As a property owner, you have every right to protest with regards to your property tax appraisal. Not many are aware of the protest process or are familiar with the appeal procedure. Are you concerned about the appraised value of your property? Unequal appraisal, not happy with the actions taken by your county’s chief appraiser or the appraisal review board, or did the chief appraiser or the ARB fail to send you a request notice? This blog is for you. You can find insights on the tax appeal procedures here.

Property Tax Appeal Procedures

Informal Review

This step can be simply called a meeting with the appraiser. If you are not happy with the appraised value of your property you can review it with a member of the appraisal district staff.  You are given details of the address or phone number for an informal review with the district appraiser before the protest deadline. Details of the appraisals, phone number, photos, or any relevant information are to be included in the case of real properties. Coming to business personal property, letters from the CPA, balance sheets, IRS returns, etc are required.

Once the informal review process is complete, you might either agree with your appraiser or disagree. In case of a disagreement, the next step is to file a written protest with the appraisal review board for a formal review.

Appraisal review board and its role

If not satisfied with the informal review, the next move is filing a notice of protest to get your case heard by the ARB. The appraisal review board consists of a board of citizens who listen to the concerns by reviewing the evidence and making changes. The appraisal district board also has the power to order the appraisal district to make changes.

If a request for an ARB hearing is placed before the deadline, the ARB will take up your case and send you details on the date, time, and place of the hearing. You may also request a copy of the evidence the county appraisal district plans to put forth in front of you before the hearing. The hearings are informal. You can either appear in person, on a call or submit a written affidavit to submit your evidence. In case of a call ensure you have filed the written notice not later than the 10th day before the date of hearing. Also, make sure you use the  Comptroller Form 50-283.

Final review by the district court, SOAH, or the arbitrator

After the completion of the case with the ARB, the appraisal review board sends you the order copy via email. If you are still not satisfied with the decision, you can appeal to any of the above three mentioned in the heading. After you receive the ARB’s order, you must file a request through binding arbitration within 60 days you receive the notice and it is 30 days if you wish to appeal to the SOAH. Appealing to these three bodies requires a fee or deposit.

Know more on the Texas property tax appeal steps