Resources · Homeowners
Texas Residence Homestead Exemption: How to Apply
Reviewed by Daniel Ortiz · Senior Property Tax Consultant · Last reviewed September 2026
The homestead exemption is the biggest property tax break most Texas homeowners get, and filing for it is free. You apply once with your appraisal district, and it stays in place as long as you own and live in the home.
Who Qualifies
You qualify if you own the home and live in it as your principal residence. The address on your Texas driver’s license or ID card must match the home. The exemption covers the house and up to 20 acres of land you use with it, and it applies to condominiums and manufactured homes.
You can keep the exemption during a temporary absence of up to two years, as long as you don’t establish a principal residence somewhere else. Active military service can extend that.
What the Homestead Exemption Saves
School taxes: $140,000. Every homestead gets $140,000 off its value for school district taxes. School taxes are usually the largest part of the bill.
Age 65 or older, or disabled: another $60,000. The additional school exemption, plus a ceiling that limits future school taxes on the home. You qualify for the whole year in which you turn 65. If you qualify as both, you choose one.
Disabled veterans. Partial exemptions based on the VA disability rating. A veteran receiving 100% VA disability compensation, based on a 100% rating or individual unemployability, can have the homestead fully exempt.
City and county options. Cities, counties, and other units can add their own homestead exemptions on top. Check your tax bill to see which apply.
The 10% cap. Once you have the exemption, your home’s appraised value can’t rise more than 10% a year, starting the following year.
What it saves in Bexar County. At a school tax rate of $1.00 per $100, the $140,000 exemption saves about $1,400 a year, before any city or county exemption. Your school district’s rate is on your bill.
How to Apply
Form. Use Form 50-114, the Residence Homestead Exemption Application, or your district’s online filing. Bexar Central Appraisal District accepts applications online.
What to include. A copy of your Texas driver’s license or ID showing the home’s address.
When. You can apply as soon as you own and live in the home. The deadline for a given year is April 30. A late application can be filed up to two years after the date the taxes would become delinquent.
Where. File with the appraisal district, not the tax office.
Keep proof. Save a copy of what you filed and the confirmation.
Filing is free. Nobody needs to charge you to file it.
Exemptions and Protests Work Together
An exemption lowers your taxable value. A protest lowers your market value. Exemptions come off after the value is set, so a lower value and every exemption you qualify for add up.
This article is general information about Texas property tax, not legal advice. Rules and deadlines can change with each legislative session.
Homestead Exemption FAQs
Do I have to reapply every year?
No. Once granted, it stays in place until you move or the district asks you to confirm eligibility.
I bought my home this year. When does the exemption start?
You can apply in the year you buy, once you own and live in the home. You don’t have to wait until the next January 1.
Can I have a homestead exemption on two homes?
No. Only on your principal residence.
Does the homestead exemption apply to a rental?
No. A home you rent out isn’t your homestead. It also isn’t covered by the 10% cap.
Exemptions Lower the Taxable Value. We Lower the Market Value.
We protest your home’s value every year. No savings, no fee.