Protest Process
Every spring, Travis County property owners whose market value has increased by at least $1,000 over the last year will receive a Notice of Appraised Value. This notice contains three important values:
Market value: This is the value based on what your property would sell for as of January 1.
Assessed value: This is the reduced value of your property based on limitations provided by having a homestead exemption.
Taxable value: This is the assessed value minus any exemption amounts. It is the value used to calculate your property taxes for each taxing unit.
If you do not receive a Notice of Appraised Value, you can view your property’s values using the property search feature of our website.
If you believe the market value of your property is incorrect, you have the right to protest that value. The deadline to file your protest for the 2021 protest season is May 17, 2021. If you choose to protest the value of your property, you can initiate the protest in one of several ways:
Online
This is the easiest and fastest way to initiate and manage your protest. By filing online, you will receive an immediate confirmation that your protest has been filed. Additionally, you will be able to upload comments and evidence related to your protest, review evidence from the appraisal district, and accept/decline any settlement offer through your online account.
If you do not have an account, you can set one up by using the property owner ID and pin number on your Notice of Appraised Value. If you do not have a property owner ID or pin number, contact our Customer Service Department for assistance.
By Mail
You can send us your protest by mail at:
Travis Central Appraisal District
PO Box 149012
Austin TX 78714
In-Person
You can stop by our office during normal business hours:
850 East Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78752
The Informal Process
During the informal process, property owners who have protested their market value have the opportunity to receive a settlement offer from the appraisal district. When a property owner files their protest, they can submit evidence to the appraisal district that shows why they believe their market value should be lowered. Property owners who file their protests online can upload their evidence, review the appraisal district’s evidence, and review a settlement offer through their online accounts. Property owners who file protests will have the opportunity to discuss their evidence with a TCAD appraiser. Property owners can expect to receive a settlement offer within 10 business days of that discussion.
The informal process for the 2021 protest season is scheduled to begin on April 19, 2021 and end on June 18, 2021.
If a property owner does not accept a settlement offer from the appraisal district during the informal process, they will be given the opportunity to be heard by the Travis Appraisal Review Board (ARB).
Click here to learn more about the informal protest process
The Appraisal Review Board (ARB) Process
The Travis Appraisal Review Board (ARB) is an independent group of citizens authorized to resolve disputes between taxpayers and the appraisal district. The ARB sits in panels of three to hear testimony and review evidence to determine property owner protests that were not resolved during the informal process.
During an ARB hearing, both a property owner and a representative from the appraisal district will present their evidence and take questions from a panel of ARB members. Following this presentation, the panel will make a decision regarding the protest. Hearings typically last 15 to 20 minutes. The property owner will then receive a Notice of Final Order via certified mail.
The ARB hearing process is expected to begin in June 2021.
Property owners who wish to appeal the decision of the ARB may do so in binding arbitration or District Court.
Click here to learn more about ARB hearings
Need Help?
Contact us at CSInfo@tcadcentral.org, by phone at 512-834-9317, or check out the videos below to learn more about navigating the protest process through our online portal.
Willison County
Online Protest Filing
Note: if you have recently purchased your property and the Total Market Value on your current Notice Of Appraised Value is higher than your purchase price, you might be eligible for an Express Review.
More Info About Express Review
Does your appraisal notice from WCAD look like the example below (a copy of your notice can be found in the search details of a property search)? Does it contain an Online Passcode and watermark indicating online eligibilty?
If so, search for your property in the property search box above and click the 
icon if you are interested in filing a protest online instead of mailing the notice of protest.
View documents explaining Comparable Sales and Equity Comparable reports.
For more information regarding protest procedures and tax payer rights and remedies:
