How to Protest Your Property Tax Appraisal in Collin and Denton County
By Hilda Avila, REALTOR®, Ebby Halliday Real Estate · Last updated Nov. 3, 2026.
Short answer: In Texas you protest your appraised value with your appraisal district’s ARB. File by May 15 or 30 days after your notice was mailed, whichever is later. Collin CAD and Denton CAD both take protests online using the Owner ID and PIN on your notice.
This guide explains the public process. It isn’t legal or tax advice, and filing a protest doesn’t guarantee a lower value or tax bill. Check your own notice and your appraisal district for dates.
Key takeaways
- You protest to the appraisal review board (ARB) of the appraisal district (CAD) for your county.
- The deadline is May 15 or 30 days after the CAD mails your notice, whichever is later.
- Collin CAD and Denton CAD both take protests online with the ID and PIN on your notice.
- Bring evidence such as photos, repair estimates, your closing disclosure and comparable sales.
- The ARB decides value, not tax rates.
First, check which appraisal district you’re in
Frisco, Plano, Prosper and Celina each sit in both Collin County and Denton County, so each has two appraisal districts: Collin CAD and Denton CAD. Allen and McKinney are in Collin County only, so Collin CAD covers them. Some ZIP codes cross the county line, so confirm your own address in the CAD’s property search.
My post Frisco CAD: Collin or Denton Appraisal District? has a city and ZIP code table to help you check.
When is the Texas property tax protest deadline?
According to the Texas Comptroller, the deadline to file a protest is May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district mails your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. Notices for a residence homestead are generally due by April 1 (May 1 for other property), or as soon as practical. Collin CAD says appraisal notices are mailed around April 15th.
Your notice shows your own deadline, so go by the date printed there. If you file by mail, send it early. Collin CAD warns that a protest mailed on deadline day is likely to be postmarked late.
What you can protest
You can protest to the ARB if you disagree with your property’s value or with any action the appraisal district took on your property. The Comptroller’s Form 50-132, Property Owner’s Notice of Protest, lists reasons such as:
- The market value is too high.
- The value is unequal compared with other properties.
- An exemption was denied, modified or canceled.
- Errors in the property’s details on the appraisal records.
You don’t have to use Form 50-132. A written notice that identifies the property, the owner and what you disagree with is enough. You can also appoint an agent to act for you with Form 50-162. Keep in mind that the ARB sets your property’s value, not tax rates.
Homestead owners: the 10% cap
If you have a residence homestead exemption, the Comptroller explains that your home’s appraised value can’t rise more than 10% a year, plus the value of any new improvements. The cap starts on Jan. 1 of the year after you first qualify for the homestead exemption.
The cap applies to appraised value, not market value. Your notice can still show a higher market value, and you can still protest it. If you haven’t filed for your exemption yet, see my guide to the homestead exemption in Collin and Denton County.
How to protest in Collin County (Collin CAD)
- Find your Owner ID and eFile PIN on your Notice of Appraised Value.
- Sign in to the Taxpayer Portal at onlineportal.collincad.org. If you just bought the home, don’t use the previous owner’s PIN. Contact Collin CAD for your own.
- File your protest and upload your evidence in the portal.
- Informal review: Collin CAD may review your evidence and send a settlement offer, which you can accept or reject in the portal. An informal review doesn’t reserve your rights to an ARB hearing, so file your protest by the deadline.
- ARB hearing if you don’t settle.
You can also file by mail (postmarked by the deadline), by hand delivery, or in the 24/7 drop box at 250 Eldorado Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75069. Collin CAD does not accept protests by fax, email or its helpdesk, and says not to eFile after 5 pm on deadline day. Collin CAD’s suggested evidence includes closing disclosures, contracts, comparable sales, appraisals, repair estimates and photos.
How to protest in Denton County (Denton CAD)
- Find your owner ID and PIN on your notice.
- File online in the Denton CAD Public Portal, or file by mail or in person at 3911 Morse Street, Denton, TX 76208.
- Include your property ID or address, your contact information and your opinion of value.
- Informal meeting: Denton CAD requires your protest to be filed before an informal meeting or a request for its evidence. Informal meetings are scheduled through Denton CAD’s waitwhile.com check-in page, linked from The Protest Process.
- ARB hearing if you don’t settle.
Denton CAD’s suggested evidence includes a fee or bank appraisal, your closing statement, date-stamped photos and repair estimates.
Evidence to gather
The Comptroller says plainly: “You cannot go to the hearing and just say the appraisal district is wrong.” Useful evidence, drawn from the Comptroller and both CADs:
- Photos of your home, including condition problems, and of comparable homes.
- Repair estimates, bids or receipts.
- Sales price documents: your closing disclosure or closing statement, purchase contract, or listings.
- Comparable sales of similar nearby homes.
- A fee or bank appraisal, and surveys.
The ARB can’t consider your personal finances, so stick to facts about the property. If you’d like recent sales near your home for your evidence, a REALTOR® can pull them for you.
Want recent sales near your home for your evidence? Contact Hilda or call (469) 802-8711.
The informal meeting and the ARB hearing
Many protests start with an informal conference with appraisal district staff, before the formal ARB hearing. If you don’t settle, the Comptroller says the ARB must send notice of your hearing at least 15 days ahead. The appraisal district must send you the Taxpayer Assistance Pamphlet and its hearing procedures at least 14 days before the hearing, and you may request the evidence the CAD plans to use.
You can appear in person, by phone or videoconference, or by written affidavit. At the hearing, present your evidence and stay factual. The ARB sends its order by email or certified mail, and the decision applies to that tax year only.
If you disagree with the ARB decision
The Comptroller lists three ways to appeal an ARB order:
- District court: file a petition within 60 days of receiving the order.
- Regular binding arbitration: request it within 60 days. It’s available for a residence homestead of any value.
- State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH): for property valued over $1 million.
The Comptroller suggests consulting an attorney about these options.
Missed the deadline?
You may be able to file a late protest if you have good cause. Also, if your residence homestead was appraised at least one-fourth too high, you may be able to file a motion to correct the appraisal roll. Ask your appraisal district which option fits your situation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline to protest property taxes in Texas?
File your protest by May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district mailed your notice, whichever is later. The exact date is printed on your Notice of Appraised Value, so check it there. If you mail your protest, send it early so it isn’t postmarked late.
What if I miss the Texas property tax protest deadline?
You may be able to file a late protest if you have good cause. If your residence homestead was appraised at least one-fourth too high, you may be able to file a motion to correct the appraisal roll. Ask your appraisal district which option fits your situation.
How do I protest my property taxes online in Collin County?
Go to the Collin CAD Taxpayer Portal at onlineportal.collincad.org and sign in with the Owner ID and eFile PIN on your notice. You can file the protest, upload evidence and accept or reject a settlement offer there. Collin CAD says not to eFile after 5 pm on deadline day.
How do I file a protest with Denton CAD?
File online through the Denton CAD Public Portal using the owner ID and PIN on your notice, or file by mail or in person at 3911 Morse Street, Denton, TX 76208. Include your property ID or address, your contact information and your opinion of value.
What evidence should I bring to my protest?
Bring facts about your property’s value: photos of your home and comparable homes, repair estimates or receipts, your closing disclosure or contract if you bought recently, comparable sales, and any fee or bank appraisal. The Comptroller notes you can’t just say the appraisal district is wrong.
Do I have to go to the hearing in person?
No. According to the Texas Comptroller, you can appear at your appraisal review board hearing in person, by phone or videoconference, or by sending a written affidavit. Your hearing notice will explain the options your appraisal review board offers and how to request them.
Can I protest if I have a homestead exemption and the 10% cap?
Yes. The homestead cap limits how much your appraised value can rise each year, but it doesn’t apply to market value. You can still protest the market value on your notice, and you can protest if an exemption is missing or wrong.
I just bought my home. Can I use the PIN on the notice?
Collin CAD says new buyers should not use the previous owner’s eFile PIN. Contact Collin CAD to get your own PIN, or file by mail, hand delivery or the drop box. Your closing disclosure and purchase contract can also be useful evidence for your protest.
What if I disagree with the ARB’s decision?
You can appeal. The Comptroller lists three routes: a petition to district court within 60 days of the order, regular binding arbitration requested within 60 days, or the State Office of Administrative Hearings if the value is over $1 million. The Comptroller suggests talking with an attorney.
Will protesting lower my taxes?
Not necessarily. The ARB decides the value based on evidence; it doesn’t set tax rates. Your tax bill depends on the final value, your exemptions and the rates your taxing units adopt, so a protest doesn’t guarantee a lower bill.
Talk with Hilda
Want recent sales near your home for your evidence? Contact Hilda or call (469) 802-8711. Se habla español.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Filing a protest doesn’t guarantee a lower value or tax bill. Confirm dates and steps with Collin CAD or Denton CAD.
Sources (checked Nov. 2, 2026): Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Protests and Appeals, https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/protests/ · Texas Comptroller, Valuing Property, https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/valuing-property.php · Collin CAD, 2026 Informal Procedures, https://collincad.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-InformalProcedures-CCAD-IARP.pdf · Collin CAD, eFile help, https://help.collincad.org/efile/index.php · Denton CAD, The Protest Process, https://www.dentoncad.com/the-protest-process · Denton CAD, Public Portal, https://www.dentoncad.com/public-portal/home
Last updated Nov. 3, 2026.
Hilda Avila, REALTOR® · Ebby Halliday Real Estate, LLC · TREC #803801 · Broker #257740