Home Values Down, Tax Roll Up: Protest Deadline May 15 | The Locally Times
This stark contrast makes the May 15 protest deadline critical for over 427,000 property owners.
Your Travis County property value just dropped, but your tax bill might still climb. With the overall appraisal roll surging by 5.48% despite a 1.8% dip in single-family home values, May 15 is your last chance to protest. ## The Paradox: Home Values Down, Tax Roll Up Travis County's 2026 appraisal roll has swelled by 5.48% to $482 billion, TCAD revealed in an upcoming April 6 release. This surge is largely fueled by valuation increases in healthcare, industrial, and office commercial properties. Meanwhile, single-family residences across the county saw an average 1.8% decline in market value for the same period. The median market value for a residential homestead property in Travis County stands at $493,449, with a median taxable value of $384,747 for 2026. TCAD emphasizes that changes in market values do not directly translate into changes in property tax bills. Instead, they determine a property owner’s share of the total tax levy, which local taxing entities establish through their annual budgets. TCAD urges all property owners to meticulously review their property’s information, both online and within their mailed notice, to ensure accuracy and confirm all eligible exemptions have been claimed, as detailed in its upcoming April 6 release. The firm deadline to file a protest with the Travis Central Appraisal District is May 15, 2026, or 30 days after your notice has been mailed, whichever date is later. ## Protest Pathways: Deadlines, Tools, and Next Steps If you believe your property’s market value is incorrect, several protest options are available. You can file online through the TCAD portal, mail protest documents, or submit them in person at the TCAD office. The online portal provides a streamlined experience, enabling you to upload evidence, review the appraisal district’s evidence, examine settlement offers, and participate in informal meetings and formal hearings directly from your account. The informal protest process, offering a chance to receive a settlement offer from the appraisal district, is scheduled to commence on April 6, 2026. During this period, property owners can engage directly with a TCAD appraiser to potentially resolve their dispute. Should an informal settlement not be reached, property owners retain the right to present their case to the Travis Appraisal Review Board (ARB), an independent citizen group tasked with resolving disputes between taxpayers and the appraisal district.