First Steps for New Tarrant County Homeowners on Taxes

As soon as you move in and the home is your main residence, file a homestead exemption application with the Tarrant Appraisal District (TAD). There is no fee. The exemption lowers your taxable value and puts a 10 percent per year cap on future appraisal increases.

Keep in mind: the appraisal cap resets when a home changes hands. So your first-year appraisal after buying may be higher than what the previous owner paid. That is normal. Once your own exemption is on file, the 10 percent cap kicks in for future years. Go to tad.org or call TAD at 817-284-0024 to apply and get your questions answered.