How to Protest Your Property Taxes in Harris & Montgomery County
A Simple, Positive Playbook for Making Sure You Don't Overpay
Your property tax bill is driven by the value the appraisal district puts on your home, and you have every right to challenge that number. Protesting is free, more common than you’d think, and often successful. Here’s how to do it, step by step.
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Why Protesting Is Worth Your Time
Every spring, your county appraisal district mails a notice of appraised value, its estimate of what your home is worth, which becomes the basis for your tax bill. That estimate is a mass-produced number, not a custom appraisal of your specific house, and it’s often high. The good news: Texas gives every property owner the right to protest that value, the process is free, and a meaningful share of homeowners who protest get a reduction. Lowering your appraised value lowers your taxes for that year, and can help hold down future years too.
Protesting isn’t adversarial or complicated, and it doesn’t require a lawyer. Think of it as simply presenting evidence that your home is worth less than the district assumed, or that it’s appraised higher than comparable homes around you. Combined with your homestead exemption, a successful protest is one of the most effective ways to keep your total property tax bill in check.
The Property Tax Protest Process, Step by Step
Read Your Notice of Appraised Value
It arrives in spring (typically April, May). Check the appraised value, your exemptions, and the deadline printed on the notice.
File Your Protest by the Deadline
File by May 15, or 30 days after your notice was delivered, whichever is later. Harris County (HCAD) and Montgomery County (MCAD) both let you file online, by mail, or in person.
Choose Your Grounds
The two most common are 'market value is too high' (your home is worth less than the appraisal) and 'unequal appraisal' (similar homes are appraised for less).
Gather Your Evidence
Recent sales of comparable homes, photos and repair estimates for any issues (foundation, roof, dated condition), and a list of comparable properties assessed lower than yours.
Try the Informal Review First
Many protests are settled in an informal meeting with a district appraiser. Present your evidence politely; if they offer a fair reduction, you can accept it and be done.
Go to the ARB Hearing if Needed
If you don't settle, you present to the Appraisal Review Board, an independent panel. It's an informal hearing where you make your case and they decide the value.
Know Your Next Options
If you disagree with the ARB, you may pursue binding arbitration, an appeal to district court, or (for some) the state SOAH process, though most homeowners resolve it well before that.
Building a Winning Case
The strongest protests rest on evidence, and the best evidence is comparable sales. If similar homes near you sold for less than your appraised value, that directly supports a lower number, and this is exactly where a local agent helps, because pulling accurate, recent comps is what we do every day. The second pillar is condition: if your home needs a new roof, has foundation issues, dated kitchens and baths, or any deferred maintenance, document it with photos and contractor estimates. The district appraised a typical home in your neighborhood; your job is to show how yours differs.
The third angle, unique to Texas, is unequal appraisal: even if your value is arguably fair, you can win a reduction by showing that comparable properties are assessed for less than yours. Districts are required to appraise similar homes equitably. Keep your presentation organized and factual, a tidy folder of comps and photos beats an emotional argument every time, and remember the appraiser isn’t your enemy; they resolve fair cases all day.
A little preparation goes a long way. Before your informal review or hearing, decide on the value you believe is fair and be ready to explain how your evidence supports it. Bring three to five strong comparable sales rather than a dozen weak ones, lead with your best point, and don’t be afraid to ask the appraiser what evidence would most help your case, they will often tell you. If your home has issues the district can’t see from the street, photos and repair estimates are your most persuasive tools, because they show real costs that reduce value. Owners who come prepared and courteous are the ones who tend to walk away with a reduction.
Property Tax Protest, Quick Facts
Protest Every Year, and Get Help if You Want It
Here’s a habit that pays: review your notice and consider protesting every single year. Values reset annually, and a win one year doesn’t stop the district from raising your value the next. It only takes a little time, there’s no penalty for protesting, and the downside is essentially zero, the district can’t raise your value because you challenged it.
If you’d rather not go it alone, you have options: many homeowners hire a property-tax consultant who works on contingency, and your real estate agent can provide the comparable-sales data that anchors a strong case. Stacy is glad to pull recent comps for your protest, or to give you a broker opinion of value you can use as evidence. It all connects back to the Homeownership Resources hub, protest, exemptions, and valuation working together to keep your costs down.
Protest, Exemptions & Value, Use Them Together
A protest is most powerful when it’s part of a bigger strategy. Start by making sure your homestead exemption is in place, since it both lowers your taxable value and caps how fast that value can climb each year. Then protest the appraised value when it runs ahead of the market, using real comparable sales as your evidence. Done together, these two moves can meaningfully lower what you pay, year after year, without any change to the tax rates themselves.
This is also where working with a local broker pays off in a very concrete way. The comparable-sales data that wins protests is exactly the data agents work with every day, and a clear comparative market analysis can double as protest evidence. Whether you’re protesting this year’s notice or planning ahead for next, a few minutes gathering the right comps is time well spent, and we’re glad to help you assemble them.
Please note: General information, not tax, legal, or insurance advice. Exemption amounts, deadlines, and rules change, confirm current details with your county appraisal district, and coverage with a licensed insurance agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the deadline to protest my property taxes?
Generally May 15, or 30 days after your appraisal notice was delivered, whichever is later. The exact date is printed on your notice, so check it as soon as it arrives.
Does protesting cost anything?
No. Filing and presenting your own protest is free. If you hire a consultant, they typically work on contingency (a share of what they save you); an agent can supply comps at no charge.
What evidence works best?
Recent sales of comparable homes for less than your appraised value, documentation of your home’s condition or needed repairs (photos and estimates), and comparable properties that are appraised lower than yours.
Can protesting make my taxes go up?
No. The appraisal district can’t raise your value simply because you protested. The worst case is that your value stays the same, so there’s little downside to trying.
What happens at an ARB hearing?
It’s an informal hearing before the independent Appraisal Review Board. You present your evidence, the district presents theirs, and the panel decides your value. Most cases that reach this point are resolved the same day.
Should I protest every year?
Yes, it’s worth reviewing your notice annually. Values are reappraised each year, so a reduction one year doesn’t prevent an increase the next. There’s no penalty for protesting, and many homeowners make it a quick spring ritual, the appraisal notice arrives, they compare it to recent sales, and they file if the number looks high. Over the years, that habit can save a substantial amount.