Travis County property tax deadlines: What happens if you miss them

Property owners wait in line to submit their protest forms at the Travis County Appraisal District office in Austin, in May 2017. [NICK WAGNER/AMERICAN-STATESMAN/FILE]

A missed property tax deadline in Travis County doesn’t always mean you’re out of options. But it can hurt.

There are three dates that matter most this year: April 30 for most exemption applications, May 15 or 30 days after your appraisal notice is mailed for appraisal protests, and Jan. 31 for paying your tax bill without penalty and interest.

Each one carries a different consequence. One is forgiving. One costs you your best legal option. One starts costing money within days.

The most forgivable deadline to miss: property tax exemptions

Property tax exemptions are the most recoverable deadline on the calendar.

Travis Central Appraisal District says homeowners who own and live in their property as their primary residence can qualify for a homestead exemption that reduces their bill. The average Travis County homestead exemption saved property owners $3,663 in 2025.

Austin resident Annie Harton fills out her protest form at the Travis County Appraisal District office in Austin in 2017. Harton said it was her third time protesting her property’s appraisal. "When things get pretty bad, that’s when I have to come in," she said.

The normal filing deadline is April 30. But TCAD says homeowners who miss it can still file a late homestead application within two years after the taxes become delinquent.

There are other exemptions available as well, including additional tax breaks for homeowners who are 65 or older, have disabilities or are disabled veterans. These can also generally be applied for after the April 30 deadline, though the late-filing rules vary depending on the exemption.

Exemption information and applications are on tcad.org. You can drop off paperwork at the TCAD office or apply online.

The costly deadline to miss: appraisal protests

The protest deadline is less forgiving.

Notices of appraised value typically go out in mid-April. Homeowners generally have until May 15, or 30 days after the notice is mailed — whichever is later — to file a challenge. Miss that window, and you lose your ordinary right to dispute this year’s value.

The Appraisal Review Board can still hear a late protest if a property owner shows "good cause" for missing the deadline and files before the board approves the year’s appraisal records, according to the Texas Comptroller’s property tax guidance. After that, the ordinary late-protest path is usually closed.

A few narrow remedies still exist after the deadline: challenging a required notice you never received, fixing clerical or ownership errors, or seeking a correction if a residence homestead was appraised at least 25% above its market value. Those come with extra conditions, including payment rules and filing requirements before a tax bill goes delinquent.

A line of property owners waiting to submit their protest forms gathered in May 2017 at the Travis County Appraisal District office in Austin. [NICK WAGNER/AMERICAN-STATESMAN/FILE]

One new wrinkle this year: TCAD warned in January that a U.S. Postal Service change means postmarks may now be applied later in the mail stream, not when an envelope first enters the system. The district says protests or exemption forms mailed too close to a deadline could be treated as late. Its recommendation: submit online, use certified mail, or hand-deliver.

The most expensive deadline to miss: property tax payment deadline

This is the one where consequences arrive fast.

Unpaid property taxes become delinquent Feb. 1. State law automatically adds a scaling percentage for each month you are late:

• 7% in Feb.
• 9% in March
• 11% in April
• 13% in May
• 15% in June
• 18% in July

And interest keeps accruing after that. Travis County says it has no legal authority to waive those charges.

A payment postmarked Feb. 1 or later is considered late. The county says homeowners are still responsible for paying even if a bill never arrived in the mail.

Property tax bills for people with homestead exemptions won't reflect the big increase in market values because the taxable value of an existing home with a homestead exemption can't go up more than 10% per year under state law.

In January, TCAD warned that a U.S. Postal Service change means postmarks may now be added later in the mail stream rather than when an envelope first enters the system. The district said that could cause protests or exemption forms mailed too close to a deadline to be treated as late, and it urged property owners to submit documents online, use certified mail or take them in person instead.

Ignoring the bill makes things worse. A tax lien automatically attaches to your property on Jan. 1 to secure whatever is owed. If taxes stay unpaid long enough, the county can pursue a foreclosure lawsuit — described on the county’s foreclosure page as its last resort for collection. Delinquent bills can also pick up an additional penalty of up to 20% for attorney fees, depending on timing.