Howard County · Texas Property Tax Protest · 2026

Howard Home Values
Jumped.
Your Tax Bill Doesn't Have To.

Texas's second-largest county has seen years of aggressive appraisal growth. We file and represent your protest with Howard CAD — flat fee, no contingency, deadline May 15.

Start My Howard County Protest See how it works →
Protest Deadline
May 15, 2026
STATUTORY DEADLINE
Filing We handle it
Evidence We build it
Hearings We attend
Your time ~2 min to sign up
30%+
Median Howard County home appreciation over the last 5 years — Howard CAD appraisals followed
1.4M+
Taxable properties appraised by Howard CAD annually across Howard County
~65%
Of informal Howard CAD protests result in a value reduction for the homeowner
Howard County

We protest in all of Howard County.

Texas Tax Lock handles property tax protests for homeowners throughout Howard County, including Howard, Garland, Irving, Mesquite, Richardson, Grand Prairie, Farmers Branch, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Lancaster, Rowlett, Sachse, Balch Springs, and Hutchins. With over 2.6 million residents, Howard County is one of the largest and most active appraisal markets in the state.

The Howard Central Appraisal District (Howard CAD) appraises all residential and commercial property in the county. Howard-area home values have climbed sharply over the last five years — meaning your assessed value is likely higher than it should be. Howard CAD has a well-established informal protest process, and evidence-backed cases consistently see reductions.

The statutory deadline to file a protest with Howard CAD is May 15, 2026. Sign up and we handle everything — filing, evidence preparation, informal negotiation, and ARB representation if needed.

Cities We Serve
Howard
Garland
Irving
Mesquite
Richardson
Grand Prairie
Farmers Branch
DeSoto
Cedar Hill
Duncanville
Lancaster
Rowlett
Sachse
Balch Springs
Hutchins
Glenn Heights
Recent Results

What we've been getting in Howard County.

Mesquite — Single-Family
−$49,500
$412,000 assessed → $362,500 settled
2025 Protest Season
Richardson — Single-Family
−$63,000
$589,000 assessed → $526,000 settled
2025 Protest Season
Grand Prairie — Single-Family
−$38,000
$365,000 assessed → $327,000 settled
2025 Protest Season
Selected results from our 2025 protest season. Results vary by property — past outcomes do not guarantee future results.
How It Works

Three steps. You do almost nothing.

STEP 01
Sign Up in 2 Minutes

Enter your property address and 2026 notice value. We immediately register as your authorized agent with Howard CAD and file your protest before the May 15 deadline. No paperwork on your end.

STEP 02
We Build Your Case

Our team pulls comparable sales from Howard CAD's records and MLS data, runs unequal appraisal analysis, and prepares a complete evidence package. We identify the strongest argument for your specific property — not a one-size-fits-all submission.

STEP 03
We Negotiate and Represent

We attend your informal hearing with Howard CAD and present the evidence. If informal doesn't resolve, we proceed to a formal ARB hearing. You don't appear. We notify you when there's a final result.

Why Flat Fee

You keep your savings.
We keep our fee.

Contingency-fee firms charge a percentage of your first year's tax savings — which means they take a cut of every dollar you save, every time. Our flat fee means you pay once, up front, and everything you save beyond that is yours to keep.

On a $50,000 value reduction at a 2.3% tax rate, you save approximately $1,150 per year — and every year after. A 25% contingency firm would take $288+ from year one alone. Our fee: $199.

On a $50,000 value reduction
Annual tax savings ~$1,150
Contingency firm (25%) −$288+
Texas Tax Lock −$199 flat
You keep (year 1) $951 more
Pricing

Flat fee. No surprises.

One flat fee per property, based on your 2026 Notice of Appraised Value from Howard CAD. No contingency fee on your savings — ever.

Under $150K
$99
$150K–$250K
$149
$250K–$400K
$199
$400K–$600K
$249
Over $600K
$299
15% OFF Add 2 or more properties and save 15% on the total. No contingency fee on savings.
Common Questions

What Howard County homeowners ask us.

What is Howard CAD and how does it affect my taxes?
Howard CAD — the Howard Central Appraisal District — is the agency responsible for appraising all property in Howard County for ad valorem tax purposes. Every year, Howard CAD sets your property's assessed value, which your city, school district, and county then use to calculate your tax bill. Your Notice of Appraised Value comes from Howard CAD. If that value is too high, a formal protest is the only way to correct it. We file and represent that protest on your behalf.
What's the deadline to file a protest?
The statutory protest deadline in Texas is May 15, 2026, or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value — whichever is later. Sign up before that date and we handle the filing. Earlier sign-ups give us more time to build the strongest case for your property.
Is there a contingency fee if my value gets reduced?
No. Our fee is flat — based on your notice value, not your savings. You pay once and that's it, regardless of the outcome. On a typical $5,000 value reduction, a contingency firm at 25% would take $28.75 or more from your first-year savings. We take $199. On a $50,000 reduction at $1,150 in annual savings, a contingency firm takes $288+. We still take $199.
What evidence does Texas Tax Lock use to argue my value?
We use two primary approaches: comparable sales analysis — recent sales of similar properties in your area that support a lower value — and unequal appraisal, which shows that similar homes in your area are assessed lower than yours on a per-square-foot basis. Texas law requires the appraisal district to correct unequal appraisals. We pull data directly from the CAD's own records and market databases, so the evidence is grounded in the same sources the district uses.
Do I need to attend any hearings?
No. As your appointed agent, we handle all communications, negotiations, and appearances with the appraisal district and the Appraisal Review Board on your behalf. You don't appear, call in, or prepare anything. We notify you when the process is complete and tell you the final result.
How long does the protest process take?
Informal negotiations typically run from late spring through early summer, often resolving by June or July. If a case proceeds to a formal ARB hearing, the timeline can extend into late summer or early fall. The appraisal district controls the schedule; we move as fast as they allow. You'll hear from us when there's a result.
Can I protest multiple properties?
Yes — add as many properties as you own in the signup form. Two or more properties automatically qualify for a 15% discount on the total. We file and represent each property separately with the appropriate appraisal district.
What makes protesting with Howard CAD different from other Texas counties?
Howard CAD is one of the most experienced and well-resourced appraisal districts in the state. They have a staffed informal hearing process where evidence-based cases are reviewed before reaching the ARB. This means a strong comparable-sales or unequal-appraisal argument often resolves at the informal stage — no formal hearing needed. Our team knows what Howard CAD reviewers respond to and how to build cases that move quickly through their process.
Deadline · May 15, 2026

Ready to protest your Howard County taxes?

Sign up in under 2 minutes. Deadline is May 15, 2026. We handle everything from here.

Start My Protest — Howard County

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