Dallas County Property Tax Guide 2026
Complete guide to Dallas County (DCAD) property tax — rates, deadlines, payment options, and how to protest your appraisal in Dallas and surrounding areas.
Key Dates
- Payment due
- January 31, 2026
- Notices mailed
- April 2026
- Protest deadline
- May 15, 2026
- ARB Hearings
- July-September 2026
Tax rates
Average Total (Dallas): 2.1% - 2.6%
- School district
- ~1.1-1.4%
- County
- ~0.24%
- City
- ~0.6-0.8%
- Special Districts
- Varies
About Dallas Property Tax
Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) administers over 858,000 appraisal accounts covering Dallas proper plus Irving, Garland, Mesquite, Carrollton, Grand Prairie, and dozens of smaller cities — one of the most economically diverse appraisal rolls in Texas. Dallas County saw aggressive value increases through 2022 as urban in-migration and office conversions drove prices upward; the post-2023 market correction left many properties with appraisals that no longer reflect current sales data. Unlike Harris County, Dallas County has no Municipal Utility Districts, so the tax structure is more straightforward: county, school district, and city levies only. Neighboring Tarrant County (Fort Worth), Collin County (Plano/Frisco), and Denton County share the Metroplex economy but have distinct appraisal practices. DCAD offers an online protest system and publishes its data products — including ARB results — as downloadable CSVs on its website.
Average Home Value
$380,000
Typical Annual Tax
$8,400/year
Official Resources - Dallas
Why Protest in Dallas?
- DCAD values increased sharply in 2021–2022 and have not fully corrected downward despite softer market conditions, creating appraisal-to-market gaps across many neighborhoods.
- The 10% homestead cap prevents assessed value from rising more than 10% per year, but newly purchased or non-homesteaded properties can jump without limit — making a protest critical in the first year of ownership.
- Dallas has 27 school districts on the roll, each with its own tax rate; a reduction in appraised value multiplies across all overlapping entities, amplifying savings.
- DCAD publishes historical ARB settlement data, allowing you to identify what similar properties actually settled for and use that as a concrete benchmark in your hearing.
Check your savings potential
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How to Protest Your Property Tax
File through the DCAD online protest system at dallascad.org before the May 15 deadline — you can submit comparable sales and request an informal conference before your ARB date.
Download your "property record card" from the DCAD GIS map portal at maps.dcad.org to verify square footage, effective year built, and condition grade; these inputs directly affect the cost approach value.
Bring a sales comparison of 3–6 recently closed homes within your neighborhood that are similar in size, age, and condition — DCAD appraisers respond well to local closed-sale data over automated Zillow estimates.
Check whether your property falls under a 10% homestead cap: if so, your taxable value is already limited, and a protest may only matter if the market value drops below the cap amount.
Request the DCAD appraiser's neighborhood ratio study before your hearing; if your neighborhood has a median appraisal ratio above 1.0 (over-appraised vs. sales), that supports an unequal appraisal argument.
Payment Information
Mail Payment
Dallas County Tax Office, 500 Elm Street, Dallas, TX 75202
Property tax exemptions
Homestead Exemption
For your primary residence. Provides $100,000 off school taxes and a 10% cap on annual value increases.
- $100,000 exemption from school district taxes
- Up to 20% exemption from county/city taxes
- 10% annual cap on appraised value increases
Over-65 Exemption
Additional benefits for seniors 65 and older, including a school tax freeze and optional tax deferral.
- Extra $10,000+ exemption from school taxes
- School tax ceiling frozen at age 65 amount
- Optional deferral of all taxes until sale
Disabled Veteran Exemption
For veterans with a VA disability rating. Exemption amount depends on disability percentage.
- 10-69% disability: $5,000-$10,000 exemption
- 70-100% disability: $12,000+ exemption
- 100% disabled: Complete tax exemption
Apply through your county appraisal district. You only need to apply once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Go to dallascad.org and use the Owner Search or the GIS map at maps.dcad.org. DCAD accounts use a 17-character alphanumeric number beginning with zeros.
Cities in Dallas County
City-specific property tax guides for Dallas County — rates vary by jurisdiction.
Compare with Nearby Counties
| County | Avg. Tax Rate | Major City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant County | 2.0% - 2.6% | Fort Worth | View Guide |
| Collin County | 1.8% - 2.3% | Plano | View Guide |
| Denton County | 2.0% - 2.4% | Denton | View Guide |
| Ellis County | 2.1% - 2.6% | Waxahachie | View Guide |
Check your savings potential
Enter your address to see your current tax bill and estimate how much you could save by protesting.
Free. No account required.