Filing Your Homestead Exemption in Austin Metros
This post has been updated: June 13, 2022
It’s that time of year again! The start of the new year means new resolutions, new habits, new goals AND new homestead filings for homeowners who purchased and moved into a new home between January 1 and December 31st of the previous year.
When you first moved into your home, you likely received a few mailings from local attorneys or companies who would file a homestead exemption on your behalf for a small fee – usually $20-30. But homestead filing is FREE to homeowners! And it’s pretty easy.
Homestead filings are only accepted by the county appraiser, and often only between January 1 and April 30th of the following year. However, checking your county’s requirements right after closing is recommended, as of January 1, 2022, Travis County began accepting homestead exemptions 24/7 online, and homeowners must file *before* January 1st to receive exemptions for the next cycle.
Unfortunately, most Some homestead exemptions in the Austin Metro can still only be filed by old-fashioned paper and posted mail. Williamson county was the first to allow online filing, Travis County began online filing recently, and even Bastrop County added an email option! Online or via mail, every exemption form needs to be accompanied by a copy of your driver’s license or state-issued personal identification card, and the address listed on your ID must correspond to the address of the property for which an exemption is claimed on your application. So be sure the address matches and your ID is valid before filing.
If you are claiming a 65-or-older exemption, disability exemption, or manufactured home exemption, you will also need your form to be notarized before mailing. If you are not claiming one of these special exemptions, you do not need your form to be notarized. I found this interesting (and short!) these videos about Texas property exemptions to be very informative.
After you’ve updated your driver’s license or ID card, next remind yourself which county your property is located. If you have an Austin city code, you’re likely in Travis County. Otherwise, the Austin Metro is also made up of Williamson County to the north, Bastrop to the east, Caldwell to the southeast and Hays to the south. Burnet and Blanco counties to the far west are not considered part of the Austin Metro, but the instructions below will be similar – contact me if you need help finding the correct website!
Travis County
If you are a Travis County resident, you can file your exemptions online 24/7. You *must* file your exemption before January 1, so sooner is always better! You can find an updated version of this post by clicking here.
Simply fill out the form and mail it to the appraisal district address listed on the Homestead Exemption Form. If you have any questions, the website directs you to this phone number 512-834-9317.
Williamson County
Williamson County residents (most of Round Rock, Leander and Georgetown), you are required to file your homestead exemption paperwork online. From what I understand, there is no paper option. Start on the Williamson County website and follow the directions listed. Be sure to have a .jpg of your driver’s license ready! If you have any questions the website directs you to this phone number 512-930-3787.
Bastrop County
If you are a Bastrop County resident, you can find the PDF forms to complete and mail (or email!) on the Bastrop County website here. To find the right exemption form, go to this page and choose “Homestead Exemption.” The PDF will pop up on your computer where you can download it or (on some browsers) complete it and print it in browser. Simply fill out the form and mail to P.O. Box 578, Bastrop, Texas 78602 or email the Exemption Department at exemptions@bastropcad.org
Drop off box located at the front of our building located at 212 Jackson Street, Bastrop, Texas
Caldwell County
Caldwell County residents can find the homestead exemption form under the “EXEMPTIONS” tab on the county website here. Click “Homestead Exemption” and the PDF will automatically download to your computer. Fill out the form and mail it to this address:
P.O. Box 900, Lockhart, TX 78644-0900
Send questions to general@caldwellcad.org
Hays County
If you are a resident of Hays County, you can find the homestead exemption form on their website here. The Hays County site has a nice list of FAQs or you can direct questions to this email: info@hayscad.com.
Please keep in mind that this information is accurate as of June 13, 2022. Over time, forms, links, contact information and addresses may have changed. Check with your local appraiser district or contact me for the most accurate information!