Travis County Property Tax Timeline for 2026: Bills Mailed in October

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You likely know the deadline to file your federal income taxes — but when do property tax bills arrive?

Central Texas homeowners will soon receive appraisal notices, the first step in the process that leads to property tax bills later in the year.

In Travis County, everything starts with the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD), which determines the appraised value of each property annually. TCAD does not set tax rates or collect payments; it values properties, manages exemptions and handles protests. Tax rates are set separately by local taxing entities.

Here’s what to know about when your property tax bill will arrive.

Most Travis County homeowners receive their property tax bills in October.

The Travis County Tax Office can begin mailing bills Oct. 1, but only after local governments finalize tax rates and any elections affecting taxes — such as bond elections — are complete.

What is the Travis County property tax timeline?

According to TCAD, the process spans about 13 months:

• January: TCAD determines property ownership, location and condition
• Mid-April: Appraisal notices are sent
• May 15: Deadline to file a protest challenging appraisals
• July 25: Deadline to certify appraisals
• August–September: Local governments set tax rates
• October: Property tax bills are mailed
• November: Voters decide on tax-related ballot items
• Jan. 31 (following year): Deadline to pay property tax bills

After payments are made, revenue is distributed among local governments based on adopted budgets. For most homeowners, school districts receive the largest share, funding teacher salaries, classroom instruction, transportation and operations.