Dallas Property Tax Guide for New Homeowners

This timeline determines whether you’re paying the right amount or overpaying.

The May 15 protest deadline is hard. It does not move because you missed your notice or were traveling. Set a calendar reminder as soon as you close on your home.

DCAD uses mass appraisal — automated models that estimate market value using recent sales data, neighborhood characteristics, and property attributes. The models are designed for efficiency across hundreds of thousands of properties, which means they regularly miss individual factors that affect your specific home’s value.

DCAD reappraises all Dallas County properties annually. In recent years, Dallas residential values rose 14% or more in a single year in some neighborhoods, and the county now ranks 3rd nationally for median property tax bill increases. Your Notice of Appraised Value arrives in the mail starting in April — open it immediately and compare the appraised value to what you actually paid for the home and what comparable homes in your neighborhood are selling for.

If the number exceeds reality, you have grounds to protest.

Roughly one in four Dallas County property owners protest their appraisal each year. Of those who file, approximately 84% achieve a reduction at the informal stage — meaning most protests are settled before you ever appear before a board. This is not a complicated legal process. It’s a negotiation backed by evidence.

Step 1: File Your Protest Before May 15

File online at dallascad.org using the iFile system, or submit a written protest by mail. You need: your property account number (on your appraisal notice), and your reason for protest. The most common reason is “value is over market value.” Check this box — it opens the widest range of evidence options.

Filing costs nothing and takes about 10 minutes online.

Step 2: Gather Your Evidence

The only thing that moves an appraiser is evidence. DCAD’s mass appraisal model didn’t visit your house. You know things about it they don’t. Relevant evidence includes:

• Recent comparable sales (comps): Properties similar to yours (size, age, condition, neighborhood) that sold for less than your appraised value. Pull these from Zillow, Realtor.com, or the DCAD website itself. Aim for 3–5 comps within the same ZIP code or neighborhood that closed in the past 6–12 months.
• Your purchase price: If you bought your home recently and paid less than the appraised value, it is strong evidence of market value.
• Condition issues: Deferred maintenance, foundation issues, roof problems, outdated systems — anything that legitimately reduces market value. Photos and repair estimates help.
• Unequal appraisal: DCAD appraises your home at a higher ratio of market value than comparable properties. This is a separate protest basis and can result in reductions even when your value appears accurate.

Step 3: The Informal Hearing

After you file, DCAD will schedule an informal review with an appraiser — usually by phone or in person. Bring your evidence. The appraiser reviews it and can offer a reduced value on the spot. Most protests are resolved here. Dallas County’s informal success rate was 84% in 2024 — you don’t need a lawyer, a consultant, or any special expertise. You need evidence and a willingness to show up.

If the informal appraiser won’t move enough, you proceed to the formal ARB hearing.

Step 4: The Appraisal Review Board (ARB) Hearing

The ARB is a panel of citizens (not DCAD employees) who hear evidence from both you and DCAD and make a binding determination. Hearings are typically held from July through August. Present your case factually — the ARB rules on value, not on whether your taxes are too high. “My taxes are too high” is not a valid argument; “the comparable sales data shows my home is worth $40,000 less than DCAD’s assessment” is.

ARB decisions can be further appealed to the district court, binding arbitration, or the State Office of Administrative Hearings — but most homeowners stop at the ARB level.

Should You Hire a Tax Protest Firm?

Several firms — O’Connor & Associates, NTPTS, Ownwell, TurboProtest, and others — will handle the entire protest on a contingency basis (typically 20–25% of first-year savings, nothing if they don’t reduce your value). For high-value properties, or homeowners who simply don’t want to deal with the process, this can make sense. For the average Dallas homeowner, the informal hearing is straightforward enough to handle on their own.

If you’re choosing between Dallas County and a neighboring county, property tax rates are a meaningful variable. Rates vary significantly across the metro.

The single biggest driver of rates is your school district. Dallas ISD ($0.9938) is one of the higher rates in the metro. Suburban school districts like Frisco ISD, Plano ISD, or Southlake’s Carroll ISD can run in the $0.90–$1.10 range, but the total combined rate depends on all taxing entities.

What Happens If You Don’t Pay

Texas property tax delinquency is serious and moves quickly:

• February 1: Bills become delinquent. An immediate 7% penalty + interest is added to the outstanding balance.
• July 1: Delinquent accounts are referred to an attorney for collection. An additional 15–20% attorney fee is added to the existing penalty and interest.
• Continued non-payment can ultimately result in a tax lien and foreclosure, regardless of whether you have a mortgage.

If you’re facing genuine financial hardship, the Dallas County Tax Office offers payment arrangements — contact them directly at 214-653-7811 before the delinquency date. Options exist, but they require you to initiate contact.

Assuming your lender’s escrow estimate is accurate. Lenders often base their first-year escrow estimate on the previous owner’s tax bill or the pre-purchase appraised value — neither of which may reflect what DCAD will assess your home at after the sale. A sale often triggers a new appraisal closer to your purchase price. Budget for an escrow adjustment in year two.

Missing the April 30 homestead exemption deadline. You can file retroactively for up to two years, but you lose cap protection for any year you didn’t have the exemption active — and in a rising market, that compounding 10% cap is worth thousands.

Not protesting because you assume it won’t work. An 84% informal success rate means the odds are in your favor. You’re not fighting city hall — you’re presenting data to an appraiser who has a quota to review. If your comps are solid, you will almost certainly get a reduction.

Confusing appraised value with taxable value. Your taxable value is the appraised value minus exemptions. Your bill is based on the taxable value. These numbers are different from what you notice, and using the wrong one when estimating your tax bill is a common mistake.

When are Dallas property taxes due? Tax bills are mailed in October and due by January 31. Accounts become delinquent on February 1, when a 7% penalty and interest are added immediately.

How do I apply for the Dallas homestead exemption? File online at dallascad.org by April 30 of the tax year. You’ll need a copy of your Texas driver’s license or state ID showing the property address. Filing is free and takes about 10 minutes.

What is the homestead exemption worth in Dallas? The 2026 school district homestead exemption is $140,000 (under SB 4). On a $400,000 home, this saves approximately $1,391 per year in school district taxes alone. It also activates the 10% annual cap on assessed value increases.

What is the property tax rate in Dallas County? The Dallas County rate alone is $0.2155 per $100 of assessed value (2025). The combined rate for a typical City of Dallas homeowner — including city, county, DISD, Parkland, and Dallas College — runs approximately $2.27 per $100, or roughly 2.27%.

How do I protest my DCAD appraisal? File a protest at dallascad.org before May 15 (or 30 days after your notice date, whichever is later). Gather comparable sales data, attend the informal hearing with your evidence, and negotiate directly with the appraiser. Dallas County’s informal resolution rate is 84%, meaning most homeowners get a reduction without ever going before the ARB.

Can DCAD raise my home’s value by any amount each year? If you have a homestead exemption, your assessed value (for tax purposes) cannot increase more than 10% per year, regardless of what market values do. Without a homestead exemption, there is no cap — another reason to file immediately after closing.

What if I disagree with the ARB’s decision? You can appeal to the district court, to binding arbitration through the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH), or to the Texas Property Tax Assistance Division. Most homeowners stop at the ARB level; district court appeals make more economic sense for high-value properties.

Property taxes affect your move date in one practical way that many buyers miss: the seller and buyer prorate property taxes at closing based on the portion of the tax year each party occupied the home. Your closing disclosure will show a tax proration credit or charge — this is normal.

If you’re moving to Dallas from another state and are used to receiving a tax bill once a year, Texas works the same way — bills arrive in October and are due by January 31. Many lenders escrow taxes monthly as part of your mortgage payment, so you may never write a separate check. Confirm this with your lender at closing.

And if your move to Dallas involves temporarily storing furniture between closing dates, Element Moving’s climate-controlled storage in Dallas can bridge the gap without scrambling your moving timeline. The move-in and move-out dates at most properties are tight enough that short-term storage is often the cleanest solution.

When you’re ready to move, get your free quote here.

Element Moving & Storage is a licensed and insured Dallas-area moving company. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. Property tax rates and exemption amounts are based on 2025 certified data; verify current figures at dallascad.org and dallascounty.org before making financial decisions.