Texas property tax · Harris County first
Understand your property assessment
You got your assessment notice and it might be too high. Work out whether it warrants a closer look, what evidence matters, how the protest process works, and when the deadline is — with reliable, sourced public information.
Who it is for
Texas and Florida property owners — starting with Harris County — who want to understand their assessment before deciding anything. If you already know you want a professional to handle a protest or VAB petition, this site will still help you understand what that process involves.
Florida property tax
Florida's system is different: just value, assessed value, and taxable value are three different figures, the Save Our Homes limitation and the non-homestead cap work differently from Texas's 10% rule, and appeals go through a Value Adjustment Board after a TRIM notice. Start with Florida property tax basics, the TRIM notice, or Save Our Homes.
How the assessment checker works
You enter the values from your notice of appraised value and your property's characteristics. The checker calculates the year-over-year change, screens for conditions that may warrant further review, and builds an evidence and preparation checklist. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.
What information it uses
Official sources only: the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas statutes, and official appraisal district materials. Every important factual claim on this site links to its source with the date we verified it. See our methodology.
What it can and cannot determine
It can help you understand your assessment, check it against verified public rules, and prepare evidence. It cannot determine your property's correct value, cannot predict whether a protest will succeed, and cannot promise savings. Comparisons it produces are informational, not legal conclusions.
Texas property tax basics
How values are set as of January 1, what "market value" legally means, why appraised and taxable value differ, and who does what between the appraisal district, taxing units, and the ARB.
The protest process, step by step
From the notice of appraised value to the ARB's written order — and the appeal routes that exist if you disagree with it. The filing deadline is generally May 15 or 30 days after your notice was delivered, whichever is later.
Harris County starting point
The Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) determines values for roughly 1.9 million parcels across more than 600 taxing units. Our Harris County guide covers the local starting points — HCAD's role, filing a protest, official forms, and the local FAQ — and the Harris County checker is the local edition of the tool.
Evidence and preparation
Photographs, repair estimates, sales documentation, comparable properties, surveys, engineering reports — what official guidance says about each, and what each does not prove by itself.
Sources and methodology
Source hierarchy, comparable-property standards, calculation transparency, and how errors get corrected: methodology · editorial policy · corrections.
Disclaimer
This site provides general educational information, not individualized legal, tax, appraisal, or financial advice. It is not affiliated with any appraisal district or government agency. Read the full disclaimer.
About the site
Why this site exists, how information is reviewed, and what we do not do: about.