Property Owners Should Soon Start Receiving Appraisal Notices for the 2018 Tax Year

You may soon receive an appraisal notice from the Live Oak County Appraisal District.  The appraisal district will mail out appraisal notices for Mineral and Industrial accounts on April 25^th and for Real and Business Personal Property accounts on April 27^th.  Your city, county, school district and other local taxing units will use the appraisal district’s value to set your 2018 property taxes.

Under Texas law and section 25.19 of the Texas Property Tax Code, county appraisal districts are required to notify property owners about certain changes in their property’s value. The notice contains important information about the property’s location, ownership and property tax exemptions that apply to the property. It must also include an estimate of the taxes by local taxing units if your property value increased in the last year.

Property owners who disagree with the appraised value of their property, the exemptions or other options as listed on your property protest form have the right to appeal to the Live Oak County Appraisal Review Board (ARB). The ARB is an independent panel of citizens responsible for hearing and settling property owner protests. The notice of appraised value includes instructions on how and when to file a protest, a protest form and the Comptroller’s Property Taxpayer Remedies. The deadline for filing a protest for Mineral and Industrial accounts is May 25^th and for Real and Business Personal Property accounts is May 29^th.

Texas Comptroller’s publication, Property Taxpayer Remedies, explains in detail how to protest your property appraisal, what issues the ARB can consider and what to expect during a protest hearing. The publication also discusses the option of taking your case to district court, the State Office Administration Hearings or binding arbitration if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your ARB hearing.

Our office has a new phone system to better assist us in this process.  During this 2018 Equalization Phase, you will be required to actively select the correct department for your questions.  If you are prompted to leave a message, please leave your contact information and be sure to identify the property in question by account # (property key) or situs address.

Property Taxpayer Remedies is available from the Live Oak County Appraisal District at

P O Box 2370/205 Bowie Street, George West, Texas 78022. The publication is also available on the Comptroller’s website at comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/.