Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill

Texas law requires every school district to give homeowners a $140,000 exemption on a primary residence. Other local taxing units — like the county or a city — can also offer their own exemptions on top of that. The result is a lower taxable value and a smaller tax bill.

There is also a 10 percent cap on how much your appraised value can rise each year once you have the homestead exemption in place. You apply at the San Patricio County Appraisal District. The general deadline for filing is before May 1 of the tax year, but check with the appraisal district for the exact current deadline. You only need to apply once as long as you own and occupy the home.