Tarrant County Homestead Exemption

This page is for general property tax information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice.
Always confirm exemptions, deadlines, and requirements with the Tarrant Appraisal District (TAD) or other official agencies, and consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.

This article explains how the Tarrant County, Texas Homestead Exemption works, who may qualify, the documents you may need, common application scenarios such as new homeowners, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, surviving spouses, heir property, manufactured homes, and trusts, as well as deadlines and what to expect after filing. It is written for Tarrant County homeowners who need general guidance based on official rules and forms.

Homestead Exemption Basics

Tarrant County’s residence homestead exemption reduces the taxable value of a primary home and places a cap on how much the appraised value can increase from year to year. When a homestead exemption is approved, a portion—or in some categories, all—of the home’s taxable value is removed from taxation as authorized by Texas law or local taxing units. In addition, the homestead cap limits appraised value increases to 10% annually, excluding new improvements, added land, or extensive renovations. This can reduce the taxable value used to calculate the tax owed. Qualifying owners must submit an application. There is no fee to file, and a new application may be required later if TAD requests one. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page.)

Residence Homestead Eligibility

A residence homestead is a structure, including a mobile or manufactured home, and up to 20 acres of land that you:

Own, individually or through a qualifying trust,
Use as a residence, and
Occupy as your principal residence.

If your situation matches these elements, Tarrant Appraisal District (TAD) treats the property as a residence homestead for exemption purposes. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page.)

Required ID and Documents

A smooth application starts with the correct documents. Before applying, be sure you have:

A copy of your Texas Department of Public Safety driver’s license or personal identification certificate.
The address on the ID must match the property address you are claiming as your homestead.
License to carry and election identification certificates are not acceptable.

Any supplemental documentation required for the specific exemption type being claimed.

For privacy, TAD removes files uploaded for the purpose of filling out the application once the application has been processed and routinely deletes uploads for incomplete applications. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page.)

How to Apply: Online, by Mail, or In Person

You can complete your application online or by using the downloadable county form:

Use the “Complete Form Online” option linked from the official Homestead Exemption page once you are ready to submit; you will receive a submission confirmation number after pressing “Submit Application.” (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page.)

Prefer paper? Download the 2025 Application for Residential Homestead Exemption and file by mail or hand-deliver it to the TAD office.

When you are ready to begin, use the official Homestead Exemption page and the “Applying for a Homestead Exemption” page for directions and form links.

See Homestead Exemption (official instructions and online filing access).
Link: Homestead Exemption

Review the filing overview on Applying for a Homestead Exemption.
Link: Applying for a Homestead Exemption

Download the fillable application (PDF).
Link: 2025 Application for Residential Homestead Exemption (PDF)

Filing Deadlines

Filing deadlines matter:

General deadline: File your completed application and required documentation no later than April 30 of the tax year requested.

Special timing: If you are 65 or older, disabled, or a partially disabled veteran with a donated homestead, you have until the first anniversary of the qualification date to apply.

Late filing: A late application for a residence homestead exemption may be filed up to two years after the standard deadline.

TAD may request additional information after filing; you generally must respond within 30 days, with one possible 15-day extension for good cause. Once granted, you do not need to reapply annually unless TAD asks you to or you want the exemption applied to a different property. (Source: Application PDF.)

Choose the Correct Exemption

Homestead exemptions in Tarrant County include several categories. Choose the one or ones that match your situation and attach the required proof.

General Residence Homestead Exemption

You may qualify if, on the relevant date, you own and occupy the property as your principal residence and neither you nor your spouse claims a residence homestead exemption on any other property.

New homeowner note: Effective January 1, 2022, a qualified new owner may claim the homestead exemption as of the date they both own and occupy the property as their principal residence if the previous owner did not claim a homestead exemption in the same tax year.

Required document: A copy of your Texas driver’s license or personal identification certificate with the homestead address. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page; Application PDF.)

Over-65 Exemption and Surviving Spouse Continuation

This exemption is available beginning the year you turn 65. By state law, it includes a $10,000 school tax exemption and also establishes a school tax ceiling, commonly called a tax freeze, limiting the school taxes you will pay to the amount you owed the first or second year you qualified, whichever is lower.

Local taxing units such as the county, city, or junior college may adopt their own ceilings. If they have, taxes to those units may also be limited.

Ceiling transfer: If you move to another Texas home, you can transfer the same percentage of tax paid to your new qualified homestead.

Surviving spouse age 55 or older: If a homeowner with this exemption passes away and the surviving spouse is 55 or older, still owns the home, and continues using it as the homestead, the spouse may continue the exemption and ceiling.

Required documents: Proof of age for over-65 homeowners; for a surviving spouse, proof of the decedent’s death and proof of the survivor’s age, plus Texas ID. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page; Application PDF.)

Disabled Person Exemption and Surviving Spouse Continuation

If you meet the Social Security Administration’s disability standards—defined as a medically determinable impairment that prevents substantial gainful activity expected to last at least 12 months or result in death—you may qualify for this exemption, even if you are not currently receiving disability benefits. This exemption also provides a school tax ceiling similar to the over-65 exemption.

If you move within Texas, you can transfer the same percentage of tax paid to your new qualified homestead, and similar transfers may be possible for adopted local ceilings if you move within the same taxing unit.

Required documents: Either a currently dated disability letter from a doctor, with TAD’s Physician’s Statement form where applicable, or a currently dated SSA award letter stating the disability onset date, plus Texas ID.

For reference on the SSA definition of substantial gainful activity, see SSA’s SGA information.
Link: Social Security Administration – Substantial Gainful Activity
(Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page.)

100% Disabled Veteran Exemption and Eligible Surviving Spouse

Veterans who receive 100% disability compensation due to a service-connected disability and hold a 100% disability rating or individual unemployability from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can receive an exemption from taxation of the total appraised value of the qualifying residence homestead.

Surviving spouse eligibility: If the veteran qualified, or would have qualified, and the surviving spouse has not remarried, the property was the spouse’s homestead at the time of the veteran’s death, and it remains the spouse’s homestead, the spouse may qualify. A qualifying surviving spouse may transfer a flat dollar amount to a later residence as provided by law.

Required documents: VA documentation showing 100% compensation and rating, including effective dates; documentation naming the surviving spouse if applicable; death certificate if applicable; and Texas ID.

Timing note: The application for this specific exemption may be accepted up to five years after the delinquency date for property taxes. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page; Application PDF.)

Donated Residence Homestead of a Partially Disabled Veteran and Eligible Surviving Spouse

For Texas resident veterans with at least 10% service-connected disability who own and occupy a home donated by a charitable organization, Texas law provides a partial exemption based on the veteran’s disability rating. A surviving spouse may qualify if they are a Texas resident and have not remarried.

Required documents: VA documentation indicating the disability percentage, proof of donation by a charitable organization, and Texas ID.

Timing note: Applications for this exemption may be accepted up to five years after the delinquency date. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page; Application PDF.)

Surviving Spouse of Armed Services Member Killed in the Line of Duty

If you are the unremarried surviving spouse of a U.S. armed services member who was killed or fatally injured in the line of duty, you may be entitled to a 100% property tax exemption on your residence homestead.

Required documents: Report of casualty from the armed services, marriage license, and Texas ID. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page; Application PDF.)

Surviving Spouse of a First Responder Killed in the Line of Duty

If you are the unremarried surviving spouse of a first responder who was killed or fatally injured in the line of duty, as determined under the Employees Retirement System of Texas process, you may be entitled to a 100% exemption on your residence homestead.

Required documents: Documentation that the death occurred in the line of duty per ERS of Texas, marriage license, and Texas ID. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page; Application PDF.)

Complete the Application Correctly

TAD states that incomplete applications or missing required documents can lead to denial. Use this checklist to avoid common issues:

Match your ID address to the property address exactly. The chief appraiser is prohibited from allowing a homestead exemption unless the addresses match, with narrow exceptions and possible waivers for certain active duty military members or spouses and specific license holders.

Answer occupancy questions fully: provide the date you began occupying the property as your principal residence and the complete address of your previous residence.

Disclose other residential properties you own in Texas and whether you are claiming an exemption elsewhere; for another county, include documentation verifying removal of any existing homestead exemption there.

State acreage occupied as your residence, up to 20 acres.

Report income-producing use if any portion of the homestead is used for income, and provide the percentage.

Attach the correct evidence for your category.

Sign and date the application and understand the penalty for false statements under Texas Penal Code § 37.10. (Source: Application PDF.)

If you need an official overview of related forms, including supplemental affidavits referenced in the application, TAD keeps them under All Forms.
Link: All Forms

Special Filing Situations

Some ownership and occupancy situations require additional documentation.

Heir Property

Heir property means at least one owner claims the property as a residence homestead and ownership came through a will, transfer on death deed, or intestacy. If you are not identified on a recorded instrument as an owner, you will need to provide:

An affidavit establishing your ownership interest (Form 50-114-A referenced in the application materials),

The prior owner’s death certificate,

The property’s most recent utility bill, and

Any court record citations related to your ownership, if available.
Each heir property co-owner who also occupies the property as a principal residence must provide a separate affidavit authorizing the homestead application. (Source: Application PDF; Homestead Exemption page.)

Manufactured Homes

For manufactured homes, provide one of the following to show ownership:

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Statement of Ownership, or

Sales purchase agreement, contract, or payment receipt showing you are the purchaser, or

A sworn affidavit stating you are the owner, the seller did not provide the contract, and you could not locate the seller after a good-faith effort. (Source: Application PDF.)

Property Owned by a Qualifying Trust

You may claim the exemption through a qualifying trust if you provide the trust pages that show:

The trust name,

The trustor’s name,

The trustor’s right to use and occupy the property as a principal residence, rent-free and without charge except specified costs, for life, for life or a term of years, or until the trust is revoked or terminated, and

The trustor’s notarized signature.
TAD customer service can copy the relevant pages for you if you bring the document in person. (Source: Application PDF.)

New Homeowner Timing and Mid-Year Ownership Changes

The general rule is that you own and occupy the home on the relevant date for the tax year. However, effective January 1, 2022, a new owner may claim the homestead exemption as of the date they both own and occupy the home if the previous owner did not claim the exemption in that same tax year. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page.)

Tax Ceilings, Caps, and Transfers

Two forms of tax limitation can apply to homesteads, and they operate differently:

Homestead cap (appraised value limit): For general residence homesteads, the taxable value increase is limited to 10% per year beyond the prior year’s value, excluding new improvements and added land. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page.)

Tax ceiling (school taxes and possibly local units):
Over-65 and Disabled Person exemptions include a school tax ceiling. School taxes do not rise above the ceiling amount, subject to increases for new improvements such as a garage or pool.
Local ceilings may exist if adopted by the county, city, or junior college.
Transfer rules: If you move, you can transfer either a percentage of tax paid, for over-65 or disabled ceiling transfers, or, in some surviving spouse scenarios such as 100% disabled veteran cases, a flat dollar amount as allowed by law.
Staying within the same taxing unit can make some local ceiling transfers possible. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page; Application PDF.)

If you believe a ceiling transfer applies when moving into or within Tarrant County, indicate that in the application under the Tax Limitation Exemption Transfer section and provide the address of your prior residence homestead. (Source: Application PDF.)

After You File: Updates and Changes

Your responsibilities do not end after submission:

Respond to additional information requests within 30 days, with one possible 15-day extension.

Duty to notify: If your right to the exemption ends, for example because you move out or stop using the property as your principal residence, notify the chief appraiser in writing before May 1 of the year after the change.

No annual re-filing is required unless the chief appraiser requests it or you want to apply the exemption to a different property. (Source: Application PDF.)

If you need general property tax guidance from TAD outside the application process, the district provides a central help page.
Link: Property Tax Assistance

Common Filing Mistakes

Common filing issues include:

Your ID does not match the homestead address.
Update your Texas driver’s license or personal ID so the address matches your homestead, then submit the application. Address mismatches can result in denial unless a statutory exception or waiver applies. (Source: Application PDF; Homestead Exemption page.)

You are claiming a homestead elsewhere.
You cannot claim a residence homestead exemption on more than one property. If your prior homestead is in another county, include documentation from that appraisal district confirming removal of the old homestead exemption. (Source: Application PDF.)

Co-owners in an heir property have not submitted affidavits.
Each heir property owner who occupies the home as a principal residence, other than the applicant, must provide an affidavit authorizing the application. Missing affidavits can delay the filing. (Source: Application PDF.)

You forgot to disclose income-producing use.
If any portion of the homestead is income-producing, indicate the percentage. (Source: Application PDF.)

You did not specify acreage.
State the total number of acres, up to 20, that you own and occupy as your homestead. (Source: Application PDF.)

You did not sign or date the form.
The application requires your signature and carries Texas Penal Code § 37.10 consequences for false statements. (Source: Application PDF.)

After Approval: Caps and Eligibility

Once your exemption is granted:

The appraised value cap applies, with a 10% annual limit beyond the prior year’s value, excluding new improvements and land changes.

Exemption amounts reduce taxable value according to the approved category.

School tax ceilings and any adopted local ceilings take effect for categories that qualify.

No annual re-filing is needed unless the chief appraiser requires it, you move, or you seek to apply the exemption to a different property.

The duty to notify remains: if your right to the exemption ends, you must notify the chief appraiser in writing by May 1 of the following year. (Source: Tarrant Appraisal District Homestead Exemption page; Application PDF.)

If you later change homes or your status changes, such as turning 65, receiving a disability determination, or qualifying as a surviving spouse, revisit the application instructions to determine whether ceiling transfers or updated categories apply. For official forms and instructions, use TAD’s forms library:
Link: All Forms

Where to Get Official Help

TAD directs homeowners with homestead questions to contact its Exemptions Specialists during regular business hours. You can also use the official contact page to confirm current hours, directions, and available services before visiting.
Link: Contact Us

If you need to request publicly available information regarding your exemption or related matters, you can submit a formal request through TAD’s Public Information Act Request portal.
Link: Public Information Act Request

For a single page that explains eligibility, supporting documents, and how to access the online application, keep this page available:
Link: Homestead Exemption

Departments and offices (with addresses and telephone numbers)

Tarrant Appraisal District — 2500 Handley-Ederville Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76118-6909 — (817) 284-0024

Exemptions Specialist — (817) 284-4063

Tarrant Appraisal District — Exemption Division, PO Box 185579, Fort Worth, TX 76181-0579 — (817) 284-4063

Tarrant County Homestead Exemption FAQs

How do I file and what should I expect after submission?

You can apply online through the Tarrant Appraisal District’s official form. Your application is not received until you press “Submit Application” and receive a confirmation number. See “Complete Form Online” on the Homestead Exemption page. Paper filing is also available through the current county application PDF. After filing, the chief appraiser may request more information. You generally do not need to reapply each year unless asked or unless you want the exemption applied to a different property.

What identification must match the property and are there narrow waivers?

Your Texas DPS driver’s license or personal ID must show the same address as the property claimed. License to carry and election certificates are not accepted. The chief appraiser can waive the match requirement only in specific cases, such as certain active-duty military or spouses with supporting documents, residents of qualified care facilities, or participants in the Attorney General’s address confidentiality program. See ID rules and filing details under Applying for a Homestead Exemption.

What are the filing deadlines and late-application windows?

The standard deadline is April 30 of the tax year. If you qualify due to age 65 or older, disability, or as a partially disabled veteran with a donated residence, you have until the first anniversary of the qualification date. A residence homestead application may be filed up to two years after the normal deadline, and certain veteran-related homestead exemptions can be accepted up to five years after the delinquency date. See the instructions in the 2025 Application for Residential Homestead Exemption (PDF).

Which documents are required for special ownership situations?

For heir property, provide an ownership affidavit (Form 50-114-A), the prior owner’s death certificate, the most recent utility bill, and any relevant court citations. For manufactured homes, provide a Statement of Ownership, a sales contract or receipt, or a sworn affidavit if records are unavailable. For properties held in a qualifying trust, submit only the trust pages showing the trust name, trustor, the trustor’s right to occupy the property as a principal residence, and the trustor’s notarized signature. Forms are organized under All Forms.

How do tax ceilings and transfers work for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and certain surviving spouses?

Age-65 and Disabled Person exemptions include a school tax ceiling, and some local taxing units may also adopt ceilings. If you move within Texas, you can transfer the same percentage of tax paid to your new qualified homestead. Specific flat-amount transfers apply to certain surviving spouses under state law. Category-specific proof, such as SSA letters or VA documentation, is listed on the Homestead Exemption page.

What if TAD asks for more information or my eligibility changes?

If the chief appraiser requests additional information, you must respond within 30 days, and one 15-day extension may be granted for good cause. If your right to the exemption ends, for example because you move or stop using the property as your principal residence, you must notify the chief appraiser in writing before May 1 of the year after the change. Detailed instructions appear in the 2025 Application for Residential Homestead Exemption (PDF).