El Paso County Property Tax Protest, Texas

Step 1: Review your Notice of Appraised Value when it arrives in late March to mid-April 2026 and check the 'Date Mailed' to calculate your personal protest deadline (May 15 or 30 days from mail date, whichever is later).

Step 2: File your protest before the deadline using Form 50-132 online at https://epcad.org/Search, by mail, in person, or by fax. Select 'Value is over market value' as your primary reason and optionally add 'Value is unequal compared with other properties' for dual legal arguments.

Step 3: Gather evidence including 3-5 comparable sales of similar homes in your neighborhood that sold for less than your appraised value, photos of any property condition issues, repair estimates, and an appraisal if available. Submit evidence through the online portal once your protest is processed.

Step 4: Participate in an informal review (typically offered before formal ARB hearing) where an EPCAD appraiser may review your evidence and offer to adjust your value. Many protests settle at this stage.

Step 5: Attend a formal hearing before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) if the informal review doesn't resolve your protest. Hearings typically occur June-July 2026 and may be conducted in person or virtually via Zoom. Present your comparable sales data and evidence to the ARB panel.

Step 6: Receive the ARB's written Order of Determination by certified mail (or email if requested). If successful, your assessed value is reduced and reflected in your fall tax bill. Savings continue every year.

Step 7: If unsatisfied with the ARB decision, you may appeal to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) for binding arbitration (properties under $3 million), file a lawsuit in district court (Tax Code §42.21), or pursue judicial appeal (Tax Code §42.01).