If you bought a home in Texas and live in it as your primary residence, filing your homestead exemption belongs at the top of your to-do list. It is free, it takes a few minutes, and it lowers your property tax bill every year you own the home.
What the homestead exemption actually saves
Two things, and both matter:
- A big cut in school taxes. Texas voters approved raising the school-district homestead exemption to $140,000 of your home’s value in November 2025. School taxes are usually the largest share of a Texas tax bill, so this is real money every year. Homeowners who are 65 or older or who have a disability receive an additional exemption on top of that.
- A cap on how fast your assessment can climb. Once the exemption is in place, the appraised value used to tax your homestead cannot rise more than 10 percent per year, no matter what the market does. Over several hot years, the cap often saves more than the exemption itself.
When and how to file
File as soon as the home is your primary residence. You do not wait for a new year, and there is nothing to renew, one filing carries forward. Two practical notes:
- Your Texas driver license or state ID must show the property address before you apply, so update it first.
- You file with your county appraisal district, not the tax office and not through any third party.
We keep direct links to every appraisal district we serve, so you do not have to hunt: DFW counties and Austin-area counties, or start at the market chooser.
Do not pay anyone to file it
Shortly after closing, most new homeowners get official-looking mailers offering to file the homestead exemption for a fee. They are not from your county. Filing is free, and the appraisal districts themselves publish warnings about these services. If a letter about your exemption ever seems off, call your appraisal district, or call us.
Already missed a year?
You can file late and still capture up to two prior tax years, and the district will re-figure what you overpaid. It is worth doing even if you have owned the home for a while.
Not sure which county you are in, or what applies to you? Call us at (972) 528-6071 in DFW or (512) 474-2362 in Austin, or email info@cnattitle.com.