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Published on January 24, 2025
Texas Homeowners Now Required to Verify Homestead Exemptions Every Five YearsSource: Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In a measure that has impacted homeowners across Texas, a state law has enforced a new requirement for verifying homestead exemptions every five years. This change, initially legislated in 2023, mandates that county appraisal districts confirm eligibility for the tax break which otherwise lowers taxable property values, as reported by FOX 7 Austin.

The significance of homestead exemptions in Texas lies in their ability to reduce homeowners' fiscal burdens, by calculating taxes on a percentage less than the market value of a property. But under the new rule, residents, must keep a vigilant eye on their exemption status. "We're going to send out a reapply letter the last week of December asking you to reapply within 30 days," Shane Docherty, Dallas County’s chief appraiser told FOX 4 News. "If you don't, then we're going to remove it before we mail the notices on April 15 of that year."

Ignoring verification notices can lead to the exemption's removal and a potentially significant increase in taxes. Mike Bryson, a Texas homeowner, found his tax bill doubled after the exemption vanished without his awareness, "This year, we got our tax bill, and we went from like a $6,000 or $7000 bill when we first moved in here to over $12,000," he recalled in an interview with FOX 4 News. The path to reinstatement involves reapplication, though the processing time may span months.

To check the status of a homestead exemption, homeowners are advised to visit their county appraisal district’s website. A directory of these sites is available on the Comptroller of Texas website, adding a layer of convenience for homeowners seeking to verify their exemption status. Deputy Chief Appraiser Cheryl Jordan, from Dallas County elucidated the recovery process, "It's a two-page document. It's not that difficult to complete," she told FOX 7 Austin, "It's some boxes to check. You sign your name and put some information down. You can probably have it done in about five minutes."

Matching addresses on state-issued identification and the residence in question is a requirement for the exemption. For those who have paid property taxes without the benefit of the exemption, a refund may follow the exemption's processing and approval. Docherty assures, "We do that once a month every month, and then they will send you out a refund." Ultimately, the clear message to Texas homeowners is simple: do not disregard correspondences from the appraisal district. Prompt attention and responsive action could safeguard home tax rates from inadvertent hikes.