Ag Valuation for Rural Land in Hamilton County

Open-space appraisal is the land tax break rural buyers ask about. It is not a general exemption. Texas can value farm and ranch land by what it can produce, not by a market sale price.

To qualify, the land must be mainly used for agriculture and at the normal level for the area. Hamilton CAD has the Agricultural 1-d-1 Application on its forms page. The form is filed with the appraisal district in the county where the land is located.

Wildlife management may also count, but it needs a plan and regular work. If land with ag appraisal changes to a non-ag use, rollback tax can cover the past three years. Before buying or splitting land, ask Hamilton CAD what use history is on the account and what forms they need.