When is the deadline to protest property taxes in Texas?

As per section 41.44 of Texas Property Tax Code, The deadline for filing a property tax protest in Texas is May 15th, or 30 days after the Notice of Value was delivered to the property owner, whichever is later. In case May 15th is a weekend or a holiday, then protests are due the next working day. e.g., if you receive your appraisal notice on April 1st, then you have until May 15th to protest. But, if you received your value notice on April 18th, then you have April 18th + 30 days, i.e., until May 17th to protest.

There have been instances where some appraisal districts insisted the "30-day" limit is from the date they mailed the notice. But, Section 41.44 (a)(1) specifically mentions the date of delivery of the notice:

Sec. 41.44. NOTICE OF PROTEST.

(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b), (c), (c-1), and (c-2), to be entitled to a hearing and determination of a protest, the property owner initiating the protest must file a written notice of the protest with the appraisal review board having authority to hear the matter protested:

(1) not later than May 15 or the 30th day after the date that notice to the property owner was delivered to the property owner as provided by Section 25.19, whichever is later;

e.g., if the date on the appraisal notice is April 10th, but you received it on April 18th, then you have 30 days from April 18th to protest.

In cases where there is a change to your appraisal record or change in land use or a change in the determination of exemption, then the "30-day" window begins when you receive such a notice. Ref: Section 41.44(a) subsections (2)-(5)

(2) in the case of a protest of a change in the appraisal records ordered as provided by Subchapter A of this chapter or by Chapter 25, not later than the 30th day after the date notice of the change is delivered to the property owner;

(3) in the case of a determination that a change in the use of land appraised under Subchapter C, D, E, or H, Chapter 23, has occurred, not later than the 30th day after the date the notice of the determination is delivered to the property owner;

(4) in the case of a determination of eligibility for a refund under Section 23.1243, not later than the 30th day after the date the notice of the determination is delivered to the property owner; or

(5) in the case of a protest of the modification or denial of an application for an exemption under Section 11.35, or the determination of an appropriate damage assessment rating for an item of qualified property under that section, not later than the 30th day after the date the property owner receives the notice required under Section 11.45(e).

In case you do not receive a Notice of Value from your County Appraisal District (CAD), you can check with them if they have mailed it. You can also search for your Notice of Value on your CAD's website.

Notwithstanding these conditions, if a property owner files their notice of protest after the deadline has passed, but before the appraisal review board approves the appraisal records, then the property owner is entitled to a hearing and determination of the protest if they show good cause for failure to file the notice on time. Do note that this is entirely at the discretion of the Appraisal Review Board.

If the property owner was away for employment in the Gulf of Mexico, or was serving the US Military, then they are exempt from the protest deadline. But, they have to file a protest before the taxes become delinquent.

In case you do not receive your annual appraisal notice by May 15th, you can still file a protest with the reason that the county failed to send you the notice.