2027
McLennan County property tax protest guide 2027. Waco homeowners: challenge your MCAD assessment before May 15. Baylor and Lake Waco market dynamics create over-assessments. TaxAppeal: $89 ready-to-sign kit.
McLennan County is anchored by Waco, home to Baylor University and one of Central Texas's fastest-growing cities over the past decade. The 'Fixer Upper' effect — the HGTV show starring Chip and Joanna Gaines — brought significant national attention and tourism to Waco, contributing to real estate appreciation that has been dramatic relative to Waco's traditional price levels. The McLennan County Appraisal District (MCAD) now manages assessments in a market where values have run up sharply and in some neighborhoods have since moderated. The 2027 protest deadline is May 17, 2027.
Waco Market and Assessment Patterns
Waco's Fixer Upper-driven appreciation and Baylor enrollment growth pushed values to levels that surprised long-time residents. The mass appraisal models used by MCAD tracked this appreciation aggressively, and in neighborhoods where values have since moderated, the assessments may lag the correction. Properties near Baylor's campus also experience unique investor rental dynamics that can distort comparable sale data.
✓Historic Waco neighborhoods (Sanger Heights, Castle Heights): Renovation-driven appreciation; MCAD models may over-assess based on peak sales
✓Hewitt/Woodway: Premium Waco suburbs with stable demand; correction from peak visible
✓Lorena/Hillsboro corridor: Growing outer suburbs with new construction moderating resale prices
✓Older east and south Waco: Affordable stock with condition variation not captured in mass appraisal
The 2027 MCAD Protest Deadline
McLennan County property owners must file a protest with MCAD by May 17, 2027, or 30 days after MCAD mails their Notice of Appraised Value — whichever is later.
✓MCAD address: 315 S. 26th Street, Waco, TX 76710
✓Online filing: Available at mclennancad.org
✓Deadline: May 15 or 30 days from notice mailing date
✓TaxAppeal mails you a ready-to-sign protest kit to sign and mail before the deadline
TaxAppeal USA: $89 Flat for McLennan County
TaxAppeal USA checks first whether a protest will lower your bill after your exemptions and the homestead cap; if it won't, we tell you and don't sell you one. If it will, we mail you a ready-to-sign McLennan County protest kit: Comptroller Form 50-132 filled in, an equal-and-uniform comparison from MCAD's own roll, a checklist and a return envelope addressed to MCAD. You sign it and mail it before your protest deadline. Flat $89. At McLennan County's effective tax rate of approximately 2.1-2.5%, a $20,000 reduction saves $420-500 per year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2027 McLennan County property tax protest deadline? ▾
May 17, 2027, or 30 days after MCAD mails your Notice of Appraised Value — whichever is later.
Does TaxAppeal serve Waco and Hewitt? ▾
Yes. TaxAppeal USA serves all McLennan County communities including Waco, Hewitt, Woodway, Lorena, Bellmead, Lacy-Lakeview, and all unincorporated areas.
Did the Fixer Upper effect over-inflate Waco assessments? ▾
In some neighborhoods, yes. Rapid appreciation driven by tourism and media attention pushed MCAD assessments to levels that some resale sales no longer support. If your just value exceeds comparable sales, you have grounds to protest.
Can my MCAD appraisal go up if I protest? ▾
No. Texas Tax Code §41.43 prohibits MCAD from raising your appraised value solely because you filed a protest.
How much can Waco homeowners save? ▾
A typical successful protest reduces appraised value by $15,000-$35,000, saving $315-875 per year at McLennan County rates.
How do I file a McLennan County property tax protest? ▾
File online at mclennancad.org, by mail, or in person at 315 S. 26th Street, Waco. TaxAppeal USA prepares it and mails it to you ready to sign for $89 flat — you sign it and mail it yourself.
Your appeal kit for $89 flat
We check whether an appeal will lower your bill before you pay. If it will, we mail you the official form filled in, your evidence and a return envelope. You sign it and mail it.
We check first. If an appeal will lower your bill, we mail you a ready-to-sign kit for $89 flat. You sign it and mail it, and you keep 100% of your savings.
TaxAppeal USA is a self-service document-preparation service. We prepare a ready-to-sign appeal kit and mail it to you; you sign it and mail it to the county yourself. In every state we serve, including Florida, we are not property tax consultants, agents, or representatives, we do not provide tax or legal advice, and we do not file appeals or represent customers before any appraisal district, board of assessors, board of equalization, value adjustment board, or review board. Every appeal, protest and petition is prepared for the property owner, signed by the owner, and mailed by the owner in the owner’s name. In Florida your petition is signed by you as the property owner under section 194.011(3), Florida Statutes, and the county’s Value Adjustment Board filing fee is paid by you directly to the county. TaxAppeal USA does not sign as your representative, does not appear before the Board, and does not present evidence or argument at a hearing.