Homestead Exemption in Collin and Denton County: How to File After You Buy
By Hilda Avila, REALTOR®, Ebby Halliday Real Estate · Last updated Nov. 9, 2026.
Short answer: If you live in the home as your principal residence, file the residence homestead exemption application with the appraisal district for your county, either Collin CAD or Denton CAD. The general window is Jan. 1 to April 30, and filing is free. If you bought after Jan. 1, you may qualify for part of that year if the previous owner didn’t have the exemption.
Key takeaways
- You file with your county’s appraisal district (CAD), not with the Texas Comptroller.
- To check Collin County homestead status, open your property record in Collin CAD’s property search and look for exemption code HS (and OA for age 65 or older, when applicable). Collin CAD says approved exemptions show on your account at collincad.org.
- Frisco, Plano, Prosper and Celina sit in both Collin and Denton County, so check which CAD covers your address first.
- School districts must exempt $140,000 of your home’s value. Owners age 65 or older or disabled get another $60,000 from school districts.
- The general deadline is April 30, and late applications are allowed up to two years after the deadline.
- Both CADs take applications online. Filing is free, and you don’t have to reapply every year unless the CAD asks.
Just closed, or about to? Contact Hilda for a closing-to-move-in checklist that includes this step. Call (469) 802-8711
What is the Texas homestead exemption?
A residence homestead exemption removes part of your home’s value from property taxation, which can lower your tax bill. According to the Texas Comptroller, to qualify you need an ownership interest in the home and must use it as your principal residence. You also have to state that you don’t claim a homestead exemption on another home, in Texas or elsewhere.
How much is it worth?
The Comptroller lays out the main amounts:
- School districts must give a $140,000 exemption on a residence homestead (Tax Code Section 11.13(b)).
- Age 65 or older or disabled: school districts must give an additional $60,000 (Section 11.13(c)).
- Local option: any taxing unit, such as a city or county, may adopt an exemption of up to 20% of appraised value, and it can’t be less than $5,000. Each taxing unit decides whether to offer it.
The Comptroller’s own example: if your home is appraised at $300,000 and you qualify for the $140,000 school exemption, you pay school taxes as if it were worth $160,000.
What you’ll actually save depends on your taxing units and their rates. For how rates differ around here, see North Dallas property tax rates for 2026.
Other homestead exemptions
The same application also covers exemptions for owners 65 or older, disabled persons, 100% disabled veterans, and certain surviving spouses. Partially disabled veterans use a different form, Form 50-135. The Comptroller’s exemptions page explains who qualifies for each.
Collin CAD or Denton CAD: which one do I file with?
You file with the appraisal district in the county where the property is located. Allen and McKinney are in Collin County only, so a homestead exemption for those cities goes to Collin CAD. Frisco, Plano, Prosper and Celina cross the Collin–Denton line, so two neighbors in the same city can file with different CADs.
Use the city and ZIP table in our Denton CAD vs Collin CAD guide, then confirm your exact address in the CAD’s property search before you apply.
Collin CAD vs Denton CAD: filing at a glance
| Collin CAD | Denton CAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Taxpayer Portal | Public Portal (DCAD calls online “the fastest and most convenient way”) |
| Form | CCAD-114 (Collin’s residence homestead application) | Form 50-114 from the DCAD forms library |
| By mail | 250 Eldorado Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75069-8023 | 3911 Morse Street, Denton, TX 76208 |
| In person | Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. | Yes, at 3911 Morse Street |
| Drop box | Yes, outside the main entrance, 24/7 | Not listed |
| Not accepted | Not listed | |
| Phone | 469-742-9200 | (940) 349-3800 |
| Fee | None | None |
How to check your Collin County homestead exemption status
Searching for “Collin County homestead exemption status,” “Collin homestead,” or “homestead exemption Allen TX”? Start with Collin Central Appraisal District, not the Texas Comptroller and not the county tax office.
- Confirm the home is in Collin County (Allen and McKinney always are; Frisco, Plano, Prosper and Celina may be Collin or Denton — check the address).
- Open Collin CAD’s property search and look up the address or Property ID.
- On the property record, look for exemption codes. Collin CAD states that once a homestead application is processed and approved, you can see the appropriate code on your account at collincad.org — HS for the general residence homestead, and codes such as OA for age 65 or older when that exemption applies.
- For notices and documents tied to your owner record, enroll in the Collin CAD Taxpayer Portal. Collin CAD says you need your Owner ID and eFile PIN from your most recent Appraisal Notice or Exemptions Notice. Do not use a previous owner’s PIN. Appraisal Notices are mailed around April 15.
- If no homestead (HS) shows and the home is your principal residence, file (see the next section). General applications are accepted January 1 through April 30; Collin CAD does not accept early applications. Late residence homestead applications may be filed up to two years after the deadline (Tax Code Section 11.431, on CCAD-114); Collin CAD’s FAQ also describes late filing up to two years from the date taxes became delinquent for that year.
Filing is free. Call Collin CAD at 469-742-9200 with account questions that the property search doesn’t answer.
How to file a Collin County homestead exemption with Collin CAD
- Confirm the home is in Collin County (use the status steps above if you’re unsure).
- Make sure your Texas driver’s license or state ID shows the property address (Collin CAD’s application requires a matching ID address, with limited waivers).
- Apply online through the Collin CAD Taxpayer Portal, or complete form CCAD-114 (Collin’s residence homestead application).
- Or send a paper application by mail, in person (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.), or through the 24/7 drop box at 250 Eldorado Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75069-8023. Collin CAD does not accept applications by email.
- File between January 1 and April 30 for the general exemption. Collin CAD does not accept early applications. Processing is as soon as practicable, and no later than the 90th day.
How to file a Denton County homestead exemption with Denton CAD
- Confirm the home is in Denton County.
- Apply online through the Denton CAD Public Portal, where you can also check your application’s status.
- Or download Form 50-114 from the Denton CAD forms page and mail it or drop it off at 3911 Morse Street, Denton, TX 76208.
- If you have questions, call the Exemptions and Assistance Department at (940) 349-3800.
Not sure which CAD applies, or how this fits your closing timeline? Contact Hilda before you file. Call (469) 802-8711
What you need before you file
- A copy of your Texas driver’s license or state-issued ID. Collin CAD’s application says its address must match the property address. Some active-duty service members and others may have this waived by the chief appraiser.
- The property address, plus the property ID from the CAD’s property search if you have it.
- Supporting documents if you’re applying for the 65-or-older, disabled-person, or veteran exemptions.
If you just moved, update the address on your license first so your application isn’t held up.
Deadlines, partial years and late filing
- General deadline: Collin CAD’s form says the application is generally due by April 30 of the year you want the exemption. The Comptroller puts the general deadline as “before May 1.”
- Bought after Jan. 1: the Comptroller says you may get the general homestead exemption for the rest of that tax year once you qualify, as long as the previous owner didn’t receive the same exemption that year.
- Missed it: a late application for a residence homestead exemption can be filed up to two years after the deadline has passed (Tax Code Section 11.431, cited on CCAD-114). Collin CAD also says you may file up to two years from the date the taxes for that year became delinquent.
- Turned 65 or became disabled: Collin CAD gives you two years from the date you qualify to apply for that tax year.
After you file
- No annual refiling. Once the exemption is granted, you don’t reapply every year unless the chief appraiser asks you to.
- The seller’s exemption doesn’t carry over. Exemptions belong to an owner, not the house, so as the new owner you file your own. That’s why the exemption amounts on a listing or tax certificate may not match your first bill.
- Keep your records. Save a copy of what you submitted and any confirmation from the portal.
- Check your appraisal notice. If the value on your Notice of Appraised Value looks too high, see how to protest your property tax appraisal in Collin and Denton County.
If you’re still shopping, add “What’s the tax picture?” to your list. See our questions to ask when buying a house in North Dallas and resale vs. new construction in Collin County. Selling too? Read seller closing costs in Texas. For area overviews, see Prosper, Frisco, Plano, McKinney and Celina.
Quick answers
Who files a homestead exemption in Collin or Denton County? If you own your home and live in it as your principal residence, you can apply for the Texas residence homestead exemption. You file with the appraisal district for the county the home is in: Collin Central Appraisal District or Denton Central Appraisal District. Neither charges a fee, and you file with the CAD, not the state Comptroller.
What is the Texas homestead exemption deadline? Generally, file between Jan. 1 and April 30 of the year you want the exemption; the Texas Comptroller says before May 1. If you miss it, Texas law allows a late application up to two years after the deadline. If you bought after Jan. 1, you may get the exemption for part of that year if the previous owner didn’t receive it.
How much is the homestead exemption in Texas? School districts must exempt $140,000 of a residence homestead’s value, plus another $60,000 for owners 65 or older or disabled, according to the Texas Comptroller. Cities and counties may add a local option exemption of up to 20% of appraised value, with a $5,000 minimum. Amounts vary by taxing unit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I file my homestead exemption with Collin CAD or Denton CAD?
File with the appraisal district for the county your home is in. Allen and McKinney are in Collin County only, so they use Collin CAD. Frisco, Plano, Prosper and Celina sit in both Collin and Denton counties, so check your address in the CAD’s property search before you apply.
How do I check my Collin County homestead exemption status?
Look up your address in Collin CAD’s property search and check the exemption codes on the property record. Collin CAD says that after an application is processed and approved, codes such as HS (homestead) appear on your account at collincad.org. For owner notices and documents, use the Taxpayer Portal with your Owner ID and eFile PIN from your Appraisal Notice or Exemptions Notice.
What is Form 50-114?
Form 50-114 is the Texas Comptroller’s Application for Residence Homestead Exemption. Denton CAD uses it, and Collin CAD uses its own version, CCAD-114. You file it with your appraisal district, not with the Comptroller.
Can I file for a homestead exemption the same year I buy?
Yes, in many cases. The Comptroller says if you acquire the home after Jan. 1, you may receive the general homestead exemption for the applicable part of that year, as long as the previous owner didn’t receive the same exemption for that year.
What if I miss the April 30 deadline?
You can file a late application for a residence homestead exemption up to two years after the deadline has passed, under Tax Code Section 11.431.
Do I have to reapply every year?
No. Once the exemption is granted, you don’t need to reapply each year unless the chief appraiser asks you to.
Does it cost anything to file?
No. Filing a homestead exemption application with Collin CAD or Denton CAD is free.
Ready for the next step?
Whether you’re under contract or still house hunting in Collin or Denton County, Hilda can help you plan what comes after closing. Contact Hilda or call (469) 802-8711. Se habla español.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Your appraisal district decides whether you qualify, so confirm the details with Collin CAD or Denton CAD before you file.
Sources (checked Nov. 9, 2026): Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Exemptions, https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/exemptions/ · Collin CAD, Homestead Exemption FAQs, https://collincad.org/category/faqs/homestead-exemption-faqs/ · Collin CAD, CCAD-114 (2026), https://collincad.org/wp-content/uploads/ResidentialHomsteadExemption_CCAD-114_2026.pdf · Collin CAD, late filing, https://collincad.org/faqs/what-if-i-miss-the-deadline-for-filing-for-a-homestead-exemption/ · Denton CAD, Homestead Exemptions, https://www.dentoncad.com/homestead-exemptions · Denton CAD, Forms, https://www.dentoncad.com/forms · Collin CAD, The Exemption and Rendition Cycle, https://collincad.org/the-exemption-and-rendition-cycle/ · Collin CAD property search, https://esearch.collincad.org/ · Collin CAD Taxpayer Portal, https://onlineportal.collincad.org/
Last updated Nov. 9, 2026.
Hilda Avila, REALTOR® · Ebby Halliday Real Estate, LLC · TREC #803801 · Broker #257740