Agricultural Valuation Can Sharply Lower Your Land Tax

An agricultural appraisal is often called an ag exemption, but it is not an exemption. It is a way to value land that meets the rules. Texas looks at the land's main use, how strongly it is farmed or ranched for the area, and its past use. The usual history test is five of the past seven years. Wildlife management has a separate path that often starts with land that already qualified.

Bastrop CAD's 2026 manual makes one point clear. Land does not qualify just because it is rural, open, or tied loosely to farming. The owner must pass every test and file state Form 50-129 before May 1. A late form can bring a penalty.

If the land changes to a non-farm use, a rollback tax may apply. It looks back at each of the past three years and uses the gap between the two tax methods. State law has exceptions, and 1-d land has added rules. Ask Bastrop CAD to review the parcel's own record before a sale, split, or use change.