Homeowners in Houston and across Harris County have the legal right to challenge their appraised value every year — at no cost, without a lawyer. Here is the exact process for filing a protest with the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD).
Texas Tax Code gives every property owner the right to protest their appraisal each year. No attorney or tax agent is required. The two most effective arguments for Harris County homeowners are:
Citizens Tax Protest Project uses HCAD's public property records — over 1.6 million parcels — to run a comparable analysis and generate your complete filing packet in minutes. No signup, no cost, no agent commission.
Start Your Free Analysis →| HCAD Contact & Filing Details | |
|---|---|
| Address | 13013 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040-6305 |
| Phone | (713) 957-7800 |
| Property search | hcad.org/property-search |
| Online protest portal | owners.hcad.org (iFile / iSettle) |
| Portal login | Account number + iFile PIN (from your Notice of Appraised Value) |
| Evidence upload | Only through iSettle, opted in at filing, within 5 days. ARB hearings require 4 printed copies instead. |
| Protest deadline | May 15, or 30 days from notice date |
| Typical combined tax rate | ~2.03% (varies by city and school district) |
No. Texas Tax Code §41.41 gives every property owner the right to appear on their own behalf. Citizens Tax Protest Project provides the analysis and documents — you file and present it yourself. No agent commission, no attorney fees.
May 15, or 30 days after the date on your Notice of Appraised Value — whichever is later. Notices typically arrive in April. File as soon as you receive your notice.
Your account number and iFile PIN, both printed on your Notice of Appraised Value. If you can't find them, contact HCAD at (713) 957-7800 or search your property at hcad.org/property-search to retrieve your account number.
Only if you opt in to iSettle at the time you file, and only within 5 days after filing — HCAD's upload feature closes at midnight of the fifth calendar day. If you don't opt in, or the window has passed, bring printed evidence (4 copies) to your ARB hearing instead; HCAD's ARB does not accept digital submissions at the hearing itself.
Yes. Your Closing Disclosure is strong evidence. Under Texas Tax Code §41.43(b)(3), an arm's-length purchase price creates a legal presumption that the appraised value exceeds market value. See our recent purchase protest guide for Harris County.
Citizens Tax Protest Project uses HCAD's full property database (over 1.6 million parcels — the largest of any county this tool supports) to find homes with similar square footage, year built, and location. It adjusts each comp's value to account for size differences, then compares the median adjusted value to your appraised value. If your home is appraised more than 3–10% above the adjusted median, you have a clear case.
No. Protesting your value has no effect on your homestead exemption. If you haven't applied yet, the deadline for homestead exemptions is typically April 30. See our Homestead Exemption Guide.
Citizens Tax Protest Project is a free, self-service tool for Texas property owners. For Harris County, it uses HCAD's complete property database — over 1.6 million parcels, the same records HCAD maintains — to find comparable properties, calculate adjusted values, and generate a ready-to-file protest packet.
There is no cost, no signup, and no commission on your savings. The tool currently supports Williamson County (WCAD), Brazos County (BCAD), Collin County (CCAD), and Harris County (HCAD), with additional Texas counties planned.