How To File a Property Tax Protest in Denton County

Denton County property taxes can put a significant dent in the average Texas homeowner’s budget. And, as home values continue to appreciate, you may face a larger tax bill than you anticipated this year.

Fortunately, Denton residents can file a property tax protest. If successful, a protest will lower your home’s assessed value and reduce the amount of property taxes you owe. 

What is a Property Tax Protest?

A property tax protest is a formal process for contesting the assessed value of your home and, therefore, the extent of your tax liability. The Denton Central Appraisal District is responsible for assessing the value of every piece of real estate in the county.

Your home’s assessed value is supposed to be based on its fair market value. However, appraisal districts like Denton Central simply cannot review the particulars of every house and property. 

Instead, the district mass-appraises homes based on standard characteristics, like square footage and the year a home was built. A mass appraisal often results in an assessment that does not match your home’s actual market value. If your home’s value is too high, you could pay more in taxes than you actually owe.

A property tax protest allows you to challenge the district’s assessed value in front of an Appraisal Review Board (ARB) of local citizens. Since the ARB has the authority to issue a lower assessment for your home, a successful protest can lower your taxes.

The Steps to File a Denton County Property Tax Protest

Denton County residents must follow a specific timeframe to file a property tax protest with the authorities. Complying with deadlines is critical for your chances of lowering your tax bills.

Receive Notice of Appraised Value

Before starting a property tax protest, you must know the assessed value of your home that you are challenging. Denton Central Appraisal District will mail each homeowner a Notice of Appraised Value every year, and the mailing typically occurs in Mid-April. 

Despite claiming to inform you of your home’s “appraised value,” the government does not issue formal appraisals. Instead, the mailing will contain your property’s assessed value that is used to calculate your taxes.

File a Formal Protest

Once the Notices have been sent, homeowners only have 30 days to formally file the protest form with the county. Each notice will include information on how and when to file a protest form. There is also a list of potential remedies for Denton County property owners.

Additionally, the Denton Central Appraisal District’s website will contain information on how to protest your assessed value. Though the site may not provide any instructions at the time you view it, it will be updated once the district mails appraisal notices. You can also contact the district with any questions you may have.

Filing the formal protest form will set the process in motion, beginning with scheduling your hearing in front of the ARB.

Challenge the Assessed Value of Your Home at a Hearing 

At the ARB hearing, you or your legal representative can formally argue why your home’s assessed value is too high. For example, you can point to an error in public records regarding a fact like the house’s square footage. Or you can claim that other individual factors, such as a leaky roof or cracked foundation, make the home’s fair market value is lower than the county’s calculation.

Representatives from the appraisal district will then present arguments for why your home’s assessed value is correct. The members of the ARB will meet and then decide whether to lower your house’s assessed value.

Because a reduced assessed value will be used for recalculating your taxes, a successful tax protest will lower all your property tax liabilities. 

Let Watchtower Protest Simplify the Process

You should have an experienced team on your side every step of the way. Professional representation at a Denton County ARB hearing can mean the difference between success and failure. And securing a reduced assessed value for your home is essential to lowering your property taxes. The savings add up quickly and can change your entire financial outlook.

From the day you receive your Notice of Appraised Value, the experienced team members at Watchtower Protest are ready to guide you through the property tax dispute process. And we do not get paid unless we end up lowering your property tax bills. Sign up today at no initial cost!