Travis County / Austin
Property Tax Protest
98.6% Success Rate and $1,404 Average Savings, Austin’s Post-Boom Values Mean You’re Likely Overpaying
Protest Deadline: May 15, 2026If you own a home in Travis County, Austin, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Manor, or anywhere in between, your property tax bill is almost certainly higher than it needs to be. Protesting your Travis County property taxes is one of the most effective ways to reduce what you owe. With median home values near $442,000 and an average tax rate of 2.01%, the average Travis County homeowner pays roughly $8,881 per year in property taxes. Even a modest $30,000 overvaluation costs you ~$600 every year and that overpayment compounds each year you don’t challenge it.
Resolute serves Travis County and in 2025 delivered a 98.6% success rate with average savings of $1,404 per client. Those aren’t projections, those are actual results from actual homeowners.
Meet Your Central Texas Team
Austin has been my home since 2010, which is why I love representing this market. The value swings have been significant, and many of our clients either bought near the peak or have owned their homes long enough to see major run-ups in assessed values. In a lot of cases, TCAD’s yearly assessment values are still being derived from those higher market years. When we help a homeowner reduce their assessed value by $50,000 or $60,000, that translates into meaningful tax savings.
Nicole leads Resolute’s Central Texas team with 9 years of property tax experience and is an active Texas Realtor since 2015. She works alongside Justin Dean and Jacob Perschke, whose combined experience as prior McLennan CAD appraisers totals over 14 years.
What Travis Central Appraisal District Gets Wrong
TCAD uses mass appraisal models to value every property in the county. These models are designed for efficiency, not accuracy at the individual property level. Here’s where they consistently fall short:
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Post-boom correction Austin neighborhoods that spiked 30-50% during 2020-2022 have corrected 10-20% in many areas. TCAD’s models are slow to reflect downward market movements because appraisers default to the highest defensible value.
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Highest average value reductions Our $57,590 average value reduction in Travis County is the highest of any major county we serve. That doesn’t happen unless TCAD’s initial values are consistently and significantly above market.
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Condo and townhome overvaluation Austin’s condo market has softened faster than single-family, but TCAD often applies neighborhood-wide appreciation rates that don’t distinguish between property types.
Central Texas appraisal districts all use similar mass appraisal methodologies. My decade inside the appraisal system taught me that the models trend toward the high end of value ranges to protect tax revenue. That’s not malicious, it’s structural. But it means most homeowners are starting from an inflated baseline every year.
– Justin Dean, Former McLennan CAD Appraiser (10 Years), now at ResoluteWhy Resolute, We’re Not an Algorithm
Resolute’s Central Texas team brings actual appraisal district experience and neighborhood-level knowledge that no programmatic approach can match.
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We analyze your property individually using proprietary data and technology. Our agents build a case specific to your home and your neighborhood. No mass-processing. No cookie-cutter approaches.
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We file all the paperwork with TCAD and schedule your hearing. You don’t touch a single form.
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We show up for you meeting with the district on your behalf, presenting your case, and fighting for the highest reduction possible. Informal review, ARB hearing, and beyond.
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You only pay if we save you money. No reduction, no fee. That’s our promise.
Travis County Property Tax Rates (2025)
Travis County property taxes are calculated by multiplying your property’s taxable value by the combined rate of all applicable taxing entities. Every property in Travis County is subject to multiple overlapping taxing jurisdictions including the county itself, your municipality, and your school district. Additional entities such as community colleges, hospital districts, and special districts may also apply depending on your location.
| Taxing Entity | 2025 Rate (per $100) |
|---|---|
| Travis County | $0.375845 |
| City of Austin | $0.524017 |
| Austin ISD | $0.9252 |
| Eanes ISD | Varies |
| Del Valle ISD | Varies |
| Austin Community College | $0.1034 |
| Austin Travis County EMS | ~$0.09 |
The combined tax rate for most Travis County homeowners falls approximately 1.8% to 2.3% of assessed value, depending on which entities apply to your specific property. Travis County’s combined rates are somewhat lower than Harris or Fort Bend, but extremely high home values mean the absolute dollar amount of most tax bills is among the highest in Texas. A modest overvaluation on a $500,000 Austin home translates to significantly more lost money per year than the same percentage overvaluation on a more modestly priced property. View official Travis County tax rates here.
How TCAD Calculates Your Assessed Value
The Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) appraises all taxable property in Travis County using a mass appraisal process. Rather than inspecting each property individually, TCAD uses statistical models to value hundreds of thousands of properties simultaneously based on comparable sales, property characteristics, and neighborhood data. Your assessed value is intended to reflect the market value of your property as of January 1 of each tax year.
Two values matter on your notice: market value and assessed value. For homesteaded properties, Texas law caps the increase in assessed value at 10% per year regardless of how much market value rises. This means a home that appreciated 20% in a given year can only see its taxable assessed value rise by 10%. Non-homesteaded properties, including investment and rental properties, carry no such cap and can be reassessed at full market value each year.
Because TCAD relies on mass appraisal models, individual property conditions, deferred maintenance, functional issues, and hyperlocal market factors are frequently missed. When your assessed value does not reflect your property’s true market value, or when comparable properties nearby are assessed lower than yours, you have grounds to protest.
Why Travis County Assessments Keep Rising
Travis County contains Austin, one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States over the past decade. The tech sector boom, arrival of Tesla, Apple, and Amazon facilities, and Austin’s reputation as a cultural and lifestyle destination drove median home values to peak at over $600,000 before moderating. Even with some cooling in 2023 and 2024, assessed values in Travis County remain significantly elevated relative to pre-2020 levels, leaving many homeowners with assessments that exceed current market reality. For homesteaded properties, the 10% annual assessment cap provides some protection but does not prevent values from creeping upward year over year. For investment properties, rental properties, and commercial real estate with no homestead cap, the exposure is significantly greater. Protesting your assessed value annually is the only mechanism available to push back against this trend.
How to Pay Your Travis County Property Taxes
Travis County property tax bills are mailed in October each year and are due by January 31 of the following year without penalty. the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector administers tax collection for the county. Payments can be made in the following ways:
- Online: Pay at www.traviscountytax.org by credit card, debit card, or eCheck.
- By mail: Send a check payable to the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector to the address on your tax statement.
- In person: Visit any Travis County Tax Office location. Bring your tax statement or property account number.
- Payment plans: Travis County offers installment payment options for qualifying homesteaded properties. Contact the Tax Assessor-Collector’s office for details.
Taxes not paid by January 31 accrue penalty and interest beginning February 1. By July 1, delinquent accounts are turned over to a delinquent tax attorney and additional collection fees apply. If you are waiting on the outcome of a protest, you are still responsible for paying your taxes by the deadline to avoid penalties. Any overpayment resulting from a successful protest will be refunded.
Travis County 2026 Protest Calendar
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Valuation date, your property’s value is assessed as of this date |
| ~April 1, 2026 | TCAD begins mailing Notice of Appraised Value |
| April 30, 2026 | Deadline to file homestead exemption for 2026 |
| May 15, 2026 | Protest filing deadline (or 30 days after notice, whichever is later) |
| April, Sept 2026 | Informal reviews and ARB hearings (Resolute attends for you) |
Don’t Forget Your Exemptions
Exemptions and protests work together. Make sure you’ve filed for everything you qualify for:
General Homestead
$140,000 off school district taxes (new for 2026). File by April 30.
Over-65 / Disabled
Additional $60,000 off school taxes, plus a tax ceiling (freeze) on school district taxes.
Disabled Veteran
Partial or full exemption based on disability rating. 100% disabled veterans pay zero property tax.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the Travis County property tax protest deadline for 2026?The Travis County property tax protest deadline for 2026 is May 15, 2026, or 30 days after TCAD mails your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. TCAD typically begins mailing notices in April.
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How much does Resolute charge to protest in Travis County?Resolute works on a contingency basis, you pay nothing upfront, and no fee at all unless we reduce your property tax bill. Our commission is a percentage of the actual savings we secure. If we don’t get a reduction, you owe nothing.
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Is there any risk in protesting my Travis County property taxes?No. There is no risk to protesting your Travis County property taxes. If TCAD does not grant a reduction, your appraisal simply remains at its current value. Your property value cannot increase as a result of filing a protest.
Let Nicole’s Team Handle Your Travis County Protest
98.6% success rate. $1,404 average savings. Real people who know your market.
No upfront fees, Only pay if you save