Travis County · Texas Property Tax Protest · 2026

Your Travis County Notice
Came In Too High.
We Fight It.

Austin's appreciation run from 2020–2023 left most Travis County homeowners with assessments that no longer match market reality. We file and argue your protest with TCAD — flat fee, no contingency, deadline May 15.

Start My Travis 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
40%+
Average Travis County home value appreciation since 2020 — TCAD's appraisals followed every step
500K+
Properties on the Travis County appraisal roll — each eligible for protest
Top 5
Austin ranked among the most actively contested appraisal markets in Texas
Travis County

We protest in all of Travis County.

Texas Tax Lock handles property tax protests for homeowners throughout Travis County, including Austin, Pflugerville, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Lakeway, Manor, Del Valle, Jonestown, Lago Vista, and Sunset Valley. Travis County is home to over one million residents and the state capital.

The Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) appraises all residential and commercial property in the county. Austin's tech-driven growth from 2020 to 2023 drove some of the steepest appraisal increases in Texas. While the market has softened, TCAD values haven't always corrected at the same pace — which creates strong protest opportunities for homeowners with evidence.

The statutory deadline to file a protest is May 15, 2026. We file your protest with TCAD, build the comparable sales and unequal appraisal evidence, and handle all hearings and negotiations. You sign up — we take it from there.

Cities We Serve
Austin
Pflugerville
Bee Cave
West Lake Hills
Rollingwood
Lakeway
Manor
Del Valle
Jonestown
Lago Vista
Sunset Valley
Cedar Park (partial)
Leander (partial)
Recent Results

What we've been getting in Travis County.

Austin (78704) — Single-Family
−$89,000
$745,000 assessed → $656,000 settled
2025 Protest Season
Bee Cave — Single-Family
−$127,000
$1,190,000 assessed → $1,063,000 settled
2025 Protest Season
Pflugerville — Single-Family
−$44,000
$412,000 assessed → $368,000 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 TCAD 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 TCAD'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 TCAD 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 TCAD. 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 Travis County homeowners ask us.

What is TCAD and how does it determine my tax bill?
TCAD — the Travis Central Appraisal District — is the agency that sets appraised values for all property in Travis County. Those values are then used by the City of Austin, Travis County, Austin ISD, and other taxing jurisdictions to calculate your property tax bill. Your Notice of Appraised Value comes directly from TCAD. If the value is higher than market evidence supports, a formal protest is the legal mechanism to challenge it — and that's exactly what we file and argue 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.
Austin values have been dropping — does that help my protest?
It can, but the relationship isn't automatic. TCAD appraises as of January 1 each year, so your 2026 notice reflects market conditions at the start of 2026, not peak 2022 values. If comparable sales from late 2025 and early 2026 show your property is worth less than TCAD's assessed value, that's strong protest evidence. We pull those comps, build the case, and present it to TCAD. Market softening creates real opportunities for reductions — but only if someone files and argues the evidence.
Deadline · May 15, 2026

Ready to fight your Travis County assessment?

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

Start My Protest — Travis County

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