Bexar County, Texas
46 local notes for Bexar County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. San Antonio / South Central.
See the San Antonio place page ->Money & Taxes
Property tax
How to file your homestead exemption in Bexar County
Texas homeowners who live in their home as a primary residence can reduce their taxable value by filing a homestead exemption with the Bexar Central Appraisal District.
Property tax
Over-65 and disabled homeowner tax relief in Bexar County
Homeowners who are 65 or older, or who qualify as disabled, can receive extra property tax exemptions and a tax ceiling that freezes the school district portion of their bill.
Property tax
Protesting your property appraisal in Bexar County
Every Bexar County property owner has the right to protest their appraised value with the Appraisal Review Board if they think the value is wrong.
Property tax
BCAD sets the value; the tax office collects the bill
Two separate offices handle your property taxes in Bexar County—the appraisal district sets your value and exemptions, while the Tax Assessor-Collector's office sends the bill and collects payment.
Property tax / Ag
Ag valuation can lower taxes on rural Bexar County land
Land used for genuine agricultural production in Bexar County can be taxed on its farming value instead of market value, which often results in a much lower property tax bill.
Property tax
Multiple property tax exemptions are available to Bexar County homeowners
Beyond the basic homestead exemption, Bexar County homeowners may qualify for more tax breaks based on age, disability, veteran status, or charity use.
Property tax
Your Texas ID must match your property address to get a homestead exemption in Bexar County
When applying for a homestead exemption in Bexar County, your Texas driver's license or state ID address must match the address of the property you are claiming.
Home & Property
Special districts
MUDs and PIDs add extra fees to your Bexar County property tax bill
New developments in Bexar County, especially on the outer edges of San Antonio, often sit inside Municipal Utility Districts or Public Improvement Districts that add extra taxes or fees to your bill.
Land use / Development
No zoning rules in unincorporated Bexar County
If your land is outside any city limits in Bexar County, the county has no zoning rules—but other rules still apply.
City limits / ETJ
San Antonio's ETJ reaches far into unincorporated Bexar County
Land outside San Antonio city limits but inside its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction can still face some city rules, and only the city can annex that land.
Septic / OSSF
Septic systems in Bexar County require a county permit
All septic systems in unincorporated Bexar County need a county permit. Existing systems without one must be registered.
Water supply
The Edwards Aquifer is San Antonio's primary water source
Most of Bexar County's drinking water comes from the Edwards Aquifer, a limestone aquifer managed by the Edwards Aquifer Authority to balance supply with drought and environmental needs.
Water conservation
SAWS drought stages can restrict when and how much you water outdoors
The San Antonio Water System triggers watering restrictions tied to Edwards Aquifer levels, and the current stage can change your outdoor irrigation schedule significantly.
Flood / Insurance
Flood map updates are adding properties to Bexar County flood zones
Bexar County's FEMA flood maps are being updated with newer data, and more than 5,600 buildings have been added to draft flood zones—which can affect insurance requirements and property values.
Flood insurance
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage in Bexar County
Flood damage is excluded from standard homeowners policies; residents in Bexar County who want flood coverage must buy a separate policy, and there is a 30-day waiting period before it takes effect.
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is real in Bexar County's wildland-urban interface
As San Antonio has grown into surrounding brushland, more homes in Bexar County sit in areas where wildfire poses a serious threat, especially during dry summers.
Severe weather
Hail, tornadoes, and heavy rain are recurring hazards in Bexar County
Bexar County sits in a corridor where hailstorms, tornadoes, and flash flooding occur regularly, and homeowners should understand what their insurance covers before storm season.
Air quality
Bexar County has a serious ozone air quality problem
The EPA classifies Bexar County as a serious ozone nonattainment area under the 2015 eight-hour ozone standard, which affects regional regulations and can matter for people with respiratory conditions.
Emergency preparedness
Sign up for emergency alerts through Bexar County's Office of Emergency Management
Bexar County's Office of Emergency Management coordinates disaster preparedness and response, and residents can sign up for weather and emergency alerts through free local notification systems.
Mineral rights
Surface and mineral rights can be split in Bexar County
In Texas, the owner of the minerals beneath a property may be a completely different person from the surface owner, and the mineral estate is legally dominant—meaning a mineral owner can use your surface to access what's below.
Environmental / TCEQ
TCEQ tracks contaminated sites in Bexar County
Bexar County has TCEQ-listed contaminated sites. Buyers of commercial or industrial land should check state environmental databases before closing.
Building permits
Commercial and multi-family (4+ unit) construction in unincorporated Bexar County needs a county building permit
There is no zoning in unincorporated Bexar County, but commercial, public, and residential construction with four or more units still needs a county building permit. All work must meet the 2021 International Code Series.
Cars & Driving
Vehicle registration
Texas Two Steps, One Sticker: how vehicle registration works in Bexar County
Texas combined vehicle inspection and registration into one step. You pass inspection, then renew registration, and one sticker goes on your windshield.
Flood safety / Driving
Low water crossings and flash floods are a real danger in Bexar County
San Antonio and Bexar County have many low water crossings that can flood with little warning—12 to 18 inches of moving water can sweep away most vehicles.
Flood safety
BexarFlood.org monitors 150 crossings in real time
Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority operate a free real-time flood monitoring system at BexarFlood.org that shows which road crossings are safe, rising, or closed during storms.
Outdoors
State parks / Hiking
Government Canyon State Natural Area: 13,000 acres of trails north of San Antonio
Government Canyon State Natural Area in northwest San Antonio offers more than 40 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, camping, and the only known dinosaur tracks on public land in Bexar County.
Boating / Invasive species
Medina Lake is infested with zebra mussels—boaters must decontaminate
Medina Lake, popular for fishing and boating northwest of San Antonio, is officially designated as infested with invasive zebra mussels, and boaters are required by law to clean, drain, and dry before moving to another body of water.
National park / History
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bexar County
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park preserves four 18th-century Spanish colonial missions along the San Antonio River and is Texas's only UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Flood control / Water
The San Antonio River Authority manages flood risk across Bexar County
The San Antonio River Authority (SARA) works with the city and county to maintain flood-control dams, update floodplain maps, and operate a real-time sensor network for low water crossings.
Water / Environment
The Edwards Aquifer recharge zone runs through Bexar County and is protected by state law
Rain falling on the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone in Bexar County seeps into the limestone to refill the region's drinking water supply, and state and local rules restrict development over the most sensitive areas.
Fishing / Parks
No fishing license is needed inside Texas State Parks in Bexar County
Texas parks visitors can fish inside state park boundaries without a Texas fishing license—a useful rule for families visiting state parks near San Antonio.
Rules & Licenses
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals inside San Antonio city limits need a permit
If you rent your home short-term inside San Antonio city limits, a permit is required; properties outside city limits in Bexar County do not need a city permit but still must collect hotel occupancy tax.
Hunting / Fishing
Hunting and fishing licenses in Bexar County
Anyone hunting or fishing in Texas outside a state park boundary needs a valid Texas license from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Outdoor burning
Burn bans apply to unincorporated Bexar County during dry weather
Bexar County regularly issues outdoor burn bans for unincorporated areas during dry conditions; violating a burn ban is a Class C misdemeanor.
Agriculture / Land use
Texas right-to-farm law limits nuisance suits against ag operations
Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 251 protects farms and ranches that have run for at least one year from most nuisance lawsuits—even from new neighbors who move in next door.
Agriculture / Nuisance law
Livestock and farming operations near Bexar County's edge get legal protections from complaints
Texas's right-to-farm law protects long-running agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits—including from new residents who move next door and then object to farm odors, noise, or dust.
History & Culture
History
San Antonio was founded in 1718 as a Spanish colonial outpost
Spanish Governor Martín de Alarcón founded San Antonio in May 1718. He built a fort, a mission, and the start of a civilian settlement along the San Antonio River.
History
Canary Island settlers founded Texas's first civilian government in San Antonio in 1731
Fifty-six colonists from the Canary Islands arrived in San Antonio in 1731 and established San Fernando de Béxar—the first formally organized civil government in Texas—and their descendants shaped the city for generations.
History
The Battle of the Alamo in 1836 became the defining event of the Texas Revolution
The 13-day siege at the Alamo in February and March 1836, where roughly 200 Texian defenders faced the Mexican Army under Santa Anna, became a rallying symbol for Texas independence.
History / Culture
Tejanos have been central to Bexar County from its founding through the Texas Revolution
Tejanos—Texans of Mexican descent—helped found San Antonio, fought for Texas independence, and shaped the city's culture and politics for over three centuries.
History / Culture
African American history in San Antonio stretches from slavery through the Civil Rights era
San Antonio's East Side grew as a center of African American life after emancipation. The Black community there shaped the city's culture, churches, and civil rights history.
History / Culture
The San Antonio River Walk grew from a flood-control project into an urban landmark
The Paseo del Rio—San Antonio's River Walk—began as a flood-control effort in the early 20th century and was transformed over decades into a 13-mile linear park that runs from Brackenridge Park through downtown to the Spanish missions.
History / Culture
German immigrants shaped the Hill Country towns surrounding Bexar County
German immigrants arrived in the Texas Hill Country starting in the 1840s. They built towns just outside Bexar County whose food, music, and buildings still shape San Antonio today.
History / Records
Bexar County's Spanish Archives are among the oldest government records in the US
The Bexar County Clerk's Spanish Archives hold thousands of documents from the early 1700s. They are among the most important colonial-era government records in Texas.
Demographics
Bexar County is one of Texas's fastest-growing metro counties
Bexar County had about 2,009,324 residents as of the 2020 Census and has continued growing, making it the fourth most populous county in Texas.
History / Trails
El Camino Real de Los Tejas National Historic Trail runs through Bexar County
El Camino Real de Los Tejas—the Royal Road to Texas—passed through what is now Bexar County. Congress made it a National Historic Trail in 2004.