May 15 Property Tax Protest Deadline Nears For Collin County Homeowners

By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews

Collin County homeowners have just days remaining to challenge their 2026 property appraisals before the May 15 protest deadline.

Many residents across the county recently received appraisal notices showing higher home values, raising fresh concerns about rising property tax bills even as parts of the North Texas housing market have started to cool.

Under Texas law, homeowners generally have until May 15, or 30 days after their appraisal notice was mailed, to file a protest with the Collin Central Appraisal District. Local officials are urging residents to review their notices carefully instead of automatically accepting the proposed value.

What Homeowners Should Review

Before filing a protest, homeowners are being advised to review the details listed on both their appraisal notice and online property record.

That includes:

• Homestead exemptions
• Over-65 exemptions
• Disability exemptions
• Property square footage
• Ownership information
• Taxing entities attached to the account
• Property descriptions and classifications

Even small errors can affect taxable values and long-term tax bills.

During a recent public discussion about property taxes, Collin County Tax Assessor-Collector Scott Grigg said many homeowners do not closely examine their records until years later.

“I had a gentleman six months ago finally look at his appraisal after 23 years,” Grigg said. “They were taxing him on 200 extra square feet.”

Officials also stressed the importance of confirming exemptions are properly applied, especially homestead and over-65 exemptions, which can reduce taxable values or freeze portions of a senior homeowner’s tax bill.

Grigg also warned residents not to ignore letters requesting exemption verification.

“If you don’t return that, they could remove your exemption,” Grigg said during the meeting.

Appraisals And Tax Rates Are Different

One of the biggest areas of confusion for homeowners involves the difference between appraisal values and tax rates.

Appraisal districts determine what a property is worth for tax purposes, while cities, counties, school districts, and college districts later decide tax rates during their annual budget process.

Former Plano City Council member and current Collin County Commissioner candidate Shelby Williams explained during the presentation that both parts of the equation determine a homeowner’s final tax bill.

“The property value, whatever your home is worth, is taxable value, which is set by the appraisal district,” Williams said. “The tax rate set by the local taxing entities — city, county, ISD — is what results in your actual tax burden.”

One slide shown during the presentation summarized the formula simply:
Property Value × Tax Rate = Tax Burden

Williams also argued that homeowners often focus too heavily on whether tax rates rise or fall while overlooking rising property values.

“We don’t care about the rate, we care about the dollars,” Williams said. “While Plano, Frisco, Louisville have one of the low rates, they also have one of the highest property values.”

What Can Help During A Protest

Homeowners considering protests are generally encouraged to gather documentation before meeting with appraisers or appearing before the Appraisal Review Board.

Officials and presentation materials recommended:

• Comparable nearby home sales (“comps”)
• Photos showing damage or deferred maintenance
• Written repair estimates
• Comparisons with upgraded neighboring homes
• Documentation showing the property’s condition as of Jan. 1, the official appraisal date under Texas law

The presentation also emphasized organization and documentation when presenting evidence.

Residents who disagree with their appraisal can typically begin with an informal review meeting with an appraiser. If no agreement is reached, homeowners can continue to a formal hearing before the Appraisal Review Board, commonly referred to as the ARB.

According to officials, ARB panels are made up of local residents who receive state-required training before hearing appraisal disputes.

Why Some Homeowners Protest Even Without Immediate Savings

Officials also noted that some homeowners protest appraisals even if they do not expect a major reduction to this year’s tax bill.

That is because future taxable values often build from current valuations, particularly for properties subject to Texas’ 10% homestead appraisal cap.

One presentation slide addressed the question directly:
“Should you bother to protest this year?”

The answer shown on the slide:
“Yes!!”

Another slide explained:
“A lower market value this year will lower your starting valuation for next year.”

For many Collin County residents, once the protest deadline passes, the opportunity to challenge this year’s valuation may be gone until next year’s notices arrive.