Seniors 65 and Older Can Freeze Their School Tax in Harris County

Once you turn 65 and your homestead exemption is in place, your school district property taxes are frozen. That means the school portion of your tax bill cannot go above what it was when you first qualified — even if your appraised value rises.

You also get an extra exemption of $60,000 off your school district taxable value. This is on top of the standard homestead exemption. File with HCAD between January 1 and April 30 of the year you turn 65, or within one year of your qualifying date. If you are already 65 when you buy your home, file as soon as possible. See hcad.org for the application.