Our Property Tax Protest Process
Step-by-step property tax protest support from review through ARB preparation.
BTA helps property owners review appraisal district records, organize property-specific evidence, file authorized protests, participate in informal review when appropriate, and prepare for ARB hearings. The process varies by property type, county, appraisal district procedures, evidence, deadlines, and applicable law.
Common Questions About Our Process
Understanding How BTA Works for You
BTA reviews available appraisal district records, property-specific documentation, comparable property information, income or expense data where relevant, market data, cost information, equity evidence, and other materials that may support a defensible valuation position. The evidence used depends on the property type, issue, and available documentation.
In many matters where BTA is authorized to represent a covered property, BTA can attend informal reviews or ARB hearings on the property owner’s behalf. Some cases may require owner documentation, additional information, signatures, or participation depending on the property, issue, county procedure, or hearing requirements.
At minimum, BTA typically needs the property address and appraisal district account number. Depending on the property type, helpful documentation may include appraisal notices, tax bills, photos, repair estimates, income and expense records, leases, rent rolls, asset lists, acquisition costs, inventory records, or exemption documentation. Strong documentation can help support a more complete property review, but outcomes depend on the evidence, property facts, appraisal district review, ARB decisions, and applicable law.
Our consultants analyze multiple evidence sources: your customer evidence (income statements, photos, repair estimates), our proprietary comparable sales database over 200 Texas counties, equity analysis comparing your assessment to similar properties, appraisal district data and methodologies, and current market conditions. We strategically select the most compelling evidence that will persuade ARB panels to reduce your value—whether that’s equity arguments, market value evidence, or income approach analysis.
The BTA Property Tax Protest Process
How BTA supports property owners through review, filing, evidence preparation, and hearing support.
Enrollment & Document Signing
01
What Happens: The process begins when a property owner enrolls with BTA and completes the required authorization and service documents. BTA uses this information to identify the covered property, confirm account details, review deadlines, and determine the next steps for the current tax year.
BTA’s Role:
BTA reviews the engagement information, confirms property and appraisal district account details, and identifies the documents needed to support authorized protest filing or appraisal review.
Owner Role:
Property owners should provide accurate property information, appraisal notices when available, tax bills, account numbers, and any property-specific documentation that may support review.
Phone Enrollment: Call (713) 263-6100 and our customer service team will guide you through enrollment.
OR
Protest Filing & Deadline Management
02
What Happens: After authorization is in place, BTA reviews applicable protest deadlines and files authorized protests for covered properties when appropriate. In many Texas cases, the protest deadline is May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district mails the Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later, but deadlines can vary by notice, property type, county, and issue.
BTA’s Role:
BTA helps track appraisal notices, review account information, and file authorized protests within applicable deadlines for covered properties.
Owner Role:
Property owners should send appraisal notices, hearing notices, or appraisal district communications to BTA promptly, especially if BTA has not yet been formally authorized or if the notice is received directly by the owner.
Pre-Hearing Research & Evidence Preparation
03
What Happens: After a protest is filed, BTA reviews appraisal district records, property data, available market information, income or expense information where relevant, cost data, equity evidence, comparable property information, and owner-provided documentation.
BTA’s Role:
BTA organizes relevant evidence and prepares a property-specific valuation position for informal review or ARB hearing support when appropriate.
Owner Role:
The strongest review often depends on accurate property-specific documentation. Helpful materials may include photos, repair estimates, rent rolls, leases, income and expense statements, asset lists, acquisition costs, inventory records, or other relevant records depending on the property type.
ARB Hearing Representation
04
What Happens: If the matter proceeds to an ARB hearing, the Appraisal Review Board reviews evidence from the property owner or authorized representative and the appraisal district. Hearing timing and procedures vary by county and property type.
BTA’s Role:
When authorized, BTA presents relevant property-specific evidence, responds to appraisal district information, and supports a defensible valuation position during informal review or ARB proceedings.
Important Note:
BTA does not control appraisal district decisions, ARB determinations, tax rates, exemptions, tax bills, or final outcomes.
Results Delivery & Savings Analysis
05
What Happens: After informal review, ARB hearing, or another applicable process concludes, the appraisal district or ARB may issue documentation showing the final value or determination for the protested matter.
BTA’s Role:
BTA reviews available outcome documentation, summarizes the final value or determination, and helps clients understand how the result may relate to taxable value or later tax bill information.
Important Note:
A changed appraised value may affect taxable value or the tax bill depending on exemptions, tax rates, caps, special valuations, and applicable rules.
Ongoing Annual Service & Continuous Improvement
06
What Happens: Property tax appraisal review is often an annual process. Appraisal notices, market conditions, property condition, income data, asset records, and appraisal district methods can change from year to year.
BTA’s Role:
For clients with an active engagement, BTA helps monitor appraisal notices, review annual property records, file authorized protests when appropriate, and update evidence based on current property facts and available documentation.
Owner Role:
Property owners should continue providing updated records, notices, property condition information, income or expense changes, asset changes, and other relevant documentation each year.
How the Process Changes by Property Type
BTA uses the same general process across property types, but the evidence and valuation methods vary depending on the property,
appraisal district records, and available documentation.
Commercial Real Estate
BTA may review income and expense records, rent rolls, leases, occupancy information, market data, comparable sales, equity evidence, and appraisal district assumptions.
Residential Properties
BTA may review comparable sales, appraisal district property characteristics, equity information, exemption status, condition issues, repair documentation, and other property-specific evidence.
Industrial Properties
BTA may review cost information, depreciation, functional or economic obsolescence, specialized property characteristics, market data where available, and property-specific documentation.
Business Personal Property
BTA may review asset lists, acquisition costs, acquisition years, disposals, inventory records, exemption documentation where applicable, and appraisal district BPP records.