By Harsha N Hegde

If your county appraisal district (CAD) has the wrong square footage for your home, you could be overpaying property taxes.

An inflated square footage means:

• Your appraised value may be too high
• Your $/sqft could look “normal” on paper, hiding overvaluation
• You’re missing a chance to use an unequal appraisal protest to lower your taxes

But correcting square footage alone does not automatically lower your property taxes. The real benefit is how the corrected square footage affects your $/sqft and comparable property analysis.

1. Why Your Appraisal District’s Square Footage May Be Wrong

Property tax records are not always accurate. Here are the most common causes for square footage discrepancies:

• Preliminary plans vs. final construction
• Garages, porches, unfinished attics counted by mistake
• Different measurement standards
• Incorrect bedroom or bathroom counts
• Phantom improvements from permits
• Duplicate property accounts

Proper measurement should follow ANSI Z765:

• Count only finished, heated, above-grade living areas
• Exclude garages, basements, and detached structures

Always cross-check your survey, deed, appraisal report, and CAD records. Even small discrepancies can cost you hundreds every year.

2. How to Check Your Property’s Square Footage in CAD Records

1. Visit your county appraisal district website
2. Search using property account number, owner name, or address
3. Check:
   • CAD square footage
   • Survey or floor plans
   • MLS listings
   • Lender appraisal (if you refinanced)

If CAD records don’t match reality, you have grounds for correction.

3. Gather Proof of Correct Square Footage

To correct appraisal district records, you’ll need evidence:

• Property survey
• Independent appraisal report
• Builder blueprints
• Remodeling permits
• Previous CAD records
• MLS listings (secondary evidence)

If you refinanced recently, request your lender’s appraisal. These are usually ANSI-compliant and carry weight with CADs.

4. Request an Informal Correction From the CAD

Some appraisal districts allow informal corrections before protest season:

• Email or call CAD with your documents
• Ask for a square footage correction
• If accepted, your records are updated without filing a protest

If CAD denies your request, you’ll need to file a property tax protest.

5. File a Property Tax Protest (Form 50-132)

To formally dispute your CAD data:

• Submit Form 50-132 or file online
• Check both boxes:
  • Incorrect appraised value
  • Property is unequally appraised
• Attach survey, appraisal, or floor plans

For step-by-step guidance, see our Texas Property Tax Protest Guide.

6. Will My Property Value Go Down If Square Footage Is Corrected?

Not necessarily.

When CAD corrects square footage, they may:

1. Lower the appraised value
2. Leave the value unchanged
3. Increase the $/sqft and keep the same value

Example:

Before correction:

• Sqft = 3,000
• Value = $450,000
• $/sqft = $150

After correction:

• Sqft = 2,600
• Value = $450,000
• $/sqft = $173

The value stayed the same, but your $/sqft increased. This is why square footage correction is usually step one of an unequal appraisal protest.

7. If Your Square Footage Is Too High vs Too Low

If CAD square footage is too high:

• Correct the square footage
• Your $/sqft increases
• You may become overpriced vs neighbors
• Use unequal appraisal to lower value

If CAD square footage is too low:

• Your $/sqft already looks high
• You may win an unequal appraisal protest
• You may not want to correct square footage immediately

This is a strategy many experienced protest agents use.

8. How Square Footage Errors Affect Property Taxes

Example:

• CAD square footage: 3,000 sqft
• Actual square footage: 2,600 sqft
• CAD value: $450,000
• CAD price per sqft: $150

Difference = 400 sqft × $150 = $60,000 overvaluation

At a 2% tax rate, that is about $1,200 per year in extra property taxes.

Over 5 years, that could be $6,000.

9. What If You Discover Incorrect Square Footage After the May 15 Deadline?

You may still be able to correct it using Texas Tax Code Section 25.25.

Section 25.25 allows correction of factual errors such as:

• Wrong square footage
• Incorrect bedrooms or bathrooms
• Nonexistent improvements
• Duplicate structures
• Incorrect property characteristics
• Incorrect adjustments like lake view or golf course adjustments

These are considered factual errors, not value disputes.

In many cases, CAD can correct these errors even after the protest deadline.

10. Can You Get a Refund for Prior Years?

Yes. Section 25.25 corrections can sometimes apply to multiple prior years.

If your square footage has been wrong for several years, you may be able to request corrections for multiple years and receive tax refunds for those years.

When filing a 25.25 motion, list all years affected by the error.

This is very different from a normal protest:

• Protest lowers future taxes
• 25.25 corrections can result in refunds for past taxes

11. The Square Footage Protest Strategy Most Homeowners Miss

The most effective strategy is:

1. Verify square footage
2. Correct CAD records
3. Recalculate your $/sqft
4. Compare with similar homes
5. File unequal appraisal protest
6. Lower appraised value

Correcting square footage alone does not lower taxes.
Using the corrected square footage in an unequal appraisal case is what lowers taxes.

12. At the Appraisal Hearing

• Start with the correction
• Show survey or appraisal
• Then argue unequal appraisal using $/sqft comparison
• Show comparable properties with lower $/sqft

If successful:

• CAD lowers your value
• Updates property details
• Reduces future tax bills

13. Missed the May 15 Deadline? Use Sec. 25.25 Motions

Even after the deadline, Texas Property Tax Code 25.25 provides remedies:

• Clerical error corrections
• Factual property record errors
• Nonexistent improvements
• Corrections affecting multiple prior years

14. FAQs

What counts as square footage in a house?

Square footage includes finished, heated, above-grade living areas per ANSI Z765.

My tax assessor’s square footage is incorrect. What should I do?

Get a survey or appraisal, request a CAD correction, and file a protest if needed.

Zillow shows a different square footage than CAD. Who’s right?

Trust surveys and appraisal reports over Zillow or MLS.

Can I correct square footage after the protest deadline?

Yes, using Section 25.25 for factual errors.

Can incorrect square footage result in tax refunds?

Yes, if corrected under Section 25.25 for prior years.

15. Key Takeaways

• Always verify CAD square footage
• Use ANSI Z765 measurements
• Square footage correction alone does not lower taxes
• Use corrected square footage for unequal appraisal
• Section 25.25 can correct errors and may result in refunds
• Incorrect property details can cost thousands over time

16. How Square Deal Can Help

At Square Deal, we provide comps reports showing your $/sqft vs similar homes so you can build a stronger unequal appraisal protest and lower your property taxes.

Final Thoughts

Correcting your square footage is step one. Using that correction to claim unequal appraisal is step two. Combine both strategies to maximize property tax savings.

About the Author

Harsha N Hegde is the founder of squaredeal.tax, a DIY platform that helps Texas homeowners protest unfair property tax assessments. He has helped thousands of Texas homeowners save money using comps-based evidence and practical guidance.

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