Tax relief and valuation review
A homestead exemption, senior-relief program, or valuation protest can change the amount a homeowner owes—but only if the filing reaches the right local office in the correct window. Use the verified county guidance below as your working checklist, then confirm the current form and deadline with Fayette County Appraisal District.
Relief programs
The filing guidance for this county is: April 30, 2026; Fayette CAD's Important Dates page states residence-homestead applications are due by April 30. Use the official form or application channel, provide the residence and ownership documentation requested, and keep a copy of the submission.
Open homestead applicationFor 2026, Texas requires a $60,000 school-district residence-homestead exemption for a qualifying owner age 65 or older or a qualifying disabled owner. Local taxing units may adopt additional exemptions; a qualifying owner may also receive an over-65 tax ceiling and may qualify for a residence-homestead tax deferral. Eligibility, local amounts, and documentation are administered by the local appraisal district and taxing units.
Texas Tax Code §23.23 generally limits a qualifying residence homestead's 2026 appraised value increase to the lesser of market value or prior appraised value plus 10% and new improvements. For 2026, §23.231 limits qualifying non-residence-homestead real property valued at $5,320,000 or less to prior appraised value plus 20% and new improvements; the circuit-breaker limit expires December 31, 2026. Special appraisals are separate; the 2026 Comptroller cap rates are 10.00% for agricultural/open-space land and 7.77% for timberland.
Appealing an assessment
Use the valuation notice and the county’s published protest guidance to determine the last day to file. Do not assume the payment deadline controls the appeal.
Gather comparable sales, photographs, repair records, appraisal evidence, property characteristics, and any documentation that explains why the assessed value is incorrect.
Submit through the official channel, save the confirmation, and attend the board or review hearing if one is scheduled. An appraiser or attorney can help evaluate evidence when the value or stakes are substantial.
The verified protest guidance for this county is: May 15, 2026, or the 30th day after the 2026 Notice of Appraised Value is mailed, whichever is later, under Texas Tax Code §41.44; the local notice controls. If the language is not a specific calendar date, contact the office promptly for the current notice and board-review schedule.