Belton, Texas
Belton is the seat of Bell County in Central Texas, positioned where the Leon River drains from the Hill Country onto the blackland prairie, about 15 miles east of Killeen. The town retains a historic limestone courthouse square and lies beside Belton Lake, a reservoir on the Leon River popular for recreation. It is home to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a longstanding institution in the community.
Property here runs through the Bell Central Appraisal District and the county tax office — the homestead exemption, the appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level. The Bell County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Bell County notes
What to know around Belton
Property tax
How the homestead exemption cuts your property tax in Bell County
Texas law gives homeowners who live in their own home a significant exemption from school district property taxes, and Bell County residents must file with Bell CAD to claim it.
Property tax
Disagreeing with your Bell CAD appraisal: how to protest
Bell County property owners can protest an appraisal with the Appraisal Review Board, usually by May 15 or 30 days after the notice was mailed.
Property tax
Agricultural and wildlife-management land valuation in Bell County
Bell County landowners who use their land for farming or wildlife can be taxed on what the land produces, not what it would sell for, which can lower the tax bill significantly.
Property tax
Special water districts and what they mean for your tax bill in Bell County
Parts of Bell County fall inside Water Control and Improvement Districts that levy their own property taxes separate from county and city taxes.
Flood
Flood zones and floodplain rules in Bell County
Bell County has significant floodplain areas along the Leon, Lampasas, and Little rivers, and the county engineer enforces federal FEMA rules for any construction near those areas.
Water / Septic
Septic system permits in Bell County
Bell County septic systems use the OSSF permit process through the Bell County Public Health District and TCEQ rules.
Nearby
Places near Belton
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Williamson County
52 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Coryell County
27 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Milam County
5 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Falls County
6 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
McLennan County
35 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Lampasas County
5 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Next steps for Belton
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Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
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