Texas Homestead Exemption: Deadline & How to Apply (2026)
Texas’s homestead exemption filing deadline is April 30, according to Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
The general deadline for filing an exemption application is before May 1.
Where the application goes
Applications go to the county, not the state. That is why this site is organised by county: the deadline printed on a state page is the rule, and several counties do not follow it.
Texas calls it Residence Homestead Exemption. The name is worth knowing before you go looking for the form.
Who qualifies
A homeowner must own the property and occupy it as a principal residence to qualify for the general residence homestead exemption, which is $140,000 off the appraised value for school district taxes; a homeowner cannot claim a homestead exemption on any other property in or outside Texas. Homeowners age 65+ and disabled persons qualify for an additional $60,000 school-district exemption, with surviving spouses 55+ of a deceased qualifying spouse able to retain the benefit. Disabled veterans qualify for tiered exemptions (partial to total) under Tax Code 11.22 and 11.131-11.136. Counties, cities, and school districts may also offer local-option exemptions on top of the state-mandated amounts.
The Texas counties we hold
Each deadline below was read from that county's own page rather than copied down from the state rule. Where a county's own words differ, its page says so.
| County | Deadline | How it is set |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | April 30 (HCAD describes this as a "soft deadline") | The county sets its own |
| Dallas County | April 30 (Texas law: file before May 1) | Follows the state rule |
| Tarrant County | April 30 (Texas law: file before May 1) | Follows the state rule |
| Bexar County | April 30 | Follows the state rule |
| Travis County | April 30 (state law general deadline; Travis CAD's own pages describe the Jan 1 ownership/occupancy requirement and the 2-year late-filing rule but do not restate an explicit initial deadline date) | Follows the state rule |
| Collin County | April 30 (applications accepted from January 1) | Follows the state rule |
| Denton County | April 30 (state law general deadline; Denton CAD's own homestead/exemptions pages, confirmed reachable via a real browser, describe eligibility and reapplication rules but never state an explicit deadline date anywhere on the site) | Follows the state rule |
| Hidalgo County | April 30 (state law general deadline; Hidalgo CAD's own site links directly to the Comptroller's pages for both its 'Exemption Breakdown' and 'Critical Dates' items rather than stating a deadline itself) | Follows the state rule |
| El Paso County | April 30 (state law general deadline; El Paso CAD's own Calendar page links directly to the Comptroller's deadlines page rather than stating one itself) | Follows the state rule |
| Fort Bend County | April 30 of the tax year | Follows the state rule |
| Montgomery County | April 30 (state law general deadline; MCAD's own 'Critical Dates' link points directly to the Comptroller's deadlines page rather than stating one itself) | Follows the state rule |
| Williamson County | April 30 (applications accepted from January 1) | Follows the state rule |
| Cameron County | April 30 (before May 1, per state law) | Follows the state rule |
| Brazoria County | April 30 (before May 1, per state law) | Follows the state rule |
| Bell County | April 30 (Texas law: file before May 1) | Follows the state rule |
Texas homestead exemption questions
- When is the homestead exemption deadline in Texas?
- April 30 — the source we read puts it this way: “The general deadline for filing an exemption application is before May 1.” We read it on 2026-08-04.
- What is the exemption called in Texas?
- It is called Residence Homestead Exemption. The name matters when you are searching: an application filed under the wrong programme name is the most avoidable delay there is.
- Where do I file in Texas?
- Applications go to the county, not the state. That is why this site is organised by county: the deadline printed on a state page is the rule, and several counties do not follow it. The state's own page is https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/exemptions/index.php.
- Who qualifies in Texas?
- In outline: A homeowner must own the property and occupy it as a principal residence to qualify for the general residence homestead exemption, which is $140,000 off the appraised value for school district taxes; a homeowner cannot claim a homestead exemption on any other property in or outside Texas. Homeowners age 65+ and disabled persons qualify for an additional $60,000 school-district exemption, with surviving spouses 55+ of a deceased qualifying spouse able to retain the benefit. Disabled veterans qualify for tiered exemptions (partial to total) under Tax Code 11.22 and 11.131-11.136. Counties, cities, and school districts may also offer local-option exemptions on top of the state-mandated amounts.
- Does Texas have one deadline for the whole state?
- Not reliably. We hold 15 counties in Texas and read each one's deadline from that county's own page rather than copying the state rule down. Where a county's own words differ, its page says so.
- Which law creates the Texas exemption?
- Tex. Tax Code § 11.13. We cite it so you can read the rule rather than take our word for it — nothing on this site is legal advice.
- Is there one Texas application form?
- Yes — the state publishes one at https://comptroller.texas.gov/forms/50-114.pdf. Some counties still want their own version of it, so check the county page before you fill anything in.
More on Texas
- How does the Texas homestead exemption deadline work?
- Every county deadline we hold, in one table
- All ten state guides
Sources
- Deadline: comptroller.texas.gov, read
- Office: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
- Application form: comptroller.texas.gov
- Statute: Tex. Tax Code § 11.13
What this site is
HomesteadDeadlines is not a government website and is not affiliated with any appraisal district, assessor’s office or county tax office.
Applying for a homestead exemption with your county is free. We do not file it for you, we do not charge you anything, and we never ask you to pay to apply.
Deadlines and eligibility are set by Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and are governed by its current notices. This page was verified on 2026-08-04.