Texas Property Tax Protest Deadlines: What Property Owners Need to Know

The Texas property tax protest deadline is May 15, or the 30th day after the appraisal district delivers your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. This rule comes from Tax Code Section 41.44, and the exact date that applies to your account is printed on your own notice, not a generic calendar date. Some appraisal-district decisions, including certain corrections, carry a separate 30-day deadline of their own. This guide explains how to read your notice, file on time in Bandera County, and understand limited late-filing options; it does not replace the notice itself or legal advice for a specific dispute.

What Is the Usual Texas Property Tax Protest Deadline?

For most owners, the deadline is May 15 or 30 days after the notice is delivered, whichever date is later. Because delivery dates vary, two neighbors can have different deadlines in the same tax year.

How to Determine the Deadline Printed on Your Notice

Your Notice of Appraised Value states the appraised value and, in most cases, a protest deadline specific to your account. Locate that date before relying on any general rule described on this page.

Why May 15 Is Not the Only Possible Deadline

May 15 applies when a notice is delivered early in the year. If your district mails or delivers the notice later, the 30-day period after delivery controls instead, which can push your real deadline well past May.

Deadlines for Other Appraisal-District Decisions

Certain determinations, such as some corrections or special denials, carry their own 30-day protest window separate from the annual notice deadline. Check the specific notice for that decision rather than assuming the general rule applies.

What Must Be Filed Before the Deadline

A written notice of protest must identify the property owner, the property, and that the owner is dissatisfied with a decision of the appraisal district. Texas Comptroller Form 50-132 is the standard form, though it is not the only acceptable written format.

Additional current documents for property owners are available in the Bandera CAD Forms section.

How to File a Protest in Bandera County

Bandera Central Appraisal District accepts protests through several verified channels:

  • the online property-tax portal;
  • mail to the district's current mailing address;
  • in-person delivery during posted office hours.

Confirm the current portal link, mailing address, and hours directly with Bandera CAD before filing, since these details are verified separately from this guide.

Online, Mail, In-Person, and Other Approved Filing Methods

Each method above produces different proof of filing. Choose the channel that lets you keep a clear, dated record, particularly if you are filing close to the deadline.

What Happens if the Deadline Falls on a Weekend or Legal Holiday

When the deadline lands on a weekend or legal holiday, the filing window generally extends to the next business day, consistent with standard Texas filing-deadline rules.

Limited Late-Protest and Correction Procedures

Texas law allows narrow late-filing paths, including good-cause late protests and certain motions to correct, but these are conditional and reviewed case by case, not a guaranteed substitute for filing on time.

Failure to Receive a Required Notice

If you did not receive a notice you were entitled to, a separate protest path may be available, but eligibility depends on specific facts the appraisal review board evaluates individually.

Special Rules for Certain Offshore Workers and Active-Duty Service Members

Texas law includes limited deadline accommodations for some offshore workers and active-duty military members. Eligibility depends on current statutory requirements, so confirm applicability directly with the appraisal district.

What Missing the Deadline Can Affect

Missing your deadline can forfeit your right to a formal protest for that tax year in most circumstances, which is why confirming your exact date early matters more than memorizing a general rule. This is separate from your right to review your own property records or search your Bandera County property at any time.

Bandera CAD and the Appraisal Review Board determine appraised values and hear protests; they do not set local tax rates, which are adopted separately by each taxing unit.

Deadline Checklist

Before your deadline, confirm:

  • the exact date on your Notice of Appraised Value;
  • your written protest identifies you, the property, and your dissatisfaction;
  • your filing method and proof of submission;
  • your confirmation number or certified-mail receipt.

A Spanish-language summary of this page is reviewed and published separately for owners who prefer it.

FAQ

Is the property tax protest deadline always May 15?

No. May 15 applies only if it falls after the 30-day period following your notice's delivery date. If your notice arrives later in the year, your actual deadline is 30 days from delivery, not May 15.

What if I never received a Notice of Appraised Value?

A separate failure-to-receive-notice protest path may be available, but eligibility depends on your specific circumstances. Contact the appraisal district promptly rather than assuming a standard deadline applies.

Can I still protest if I miss my deadline?

Limited late-filing options exist for good cause or certain corrections, but they are not guaranteed and are reviewed individually. Filing on time remains the more reliable path.

Does filing a protest lower my taxes automatically?

No. Filing preserves your right to a hearing; it does not by itself change your appraised value or tax bill. The outcome depends on the evidence and the review process.

Do Bandera CAD or the ARB set my tax rate?

No. Appraisal districts and review boards determine appraised values and hear protests; local taxing units, not the appraisal district, set tax rates.