Texas Porch

Property tax

Homestead Exemption Lowers Your Property Tax Bill in Borden County

Homeowners who live in their Borden County property as their primary residence can file a one-time homestead exemption application to reduce their taxable value and cap future appraisal increases.

Borden County Money & Taxes

Texas law gives qualifying homeowners a $140,000 exemption off the school-district portion of their property's appraised value. Seniors 65 and older and disabled homeowners get an additional $60,000 school exemption and a tax ceiling that prevents the school portion from rising. Borden County, Borden County ISD, and Sands ISD are the three taxing units that send bills to county property owners.

Once your home carries a homestead exemption, the Borden County Appraisal District (BCAD) can raise the taxable value by no more than 10 percent per year over the prior year's capped value, even if the market value jumps higher. That cap does not apply to new construction or major improvements.

File Form 50-114 with BCAD. There is no fee, and the exemption is a one-time application. The filing deadline is before May 1. Your Texas driver's license or state ID address must match the property address. Download the form from bordencad.org or contact BCAD at (806) 756-4484, 120 E. Wilbourn Ave., Gail, TX 79738. The Texas Comptroller explains statewide exemption rules at comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/exemptions/.

Source to confirm: Borden County Appraisal District

More Borden County notes

Agricultural valuation

Agricultural Valuation Can Sharply Cut Land Taxes on Borden County Ranches

Borden County landowners who ranch, farm, or manage wildlife can apply to pay taxes on what the land produces rather than what it would sell for.

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Oil & gas / Mineral rights

Oil and Gas Activity in Borden County Means Mineral Rights Matter

Borden County has produced oil since 1949 and falls within Railroad Commission District 8A, so buyers of rural land should check whether mineral rights are included in a sale or have already been severed.

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Water / Groundwater

Borden County Has No Groundwater Conservation District — Well Rules Are Minimal

Borden County does not have a local groundwater conservation district, which means there are no local permits required to drill a water well, but the county sits in a drought-prone area where groundwater levels in the Ogallala Aquifer have been declining for decades.

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Weather / Wildfire / Drought

Drought and Wildfire Are Routine Hazards in Borden County

Borden County averages under 20 inches of rain per year and is regularly affected by drought, which raises wildfire risk across the county's grass and mesquite rangeland.

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