Filing Your Own Property Tax Protest in Texas
No. Texas law allows every property owner to file and present their own property tax protest without a lawyer, consultant, or any professional representation. Many homeowners successfully protest on their own each year.
That said, the outcome often depends on the quality of your evidence and how effectively you present it. This guide helps you decide whether a DIY protest makes sense for your situation.
What a DIY Protest Involves
Filing your own protest means handling each of these steps yourself:
1. Tracking the Deadline
You need to file your Notice of Protest by May 15 or 30 days after your appraisal notice is mailed — whichever is later. Miss it, and you lose your right to protest for the year. See our deadline guide for the full calendar.
2. Gathering Evidence
This is where most DIY protests succeed or fail. You'll need to build a case that your home's appraised value is too high. Effective evidence includes:
- Comparable sales — Recent sales of similar homes in your area that sold for less than your appraised value
- Unequal appraisal data — Proof that similar properties are assessed lower than yours
- Property condition documentation — Photos of damage, deferred maintenance, or functional issues
- Repair estimates — Written quotes from contractors for necessary repairs
The challenge: comparable sales and unequal appraisal data require access to MLS records and appraisal district data that most homeowners don't readily have.
3. Reviewing the Appraisal District's Evidence
Before your hearing, the appraisal district must share the evidence they plan to present. Reviewing this lets you identify weaknesses in their valuation — but it takes time and familiarity with appraisal methods to interpret effectively.
4. Attending the Hearing
You'll either attend an informal review (a one-on-one negotiation with appraisal staff) or a formal ARB hearing (presenting before a panel). Both require you to be available during business hours. For the full process walkthrough, see our Texas property tax protest guide.
When DIY Makes Sense
Filing your own protest is reasonable when:
- Your property records have obvious errors — wrong square footage, bedroom count, or lot size that's easy to prove
- You have clear comparable sales — you know of nearby homes that sold for less than your appraised value
- You're comfortable presenting evidence — you don't mind the informal or formal hearing process
- The stakes are relatively low — the potential savings don't justify consultant fees
When Hiring a Consultant Makes More Sense
Consider professional help when:
- You lack access to comparable sales data — Consultants have MLS access and proprietary tools to pull the strongest comps
- You want an unequal appraisal argument — This is one of the most powerful legal strategies in Texas, but building the analysis requires specialized data
- You don't want to take time off work — Hearings happen during business hours, and scheduling isn't always flexible
- Your home's value is high — The higher your appraised value, the more a professional's expertise can save you
- You want to maximize your reduction — Consultants know how ARB panels evaluate evidence and how to negotiate effectively at the informal stage
The Risk-Free Alternative
Texas property tax consultants typically work on a contingency fee basis — you pay a percentage of the tax savings they achieve. If they don't reduce your value, you pay nothing.
This means there's no financial risk in hiring a consultant. The question is whether the consultant can save you more than their fee — and for most homeowners, the answer is yes.
Get Help From Ballard Property Tax Protest
At Ballard Property Tax Protest, we handle every step of the process: filing, evidence gathering, negotiation, and hearing representation. You don't pay unless we reduce your taxes.
Whether you've filed on your own before or this is your first year, we're here to help you get a fair assessment.