Homeowners
Individuals and families who own and occupy their residence may qualify for a residential homestead exemption. New homeowners will need to make application with Tarrant Appraisal District. Subsequent filings may be necessary if the homeowner moves, becomes eligible for additional exemptions or if requested to reapply.
Heir Owners
Heir property owners can now access 100% of the Residential Homestead exemption. Senate Bill 1943 allows qualifying heirs to claim a Residential Homestead exemption on 100% of the property instead of just a portion of the property. Heir property is property owned by one or more individuals, where at least one owner claims the property as a residence homestead, and the property was acquired by will, transfer on death deed, or intestacy. An heir property owner not specifically identified as the residence homestead owner on a deed or other recorded instrument in the county where the property is located must provide additional information.
Persons Who Are Over 65 Years of Age or Disabled
Persons who are over 65 years of age or persons who are disabled under Social Security law may file for additional exemptions. These exemptions are in addition to the residential homestead exemption. If you qualify for the over 65 or disabled person exemption you are also entitled to a ceiling on school and locally adopted city, county and special district taxes. The ceiling will provide additional tax relief for future years.
Tax Deferrals
Homeowners may also defer the portion of the tax on their residence homestead if the value of the home was raised more than 5% above the previous year. Although the tax collection is deferred, interest continues to run on the unpaid portion of tax at a rate of 8% per annum and the deferred tax remains as a lien on the property.
Over 65, disabled homeowner or disabled veteran may also defer paying the tax on their residential homestead. The taxes continue to accrue during the deferral along with an interest rate of 5% per annum, but no attempt will be made to force payment during the deferral.
Disabled Veterans
Tax Code Section 11.22: Persons who have been declared by the Veteran’s Administration to have a SERVICE-CONNECTED disability of 10% or more are eligible for additional exemptions on property they own as of January 1. The declaration letter from VA is mailed annually, but the appraisal district only needs a copy in the first year of eligibility or if the percentage of disability changes. A qualified individual is entitled to an exemption from taxation of a portion of the assessed value of one property the applicant owns and designates. The homeowner is not required to physically live at the property he/she places this exemption on. The disability must be made effective by the VA as of January 1 of any given tax year.
Disabled Veteran 100% Exemption
Tax Code Section 11.131(b): To qualify for this exemption the veteran must own and occupy their residence. Also, the veteran must be classified by the Veteran’s Administration as having a service-connected disability of 100% OR be classified as unemployable by the VA. Surviving spouses are also eligible upon the veteran’s death with certain restrictions. The residence homestead application must be filed if this exemption is claimed.
Donated Residence Homestead of Partially Disabled Veteran
Tax Code Section 11.132(b): You may qualify for this exemption if you are a disabled veteran with a disability rating of less than 100 percent. An exemption from taxation of a percentage of the appraised value of the disabled veteran’s residence homestead equal to the disabled veteran’s disability rating if the residence homestead was donated to the disabled veteran by a charitable organization: (1) at no cost to the disabled veteran; or (2) at some cost to the disabled veteran in the form of a cash payment, a mortgage, or both in an aggregate amount that is not more than 50 percent of the good faith estimate of the market value of the residence homestead made by the charitable organization as of the date the donation is made.
Surviving Spouse of Member of Armed Forces Killed in the Line of Duty
Tax Code Section 11.133(b), (c): You may qualify for this exemption if you are the surviving spouse of a member of the United States armed services who was killed or fatally injured in the line of duty and you have not remarried since the death of the member of the armed services.
Surviving Spouse of a First Responder Killed While on Duty
Tax Code Section 11.134(b): You may qualify for this exemption if you are the surviving spouse of a first responder who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty. The surviving spouse is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the total appraised value of the surviving spouse’s residence homestead if the surviving spouse: (1) is an eligible survivor for purposes of Chapter 615, Government Code, as determined by the Employees Retirement System of Texas under that chapter; and (2) has not remarried since the death of the first responder.
Non-profit or Charitable
Non-profit organizations that meet statutory requirements may seek property tax exemptions and must apply to their local appraisal district by a specific date. Child-care facilities; medical or biomedical property; businesses that receive tax abatements granted by taxing units; ship inventory out of Texas that may be eligible for the freeport exemption; store certain goods in transit in warehouses that are moved within 175 days; construct, install or acquire pollution control property; own and operate energy storage systems; convert landfill-generated gas; or store offshore drilling equipment while not in use may also be eligible for statutory exemptions
Farm and Ranch Owners
Farm and ranch owners may be entitled to receive an alternate method of appraisal determined by the farm income of the property. This method is available to farms and ranches commercially raising crops or livestock or which are used as a wildlife habitat under State guidelines. An application for agricultural use value and additional information is available from Tarrant Appraisal District.
There is no charge or fee associated with receiving or filing an exemption application with Tarrant Appraisal District.
File applications by April 30