The Texas homestead exemption lets you remove $140,000 of your home’s value from school district property taxes, plus an extra $60,000 if you are 65 or older or disabled. Counties, cities and other taxing units may add an optional exemption of up to 20%. You apply once with your county appraisal district using Form 50-114, generally by April 30, and you can apply in the year you buy.

These amounts are new. Texas voters approved both increases on November 4, 2025, and they apply from the 2025 tax year. If you read older guides that mention $100,000 or $10,000, they are out of date.

A homestead exemption also brings a 10% annual cap on increases in your home’s appraised value, and for seniors and people with disabilities, a ceiling on school taxes. Here is how each piece works.

  • School districts: $140,000 exemption on your residence homestead (Tax Code 11.13(b)).
  • Age 65+ or disabled: an additional $60,000 for school taxes (Tax Code 11.13(c)), plus a school tax ceiling.
  • Local option: any taxing unit may exempt up to 20% of appraised value, at least $5,000.
  • Deadline: generally April 30; late applications are accepted up to two years after the deadline.

Texas homestead exemptions at a glance

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts lists the exemptions available on a residence homestead. Here are the main ones for homeowners:

Exemption Amount Who gets it / which taxes
General school district homestead $140,000 All homeowners with a qualifying homestead; school district taxes
Age 65 or older or disabled Additional $60,000 Qualifying seniors and people with disabilities; school district taxes
Local option (percentage) Up to 20% of appraised value, minimum $5,000 Optional for each county, city, school district or special district
County farm-to-market or flood control $3,000 Counties that collect these taxes
Local option for 65+ or disabled At least $3,000 (set locally) Optional for each taxing unit
Disabled veteran with 100% service-connected disability Total exemption Veterans awarded 100% disability compensation (or rated individually unemployable)

Because local options vary, two neighbors in different cities or school districts can get different totals. Harris County, for example, offers a 20% optional homestead exemption on county taxes, according to the Harris Central Appraisal District. Your appraisal district’s website shows which exemptions apply to your property.

What changed in 2023 and 2025

Texas has raised the school homestead exemption twice in recent years:

  • 2023: voters approved Proposition 4 on November 7, 2023, raising the school exemption from $40,000 to $100,000.
  • 2025: the Legislature passed SB 4 (raising it to $140,000) and SB 23 (raising the 65+/disabled amount from $10,000 to $60,000). Both depended on constitutional amendments: Proposition 13 (SJR 2) and Proposition 11 (SJR 85). Voters approved both on November 4, 2025, and the changes apply to the 2025 tax year and later years.

Put together, a qualifying homeowner who is 65 or older or disabled can now exempt $200,000 of the home’s value from school district taxes, before any local options.

Who qualifies

To claim a general residence homestead exemption, you must own the home and use it as your principal residence, and you cannot claim a homestead exemption on any other property, in Texas or elsewhere. Heir property owners who live in the home can also apply, with additional documents.

Applying in the year you buy

You do not have to wait until next January. According to the Comptroller and Form 50-114, if you acquire the property after January 1, you may receive the general residence homestead exemption for the applicable portion of that tax year as soon as you qualify, as long as the previous owner did not receive the same exemption for that year. Travis Central Appraisal District, for example, tells recent buyers they can submit the form now and the homestead will be applied to the year they qualify.

Age 65 or older and disability exemptions

The 65+ exemption takes effect January 1 of the tax year in which you turn 65. Disabled persons qualify if they meet the federal definition used for Social Security disability insurance benefits. An eligible disabled person who is 65 or older may receive both exemptions in the same year, but not from the same taxing units.

How to apply for the Texas homestead exemption

  1. Get Form 50-114 (Residence Homestead Exemption Application) from your county appraisal district or the Comptroller’s website. Many districts, including Travis CAD, also let you apply online.
  2. Attach a copy of your Texas driver license or state ID. The address on it must match the address of the home, unless you qualify for a waiver (for example, certain active-duty military members and their spouses).
  3. File with the appraisal district in the county where the home is located, not with the Comptroller.
  4. Watch the deadline: generally between January 1 and April 30 of the year you want the exemption.

Once the chief appraiser grants the exemption, you do not have to reapply each year unless the appraisal district asks you to. You must notify the appraisal district in writing if you stop qualifying, for example if you move out or rent the home.

Late applications

If you miss April 30, you can still file a late application for a residence homestead exemption, including the 65+ and disability exemptions, up to two years after the filing deadline (Tax Code 11.431). Disabled veterans have up to five years after the delinquency date for their exemptions.

The 10% homestead cap and the school tax ceiling

10% cap on appraised value

Once your home has a homestead exemption, its appraised value for tax purposes cannot rise more than 10% per year (Tax Code 23.23). The Comptroller explains that the cap takes effect on January 1 of the tax year after the year you first qualify, so in the first year it does not apply. The cap does not limit increases from new improvements, like an addition, and it ends when you no longer qualify for the homestead exemption.

Tax ceiling for 65+ and disabled homeowners

When you receive the 65+ or disability exemption, your school taxes on that home are capped at the amount you paid in the first year you qualified. They can only go above that ceiling if you add improvements.

Tips for buyers in Texas

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Texas homestead exemption in 2026?

School districts must exempt $140,000 of a residence homestead’s value, plus an additional $60,000 for homeowners who are 65 or older or disabled. Local taxing units may add an optional exemption of up to 20% of appraised value.

When is the deadline to file for a homestead exemption in Texas?

The application is generally due by April 30 of the year you want the exemption. You can file a late application up to two years after the deadline.

Can I apply for the homestead exemption the year I buy my house in Texas?

Yes. If you buy after January 1, you may receive the exemption for the applicable portion of that tax year once you qualify, as long as the previous owner did not get the same exemption for that year.

Do I have to reapply for my Texas homestead exemption every year?

No. Once it is granted, you generally do not need to reapply unless the chief appraiser asks you to. You must tell the appraisal district in writing if you stop qualifying.

What is the 10% homestead cap in Texas?

It limits annual increases in a homestead’s appraised value to 10%, not counting new improvements. It starts on January 1 of the tax year after you first qualify for the homestead exemption.

Sources

This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Amounts and rules change: confirm them with the official sources linked above or with a licensed professional before making decisions.