Property owners should soon start receiving appraisal notices for 2022

Property owners may soon receive an appraisal notice from the Stephens County Appraisal District. The appraisal district mailed about 11,500 appraisal notices last Wednesday, May 4. City, county, school district and other local taxing units will use the appraisal district’s value to set your 2022 property taxes.

Under Texas law, local appraisal districts must notify property owners about changes in their property’s value. The notice contains important information about the property’s location, ownership and property tax exemptions that apply to the property. It must also include a web address where tax information for the property can be found.

Property owners who disagree with the appraised value of their property, the exemptions or any other action by the appraisal district have the right to appeal to the Stephens County Appraisal Review Board (ARB). The ARB is an independent panel of citizens responsible for hearing and settling property owner protests.

The notice of appraised value includes instructions on how and when to file a protest, a protest form, a statement about the availability of an informal conference prior to attending a protest hearing and a copy of the Comptroller’s Property Taxpayer Remedies.

The deadline for filing a protest with the ARB is Wednesday, June 8, or 30 days after the owner’s notice of appraised value was delivered.

The Comptroller’s publication, Property Taxpayer Remedies, explains in detail how to protest the property appraisal, what issues the ARB can consider and what to expect during a protest hearing. The publication also discusses the option to request limited binding arbitration to compel the ARB or chief appraiser to comply with a procedural requirement and the options of taking your case to district court, the State Office of Administrative Hearings or binding arbitration if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your ARB hearing.

Property Taxpayer Remedies is available at the Stephens County Appraisal District, located at 201 S. Rose Avenue, or at comptroller. texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/.