From the Blog
Protesting Your Bexar County Property Tax Appraisal: The 2026 Playbook
Of the roughly 140,000 Bexar County property tax protests resolved informally in 2024, about 99% ended in a reduced appraisal, and roughly 92% of the cases that advanced to a formal hearing won as well, per Texas Comptroller data. The 2026 deadline to file is May 15, or 30 days after your notice of appraised value is mailed, whichever comes later. If you own a home in Bexar County, that is a process worth understanding before you pay a dollar more than you owe.
Of the roughly 140,000 Bexar County property tax protests resolved informally in 2024, about 99% ended in a reduced appraisal, and roughly 92% of the cases that advanced to a formal hearing won as well, per Texas Comptroller data. The 2026 deadline to file is May 15, or 30 days after your notice of appraised value is mailed, whichever comes later. If you own a home in Bexar County, that is a process worth understanding before you pay a dollar more than you owe.
Property taxes are the line item that surprises relocating families most, and this video walks through the facts I cover on every buyer tour.
On my channel: Moving to San Antonio? Don't Ignore These Property Tax Facts
The deadline you actually need to know
For 2026, the Bexar Appraisal District's protest deadline is May 15, or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value is mailed, whichever is later. You can file online through BCAD's portal, and you can protest even if you never received a notice in the mail: BCAD notes fewer notices went out in 2026 because many previously protested values were carried forward. Set the date now, because missing it locks in your appraised value for the year.
The winning numbers, straight from the data
Bexar County posts the highest informal success rate of any major Texas county: Texas Comptroller data shows about 99% of roughly 140,000 to 145,000 informal resolutions in 2024 ended in a reduction, and about 92% of formal Appraisal Review Board hearings were won. BCAD's own 2024 results totaled $243 million in tax savings from protests, about $51 million from informal hearings and $9 million from ARB hearings. For a typical homeowner, published estimates of annual savings run from about $600 to $2,100, with the common range around $800 to $1,500, depending on how far above market your appraisal is.
The informal hearing is where most cases are won
The process starts with an informal review with a BCAD appraiser, and this is where the overwhelming majority of wins happen. Your evidence: two or three sales of comparable homes in your area over the last 12 months, photos of anything that hurts value such as deferred maintenance, dated updates, or heavy traffic, and, if you have one, a recent appraisal or repair estimate. You do not need a lawyer or a fee-based protest service for most cases, though one can pay for itself on expensive or complex properties.
If your case goes to the ARB hearing
Cases that do not settle informally advance to the formal Appraisal Review Board hearing, where the record shows about 92% of Bexar protesters still win. Bring the same evidence, organized: sold comparables with dates and prices, property photos, and any appraisal. Show up on time, stay respectful, and let the numbers make your case. The board hears hundreds of thousands of protests a year statewide, and a well-documented file stands out.
How a REALTOR's market knowledge helps
I pull comparable sales every day, which is exactly the evidence a protest runs on. If you are thinking about protesting, or wondering whether your home's appraisal is in line with what similar homes actually sold for, send me your address and I will pull the comps with you, no strings attached. The same market data that prices homes correctly is the data that wins protests.
Written by Phyllis Domingo
REALTOR® · TX License 745926 · 100+ homes sold · Helping families move well in San Antonio and the Hill Country since long before the hard part became normal.
Have a question about this topic?
Every family's situation is different. Send me a note and I will respond personally, usually within a business day.