Did you buy home in Texas in 2019?
Starting January 1st until April 20th, 2020, every homeowner has the opportunity to submit an application for the residential Homestead Exemption for their primary residence. We've put together some frequently asked questions when filing your exemption, along with all the resources you will need to get started today! NOTE* YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYONE TO FILE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION*
What is a Homestead Exemption?
The Homestead Exemption is essentially an exemption from property taxes that can be claimed by homeowners on their primary residence.
What is the purpose of the Homestead Exemption do?
Homestead Exemptions remove part of your home’s value from taxation, so they lower your taxes. (For example, if your home is appraised at $35,000, and you qualify for a $15,000 exemption, you will pay taxes on the home as if it was worth only $20,000.
What type of property qualifies for this exemption?
Your primary residence is the only property that qualifies for a Homestead Exemption. This means the home's owner must live at the home as of January 1st of the tax year, and be an individual (not a corporation or business entity).
How do I apply for this exemption?
You will need your Texas driver's license or state ID card. From there, you’ll need to file the Application for Residential Homestead Exemption with the county appraisal district. File with supporting documentation with the appraisal district office in each county in which the property is located generally between January 1st and April 30th of the year for which the exemption is requested. We have a FULL LIST of counties and their website/ contact information below!
What is the deadline for my Homestead Exemption application?
This must be filed between January 1st and April 30th of the tax year - or up to one year after you pay your taxes.
Please note: If you turn 65 or become disabled, you must apply for the 65 or older/disabled exemption no later than one year from the qualification date. Once you receive an exemption, you don’t need to reapply again unless the chief appraiser sends you a new application. In that case, you must file the new application. If you should move or your qualifications end, you need to inform the appraisal district in writing before the next May 1st.
Are there any other types of property tax exemptions that I may qualify for?
Yes! For a full list of property tax exemptions, check out the Comptroller's guide HERE!
Harris County residents can file electronically
Ready to get started?
Download the application HERE and then check out our handy list of local County Appraisal District websites and phone numbers for Houston (Harris), Brazoria, Fort Bend, Corpus Christi and Jefferson County below:
Harris County - HCAD.ORG
Brazoria County - Brazoria Tax Forms
Chambers County - Chamberscad.org
Fort Bend County - Homestead Filing Requirements
Galveston County - Forms and Request
Jefferson County
Contact Us
If you have any questions email or call us
Homes@Caincompany.net
PO BOX 66643
Houston, TX 77266
+1 (800) 685-7708
www.CainandCompany.net
The Texas Legislature made a number of other changes affecting property owners, including owners of multifamily residential properties, including:
Disaster Relief
In November of 2019, voters approved a new constitutional amendment that provides for a property tax exemption in declared disaster areas for damaged properties in proportion to the extent of the damage. The joint resolution establishing Proposition 3 is HJR 34 and the accompanying statutory changes are provided by HB 492.
Under the legislation, the levels of exemption, related to the percentage of damage established by FEMA, will be 15 percent, 30 percent, 60 percent and 100 percent, respectively, and will be pro-rated by the number of days remaining in the year that the property was damaged. Download the pdf HERE.
