★ Access the eFile Portal HERE ★
ARB proTest Hearing procedures
taxpayer rights & remedies
Can I come in and speak to a Dcad appraiser informally?
Yes. The informal meeting must occur before your scheduled ARB Hearing.
Our office lobby is open Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at 3911 Morse Street, Denton.
To enter DCAD's virtual waiting room, please text “DENTON CAD” to (952) 649-6591 or call (940) 205-4077. The system will text you before your scheduled in-person meeting time (roughly 30 minutes prior), so you can wait in the comfort of your home before coming into the office.
Estimated wait times vary based on the number of taxpayers in the queue. The virtual waiting room can only be used the day that you would like to come into the office. It cannot schedule you for a future date.
can i send someone else to represent me for the arb hearing?
Yes, you are able to send someone to represent you in a hearing, but you need to make sure they have a signed authorization letter from you. You are able to fill out this form and send it with whoever will be representing you.
[50-162] Appointment of Agent for Property Tax Matters
Appointment of Non-Agent Representation
How Can i reschedule my hearing?
Please submit a written request to appeals@dentoncad.com
How Can i withdraw my protest?
Please submit a request to appeals@dentoncad.com to withdraw your Protest form or log into the eFile Portal to withdraw your protest.
I forgot to file a protest... can i still get my value lowered?
If a property owner does not file a timely protest, neither the appraiser nor the ARB can make a value adjustment to your property.
If you believe there are good cause reasons (i.e., hospitalization) as to why you could not file a timely protest, then you should write the ARB, state the facts and document (provide medical receipts on hospitalization) your reasons.
The ARB will make a determination and respond back to you in writing. Forgetting to file a protest or not knowing the protest deadline are not considered good cause reasons to grant you a late protest. If you believe there is a clerical error (Texas Tax Code 25.25c) or a gross over-appraisal value, 1/3 over market value (Texas Tax Code 25.25d) associated with your property value, then you should speak to an appraiser who will clarify if there are any remedies available to you.
What if I just want to submit my evidence to the ARB and not go through the formal process or hearing?
You can submit an affidavit on your behalf before your scheduled hearing.
[50-283] Property Owner’s Affidavit of Evidence to the Appraisal Review Board
Or appoint an agent to represent you.
[50-162] Appointment of Agent for Property Tax Matters"How To present your case" videos
options after you protest
After the ARB rules on your protest, it will send a written order by certified mail. If you are dissatisfied with the ARB’s findings, you have the right to appeal the decision. Depending on the facts and type of property, you may be able to appeal to the state district court in the county in which your property is located; to binding arbitration; or to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH).
Binding Arbitration - You may appeal through binding arbitration if your property is valued at $5 million or less. You may also use binding arbitration for your residence homestead regardless of its appraised value. To request binding arbitration, you must file a Request for Binding Arbitration form with the appraisal district, along with a deposit check payable to the Comptroller of Public Accounts. The deposit amount ranges from $450 to $1,550 based on the property type and value. All but $50 of your deposit will be refunded to you if the arbitrator sets your value at an amount closer to your opinion of value than to the ARB’s value. If not, the deposit is used to pay the arbitrator’s fee. You must exercise the arbitration option not later than 60 days after the date you receive the ARB’s notice of its decision. There are limits to what can be appealed to binding arbitration.
State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) - Property owners may also appeal ARB orders for real or personal properties with values of more than $1 million to SOAH. To appeal, you file a notice with the chief appraiser not later than 30 days after the date you receive the ARB’s notice of its decision and file a $1,500 deposit not later than the 90th day after you receive the ARB’s notice of the order. The administrative law judge will schedule the hearing in the municipality where the property is located unless SOAH does not have a remote hearing site in that municipality. In which case, the hearing will be scheduled in the municipality with a remote hearing site that is closest to the subject property.
State District Court in Denton County - Alternatively, you may appeal the decision to the state district court in which your property is located. You must file the appeal no later than 60 days after you receive the final ARB order. In all types of appeals, you are required to pay a specified portion of your taxes before the delinquency date.
The Denton Central Appraisal District staff (including the Chief Appraiser), cannot change a value once the Appraisal Review Board has set that value.
[96-295] Property Taxpayer Rights & Remedies
FULL calendar of events
Apr 18th - First batch of Notices of Appraised Value mailed out from Denton CAD (111k Notices Mailed)
Apr 29th - First batch of Oil & Gas/ Mineral Notices mailed out from Wardlaw Appraisal Group
May 10th - Second batch of Oil & Gas/ Mineral Notices mailed out from Wardlaw Appraisal Group
May 16th - Second batch of Notices of Appraised Value mailed out from Denton CAD (214k Notices Mailed)
May 17th - Third batch of Oil & Gas/ Mineral Notices mailed out from Wardlaw Appraisal Group
May 18th - 30 day deadline to turn in a protest form if you received a Notice from Denton CAD dated April 18th
May 23rd - Appraisal Review Board hearings begin
May 27th - Third batch of Notices of Appraised Value mailed out from Denton CAD (44k Notices Mailed)
May 30th - 30 day deadline if you received a Notice from Wardlaw (Oil & Gas) dated April 29th
June 9th - 30 day deadline if you received a Notice from Wardlaw (Oil & Gas) dated May 10th
June 15th - 30 day deadline to turn in a protest form if you received a Notice from Denton CAD dated May 16th
June 17th - 30 day deadline if you received a Notice from Wardlaw (Oil & Gas) dated May 17th
June 27th - 30 day deadline to turn in a protest form if you received a Notice from Denton CAD dated May 27th
July 15th - Appraisal Review Board Approves the Records (Estimated day)
July 18-22 - DCAD's software will be 'view only' (no changes can be made by staff)
July 25th - Chief Appraiser approves (at least 95% of the total value) and sends Certified Totals to the Taxing Jurisdictions. The remaining 5% of value (and accounts) will remain "Under Protest" and will be worked in the fall as quickly as possible.
The top date on your Notice is the mailing date.
The bottom date on your Notice is your deadline date to file a Notice of Protest.
How DO I protest? (step by Step Directions)
*Please check the bottom of your Notice to confirm your own deadline. There is not one set deadline.*
There are two ways to turn in your Protest Form:
Through the eFile Portal (fill out the protest form in the Portal)
Download and print out a protest form HERE and either
Mail it to: DCAD, 3911 Morse St, Denton, TX 76208 (or)
Drop it off at the front of our building (same address)
The quickest and most efficient way to file is through our eFile Portal.
★ Access the eFile Portal HERE ★
If you have evidence or documentation you would like to submit to support your opinion of value, please do so through the eFile Portal, mail it in or bring it to 3911 Morse St, Denton.
Helpful evidence includes: closing statements, estimates of repair, fee appraisals, inspection reports, current photos with date stamp or recent comparable sales data.
Once DCAD receives your Protest Form, a DCAD appraiser will review your protest and will contact you through the eFile portal or schedule you for an ARB hearing.
★ Please be patient with us, there are only 30 appraisers and 120k protests. Please wait for us to contact you through the eFile Portal, telephone, or mail. Thank you!
When submitting a protest form, a property owner/ agent can request an informal review with a DCAD appraiser.
Informals can be done through the new messaging feature in the eFile portal, or by telephone, or in-person. *The most efficient way to file a protest and have an informal settlement discussion is through the eFile Portal. This portal allows property owners to skip the lines and never leave their home or office.
In-person meetings may have a longer wait time due to a staffing shortage, but can be shortened by using our virtual waiting room. Please text “DENTON CAD” to (952) 649-6591 or call (940) 205-4077 to join the virtual waiting room. The system will text you before your scheduled meeting time, so you can wait in the comfort of your home. Estimated wait times vary based on the number of taxpayers in the queue.
If the property owner can reach an agreement (electronically or in person) with the DCAD appraiser, prior to the date of their scheduled ARB hearing, the ARB hearing will be canceled, the settlement will be recorded, and the protest will be closed out. If there is NOT an agreement made prior to their scheduled hearing, the owner will need to proceed with their ARB hearing at the scheduled date and time. The ARB is requesting hard copies of your evidence for all in-person hearings.
For all ARB hearings, including telephone or video conference hearings, you will be mailed a notice of protest hearing at least 14 days prior to the scheduled hearing. The notice will include details on the exact time and location of the hearing, and for telephone or video conference hearings, it will give detailed information on how to call and check in prior to the hearing time. Please allow a 2-hour window for all phone/video ARB hearings. Also, you must provide a valid daytime phone number and email address for your phone/video hearing. Please note: ARB video hearings will be held later in the protest season and DCAD cannot provide technical support for secure connections to the video conference.
DCAD's mailed evidence and the evidence you submit prior to your hearing will be the only evidence that is discussed at your hearing. ★
how does the 10% homestead cap work and what is Market vs assessed value?
Market Value has no cap. It can go as high or low as the market allows.
As an appraisal district we set the Market Value.
10% Homestead Cap:
If someone had a homestead exemption on their property the prior year, and still has a homestead exemption on that same property this year, they are the only ones eligible for a 10% cap*.
Your Homestead Cap will come into effect if the Market Value exceeds 10% compared to the prior year's Assessed Value.
Example:
2021 Market Value is $200,000
2022 Market Value is $300,000
But... the 2022 Assessed Value would be $220,000.
($200,000 x 10% homestead cap = $220,000)
The Assessed Value is the value your taxes are assessed from. You will only pay taxes on $220,000.
The Market Value (what you could sell it for in the market) would stay at $300,000 for 2022.
Scenario:
If you reach an agreement of Market Value with Denton CAD, or get a ruling from the Appraisal Review Board (ARB), higher than your Assessed Value, you will still be taxed at your Assessed Value. In other words, in the example above, if you agree to a 2022 Market Value of $250,000, you will still be taxed on $220,000.
The Assessed Value is a 10% ceiling from year to year, and it will not be impacted unless the Market Value is deemed to be less than the Assessed Value. So in the example above, if you agree to a 2022 Market Value of $210,000, then your new Assessed Value will be $210,000 since it was under the Homestead Cap amount.
*Exception to the rule:
If there is a current homestead on property 123 Main St, and you purchase 123 Main St in 2022 and the previous owner does NOT request to remove their homestead, their homestead cap will remain on that property for the rest of 2022 (until Jan 1, 2023), so you will receive their homestead cap for that year. If they request to remove it, then you will not receive the benefit of their cap and you will have to wait and apply for your own homestead on January 1, 2023. Once you have applied for your own homestead on that property, you will establish your qualification date. The first year you will be able to observe the effect of your homestead cap is 2024. So you would not receive a cap in 2023.
If you would like your individual homestead evaluated, please email customerservice@dentoncad.com
ARTICLE: RELIEF FROM RISING VALUES
This is a great article explaining "caps" on revenue growth and how the 2019 Legislative Property Tax Reform is protecting property owners from what is happening in the current housing market. It also explains how the Appraisal District increasing your VALUE (around 25%) to be inline with the market, does not mean they are increasing your TAXES by 25%.
What if i lost my PIN?
Please email helpdesk@dentoncad.com, subject line "Request Pin" and give detailed account information.
That is your right to attend your ARB hearing in person, if you choose. Just please note, if you elect an in-person hearing, these hearings will not be scheduled until the ARB is confident that all property owners, their agents, DCAD staff and the ARB members can be assured of their safety. Therefore, your scheduled telephone hearing will be cancelled and your in-person hearing will not be scheduled until later in the year. If you would like to be scheduled for an in-person ARB hearing, you will need to call 940-349-3980 at least two days prior to your scheduled telephone hearing to make these changes.
What if I have AN exemption, ownership, or address change, should I file a protest?
No, you do not need to file a protest.
Concerns about exemptions, address changes, etc. should all be directed towards... customerservice@dentoncad.com.
Ownership changes should be directed towards... mappingstaff@dentoncad.com.
What if I have a closing statement, should I file a protest?
Yes, you need to file a protest form.
Please submit a copy of your recent closing documents (after 01/01/22) or your recent fee appraisal (after 01/01/22) with the protest form. This will help to determine a market value for the property.
This can be done through the eFile Portal, mailed or dropped off at DCAD.
Along with filling out a protest form, please provide us with a copy of your recent closing documents (after 01/01/20) or your recent fee appraisal (after 01/01/20), this will help to determine a market value for the property. This can be done through the eFile Portal (if you have set up an account) or ARB Evidence Upload.
How do they determine my value?
The value of your property will be determined as of January 1, 2023. Denton CAD utilizes a combination of the Cost, Market, and Income Approaches to value your property. In the informal or formal meeting, we will likely present a Comp Grid that will calculate the value of your property based on sales of comparable properties, or appraised values of comparable properties.
what if i am overseAs or out of the country?
Our eFile portal is currently accessible from the following countries:
Canada, Colombia, India, Japan, Macedonia, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Vietnam and
United States of America, including the Virgin Islands