FIELD NOTES / COSTS AND TAXES
Travis County Appraisal District (TCAD): how to search a property and read every value on the record
The Travis County Appraisal District, officially the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD), sets the January 1 market value of every taxable property in Travis County, and its free property search at traviscad.org/propertysearch finds any record by owner name, address, account number or business name. For 2026, TCAD put the median residential homestead at a market value of $493,449 and a taxable value of $384,747, according to its March 25, 2026 release. This guide walks through the search, explains each value line on a TCAD record, and covers the caps, the protest deadline and which Austin addresses belong to Williamson or Hays County's appraisal district instead.
By David Eimer · Austin Journal · 9 minute read · Published
The numbers
- Median residential homestead market value, Travis County
- $493,449As of 2026 values, released March 25, 2026
Median taxable value $384,747. TCAD says single-family residences declined an average of 1.8% in market value.
- Notices of Appraised Value mailed by TCAD
- Over 427,000As of Week of March 25, 2026
The Travis County appraisal roll rose 5.48% to $482 billion, which TCAD attributes mainly to commercial property.
- Homestead cap on yearly appraised-value increases
- 10%As of Texas Tax Code, current
Plus the market value of new improvements; applies only to a home with a residence homestead exemption.
Source: City of Austin ↗
- Circuit breaker limit for other real property
- 20%, on property valued at $5.16 million or lessAs of Tax years 2024, 2025 and 2026
Excludes homesteads; applied automatically after one full calendar year of ownership.
- Deadline to protest a TCAD value
- May 15 or 30 days after the notice is mailed, whichever is laterAs of TCAD protest page, October 2026
- Local governments TCAD appraises for
- 127As of TCAD property tax system page, October 2026
Including 21 cities, 15 school districts, 54 municipal utility districts, the county, the hospital district and the junior college.
What is the Travis County Appraisal District, and what does TCAD do?
The Travis County Appraisal District is the Travis Central Appraisal District, usually called TCAD, and it is the office that decides what each property in Travis County is worth for tax purposes. TCAD's own description of the Texas property tax system lists its jobs: it "Determines Property Values," "Sends out Notices of Appraised Value," "Handles protests," and "Administers exemption and deferral applications." Values are set as of January 1 each year, and TCAD's FAQ says appraisers use "comparable sales, income and/or cost data" to reach them.
TCAD does not set tax rates and does not send tax bills. In TCAD's words, the taxing units set budgets and determine tax rates, and the tax assessor-collector "Calculates and distributes property tax bills" and "Collects property tax payments." TCAD appraises for 127 local government agencies, including 21 cities, 15 school districts and 54 municipal utility districts. Its March 25, 2026 release says appraisal changes affect a property owner's share of the tax but don't directly decide the bill. The adopted 2026 rates are in the Travis County property tax 2026 explainer.
Not every Austin address is in TCAD's records. The City of Austin's September 15, 2026 preliminary official statement describes the city as "located in Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties" and says appraisal of property within the city "is the responsibility of the Travis Central Appraisal District, Williamson Central Appraisal District and Hays Central Appraisal District." A North Austin home in Williamson County is on WCAD's search, not TCAD's.
Which appraisal district handles an Austin-area property
| Appraisal district | Where it applies | Property search | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) | Travis County, including most of the City of Austin | traviscad.org/propertysearch | 850 East Anderson Lane, Austin; 512-834-9317 |
| Williamson Central Appraisal District (WCAD) | Williamson County, including the part of Austin inside it | search.wcad.org | 625 FM 1460, Georgetown; 512-930-3787 |
| Hays Central Appraisal District (Hays CAD) | Hays County, including the part of Austin inside it | hayscad.com | See hayscad.com |
Sources: Travis Central Appraisal District ↗ · Travis Central Appraisal District, March 25, 2026 ↗ · City of Austin ↗ · Williamson Central Appraisal District ↗
How do you use the TCAD property search?
The TCAD property search at traviscad.org/propertysearch is free and needs no account. TCAD says the whole database can be searched "by owner name, property address, account number, or doing business as (DBA)," and the search box takes any of them in one field, with a tax-year selector that defaults to 2026. Results list the property ID, geographic ID, owner name, property address, city and legal description, along with whether an ARB hearing is on file.
TCAD gives three search tips. "Do not use suffixes when searching," since abbreviations such as St for Street or Dr for Drive can change the results. If nothing comes back, enter fewer words, and if you don't know the street number, enter only the street name. A house number plus the street name without its suffix, such as "850 Anderson" for TCAD's own office, is enough to bring up a record. A Map Search on the same system lets you click a parcel instead of typing.
Each property record opens with General Info (property ID, geographic ID, tax office ID, legal description and property use), then the Owner block with mailing address, ownership percentage and the exemptions on file, then Location, Protest Information, Values, Value History, Taxing Units, Improvement and Land details, and Deed History. Buttons at the bottom open a GIS map and print a Summary Report or a Tax Transparency Report to PDF. TCAD notes that ownership comes from "deed records recorded with the Travis County Clerk's office," so a sale appears on the record only after its deed is recorded.
Sources: Travis Central Appraisal District ↗
How to read a TCAD record: market value, appraised value and net appraised value
The Values block on a TCAD record is a short subtraction, read from top to bottom. Land and improvements are each split into homesite and non-homesite value, which add up to Market, TCAD's January 1 estimate of what the property would sell for. Special-use land, such as qualifying agricultural acreage, comes off next and leaves Appraised. A Value Limitation Adjustment then comes off for any cap, and what is left is Net Appraised, the value each taxing unit starts from before its own exemptions.
The Values block on a TCAD property record, line by line
| Line on the record | What it means |
|---|---|
| Land Homesite / Land Non-Homesite | Land value split between the part tied to a homestead and the rest |
| Special Use Land Market | Market value of land that qualifies for special-use (such as agricultural) appraisal |
| Improvement Homesite / Improvement Non-Homesite | Value of the house and other structures, split the same way |
| Market | TCAD's estimate of what the property would sell for as of January 1 |
| Special Use Exclusion (-) | Value removed when qualifying land is taxed on productive use instead of market value |
| Appraised | Market value after any special-use exclusion |
| Value Limitation Adjustment (-) | Value removed by a cap: the 10% homestead cap or the 20% circuit breaker |
| Net Appraised | The value each taxing unit applies its exemptions to |
TCAD's FAQ says "Your property's assessed value is not the same as its market value," and market value "may increase or decrease by any amount year-to-year." So a record can show market value falling while net appraised value rises, when a capped homestead is still catching up to market. The Value History table lays out several years of each line side by side, which shows whether a cap is in play.
The Taxing Units list shows every government that taxes the parcel: county, city, school district, hospital district, junior college and any municipal utility or emergency services district. The list differs from parcel to parcel, so check it before comparing two homes' tax bills. When TCAD changes an improvement, such as a finished addition, its FAQ says the cap applies only "so long as changes have not been made that add new value."
Sources: Travis Central Appraisal District ↗ · City of Austin ↗
Why the TCAD value is not your taxable value or the sale price
The 10% homestead cap is why a long-held Austin home's net appraised value can sit well under its market value. The City of Austin's 2026 official statement summarizes the state rule: a residence homestead's appraised value for a year may not exceed the lesser of its market value or the sum of 10% of the prior year's appraised value, the prior year's appraised value, and the market value of all new improvements. On a home appraised at $400,000 last year with no new improvements, this year's appraised value can be no more than $440,000, even if TCAD's market value is $470,000; the $30,000 difference is the Value Limitation Adjustment.
Property that is not a homestead has its own, temporary limit. TCAD's circuit breaker page describes "a 20 percent limitation on the net appraised value" for real property valued at $5.16 million or less, excluding homesteads, which TCAD applies automatically. The owner must hold the property for a full calendar year first, and TCAD notes the Legislature has "only authorized the circuit breaker limitation for the 2024, 2025, and 2026 tax years."
Exemptions then come off net appraised value, unit by unit. The Texas Comptroller says school districts must provide a $140,000 residence homestead exemption, plus an additional $60,000 for owners 65 or older or disabled; cities, counties and other units set their own. TCAD's 2026 medians show the combined effect: a median homestead market value of $493,449 against a median taxable value of $384,747, a computed gap of $108,702. Neither number is a sale price, because a sale happens on its own date between a willing buyer and seller, and TCAD values every property as of January 1.
Sources: City of Austin ↗ · Travis Central Appraisal District ↗ · Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts ↗ · Travis Central Appraisal District, March 25, 2026 ↗
What should a buyer check on TCAD before making an offer in Austin?
A buyer should read the seller's TCAD record as last year's tax bill, not the next one. The seller's exemptions reflect the seller's own status, and TCAD's homestead page ties the exemption to owners who "own and reside at a property as of January 1st of the year," with one exception covered below. TCAD describes the first-year increase as coming from removed homestead exemptions and completed improvements. TCAD's chief appraiser, Leana Mann, said in June 2025 that "many property owners are often shocked to see significant jumps in their property tax bill during their first year of ownership."
TCAD has a tool for this. Its Property Tax Transparency worksheet, the "Print Tax Transparency Report to PDF" button on a property record, shows the taxing entities, construction or incomplete status, current exemptions, the most recent tax bill, a projected bill without the existing exemptions, and the exemption and protest deadlines. For new construction, TCAD's FAQ says an incomplete home "will be added to the tax roll at the percentage of completion as of January 1st," so a lot-value bill can jump once the house is finished. Run the projected figure through the payment estimator on Austin homes for sale to see the monthly effect.
After closing, file the homestead exemption with TCAD. The application needs "a driver's license or state-issued personal ID certificate that has the same address as the property," and TCAD says owners may qualify "as early as their move-in date if the property's previous owner did not have an exemption on the property." Filing is free; TCAD's toolkit says "Do not pay someone to fill out an exemption application for you." The Austin homestead exemption guide covers each unit's amounts.
Sources: City of Austin ↗ · Travis Central Appraisal District ↗ · Travis Central Appraisal District, June 10, 2025 ↗
How do you protest a TCAD appraisal, and when are taxes due?
The deadline to protest a TCAD value is May 15 or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value is mailed, whichever is later. TCAD calls its online portal "the easiest and fastest way" to file; owners can also mail a protest to PO Box 149012, Austin TX 78714, or deliver it to 850 East Anderson Lane. After filing and uploading evidence, an owner can see TCAD's evidence packet and is "eligible to participate in an informal meeting with a TCAD appraiser." For 2026, informal meetings began April 6 and Appraisal Review Board hearings were expected to start in June.
If the informal meeting doesn't settle it, the Travis Appraisal Review Board hears the protest. The Texas Comptroller says the ARB's decision is "binding only for the tax year in question," and lists three next steps: a petition to district court within 60 days of the written order; regular binding arbitration, open to residence homesteads of any value and filed within 60 days; or the State Office of Administrative Hearings for property over $1 million. Useful evidence includes closed sales of similar homes around January 1 and proof of any error on the record, such as square footage or condition.
The Travis County property tax calendar, from appraisal to payment
| Date | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Property values are established | TCAD |
| Mid-April (2026: notices mailed week of March 25) | Notices of Appraised Value sent | TCAD |
| May 15, or 30 days after the notice is mailed | Protest deadline, whichever is later | TCAD and the ARB |
| July 25 | Appraisal roll certified | TCAD |
| October 1 | Collection period begins; bills may be mailed | Travis County Tax Office |
| January 31 | Last day to pay without penalty and interest | Travis County Tax Office |
| February 1 | Unpaid taxes are delinquent; 7% penalty and interest in February | Travis County Tax Office |
| July 1 | Penalty reaches 12%; total with interest 18% | Travis County Tax Office |
The Travis County Tax Office, not TCAD, collects the bill. Its calendar starts collection on October 1 and makes January 31 the last day to pay without penalty and interest. A bill unpaid on February 1 is delinquent, and the City's official statement shows the charge reaching 7% in February and 18% by July, when a 20% attorney's collection fee is added. The property research desk shows where to pull the tax office account next to the TCAD record.
Sources: Travis Central Appraisal District ↗ · Travis Central Appraisal District, March 25, 2026 ↗ · Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts ↗ · Travis County Tax Office ↗ · City of Austin ↗
Common questions
How do I look up a property on the Travis County Appraisal District website?
Go to traviscad.org/propertysearch and type an owner name, property address, account number or business name into the single search box. TCAD advises leaving off street suffixes such as St or Dr, and entering only the street name if you don't know the number. The search is free and shows the 2026 values, exemptions, taxing units and deed history.
What is the difference between market value and appraised value on TCAD?
Market value is TCAD's estimate of what the property would sell for on January 1. Appraised and net appraised value can be lower because of special-use land and caps: a homestead's appraised value can rise no more than 10% a year plus new improvements, and other real property worth $5.16 million or less has a 20% circuit breaker for 2024 through 2026.
Does TCAD set my property tax rate or send my tax bill?
No. TCAD sets values, handles protests and administers exemptions. Each taxing unit, such as the City of Austin, Travis County or Austin ISD, sets its own rate, and the Travis County Tax Office mails the bills from October 1 and collects them by January 31.
When is the deadline to protest a TCAD appraisal?
The deadline is May 15 or 30 days after the Notice of Appraised Value is mailed, whichever is later. TCAD mailed its 2026 notices the week of March 25, 2026, so most 2026 protests were due May 15. Owners file online through TCAD's portal, by mail, or in person at 850 East Anderson Lane.
Is my Austin home in Travis CAD, Williamson CAD or Hays CAD?
It depends on the county the parcel sits in, not the city name in the address. The City of Austin reaches into Travis, Williamson and Hays counties, and each county's appraisal district values the property inside it, so a North Austin home in Williamson County is searched at search.wcad.org rather than on TCAD.
Take this to your next conversation
- Search the address on traviscad.org/propertysearch (or WCAD or Hays CAD if the parcel is in those counties) and confirm the legal description matches the deed.
- Read the Values block from Market down to Net Appraised, and open Value History to see whether a cap is holding the value down.
- Check the Taxing Units list for the school district, any MUD or emergency district before comparing two homes' tax bills.
- Before an offer, print the Tax Transparency Report and use its projected bill without the seller's exemptions in your monthly budget.
- After closing, update your driver's license address and file the free homestead exemption with TCAD.
- Watch for the Notice of Appraised Value in spring and protest by May 15 or 30 days after it is mailed, with closed sales near January 1 as evidence.
Sources and review date
Sources checked . Planning suggestions are editorial guidance; current property facts and requirements need an address-specific check.
- Travis Central Appraisal District: Property Search ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District: Property Search application, 2026 property detail layout ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District: FAQs ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District: Property Tax System ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District, March 25, 2026: 2026 Market Values On Their Way To Travis County Property Owners ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District: Homestead exemptions ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District: Circuit Breaker ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District: The Protest Process ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District, June 10, 2025: New Tool Helps Potential Travis County Property Owners Navigate the Property Tax System ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District: Property Owner Toolkit ↗
- City of Austin: Preliminary Official Statement dated September 15, 2026, Council backup File ID 26-2281 (PDF) ↗
- Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts: Property Tax Exemptions ↗
- Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts: Property Tax Protest and Appeal Procedures ↗
- Travis County Tax Office: Property tax important dates ↗
- Williamson Central Appraisal District: home page and property search ↗
- Hays Central Appraisal District ↗