What should I check on my Dallas County property tax bill? Start with four things: that every exemption you qualify for appears, that the appraised and taxable values match your final appraisal notice, that the listed taxing units are right for your address, and the deadline. The Dallas County Tax Office says statements mail in October and taxes are delinquent if paid after January 31.
That last date matters more than most homeowners realize. According to the Tax Office's penalty and interest page (accessed October 10, 2026), a 6% penalty and 1% interest are added to any unpaid balance on February 1, and the total reaches 18% by July 1. Ten minutes with the statement now can prevent an expensive surprise in February.
When do Dallas County property tax bills arrive and when are they due?
The Dallas County Tax Office states that "property tax statements are mailed in October after budgets and tax rates are set by each jurisdiction." Taxes are due on receipt and become delinquent if not paid on or before January 31. Not receiving a statement does not cancel the tax, penalty or interest, so if nothing has arrived by early November, print one from the Tax Office website.
One calendar wrinkle for the 2026 bill: January 31, 2027 falls on a Sunday. Texas Tax Code Section 1.06 generally treats a deadline that lands on a weekend as met on the next regular business day. Even so, we suggest paying by Friday, January 29, 2027, or confirming the cutoff with the Tax Office before relying on the extension. The Tax Office also warns that mailed payments are credited by postmark date, and its January 15, 2026 press release recommended asking for a manual postmark or using certified mail near the deadline.
Here is how the penalty and interest schedule builds, based on the Tax Office's published rules:
Date paid | Penalty | Interest | Total added |
|---|---|---|---|
By January 31 | 0% | 0% | 0% |
February 1 | 6% | 1% | 7% |
March 1 | 7% | 2% | 9% |
April 1 | 8% | 3% | 11% |
May 1 | 9% | 4% | 13% |
June 1 | 10% | 5% | 15% |
July 1 | 12% | 6% | 18% |
After July 1, delinquent accounts for most property go to the collection law firm, and the Tax Office notes that taxing units may add up to 20% for attorney fees. The office also states it has no legal authority to waive penalty or interest.
What is actually on a Dallas County tax statement?
Texas Tax Code Section 31.01 sets out what a tax bill or its accompanying statement must show. For a typical homeowner, the useful items are:
- Property identification: the account number, legal description and situs address.
- Appraised, assessed and taxable value: appraised value is the appraisal district's number after any homestead cap; taxable value is what remains after exemptions.
- Partial exemptions: the type and amount of each exemption applied, by taxing unit.
- Tax rate for each unit: shown per $100 of taxable value.
- Amount due, due date and delinquency date.
- Penalty and interest rates for late payment.
- A five-year history: for real property, values, rates and taxes for the current year and the five preceding years, with the percent change.
That five-year history is worth a slow read. If your taxes jumped and you did not expect it, the history shows whether the change came from value, rate or a lost exemption.
Which taxing units should appear on my bill?
A Dallas County statement usually combines several units: Dallas County, Parkland Hospital, Dallas College, your city or town, and your school district. Dallas County's 2025 rate table (the most recent posted when we checked on October 10, 2026) lists these totals per $100 of taxable value:
- Dallas County: 0.2155
- Parkland Hospital: 0.212
- Dallas College: 0.106575
- City of Dallas: 0.6988
- Dallas ISD: 0.993835
- Town of Highland Park: 0.199296
- City of University Park: 0.218565
- Highland Park ISD: 0.8347
Add the lines that apply to you. A Highland Park address in Highland Park ISD carries about 1.568 per $100 at 2025 rates; a City of Dallas address in Dallas ISD carries about 2.227. Your 2026 statement will show 2026 rates, which may differ. If a unit appears that should not (a different school district, for example), call the appraisal district, because that usually points to a property record issue rather than a billing error.
How do I check that my exemptions were applied?
Exemptions are the most common thing worth correcting, and the appraisal district (not the Tax Office) handles them. According to the Texas Comptroller's exemptions page (accessed October 10, 2026):
- Residence homestead: school districts must provide a $140,000 exemption on a qualifying homestead.
- Age 65 or older, or disabled: school districts must provide an additional $60,000 exemption.
- Local option homestead exemption: any taxing unit may adopt an exemption of up to 20% of appraised value, with a $5,000 minimum.
On the statement, look for the homestead exemption on the school district line. If it is missing, check your Dallas Central Appraisal District account online. The Tax Office's FAQ also notes that some jurisdictions offer a tax ceiling for over-65 or disabled owners, and that the appraisal district still values the home at 100% of market value each year even with those exemptions.
If you bought your home this year, the prior owner's exemptions may still show for 2026. Our post on buying before December 31 and homestead timing explains how first-year homestead eligibility works.
What if I missed the homestead application?
Dallas CAD's support page says the general deadline is April 30, but a late homestead application, including the over-65 or disabled exemption, can be filed up to two years after the delinquency date. If an exemption is added after you pay, the Tax Office says refunds go automatically to whoever made the payment, generally within 30 to 60 calendar days of the appraisal district's adjustment.
What can I do if my value or bill looks wrong?
Timing decides your options. The regular protest deadline for 2026 values has passed: the Dallas County Tax Office's deadlines page lists the appraisal protest deadline as no later than May 15. That does not mean every error is locked in.
Texas Tax Code Section 25.25 offers narrower routes:
- Clerical and factual errors (Section 25.25(c)): the appraisal review board may correct, for any of the five preceding years, clerical errors that affect your tax, multiple appraisals of the same property, property that does not exist as described, or ownership shown for someone who did not own the property on January 1.
- Substantial overvaluation (Section 25.25(d)): before taxes become delinquent, an owner may file a motion to correct an appraised value that exceeds the correct value by more than one-fourth for a residence homestead, or more than one-third for other property. Penalties and conditions apply, so read the statute or ask the appraisal district first.
- Name, address and ownership fixes (Section 25.25(b)): the chief appraiser can correct these at any time.
These are legal procedures with specific rules. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice; for a correction motion or anything involving penalties, talk with a property tax attorney, consultant or CPA.
Disagreeing with the tax rate itself is a different path. Rates are set by each taxing unit in public hearings, so comments go to those bodies, not the appraisal district.
What are my payment options?
The Tax Office's payment pages and 2025 FAQ pamphlet list these options:
- Online: eCheck with no added fee, or credit and debit cards with convenience fees.
- By phone: 1-877-253-0150.
- Partial payments: accepted in any amount at any time; only the unpaid balance accrues penalty and interest after January 31.
- Escrow: if your lender pays from escrow and the statement came to you, the Tax Office says the lender either did not request it or requested it too late. Confirm with your servicer rather than paying twice.
Who qualifies for installment payments?
Under Tax Code Section 31.031, homeowners who are 65 or older or disabled and have the Section 11.13(c) exemption, and qualifying disabled veterans or their unmarried surviving spouses, may pay homestead taxes in four equal installments without penalty or interest. The first installment and a notice must be made before the delinquency date. Dallas County lists the installment due dates as January 31, March 31, May 31 and July 31.
The Tax Office also describes homestead payment plans of up to 12 months and informal plans that begin October 1, where anything paid before January 31 avoids penalty and interest. For plan questions, the Tax Office lists 214-653-7811.
What about rental and second-home owners?
Non-homestead owners should check the same items, minus homestead exemptions. They should also watch 2027. Texas's temporary 20% appraisal cap on many non-homestead properties is scheduled to expire at the end of 2026; our post on the Texas property tax circuit breaker expiring in 2026 covers who is affected. Owners weighing a sale before that change may also find our post on whether to sell in fall or wait for spring useful.
How The Agency Dallas helps with Dallas County property tax questions
The Agency Dallas helps buyers and sellers read a Dallas County property tax bill as part of evaluating a home: confirming which taxing units apply to an address, estimating taxes at current rates, and flagging exemptions that will drop off at a sale. When a client needs a protest, a correction motion or tax planning on a Dallas County property tax bill, The Agency Dallas refers them to a property tax professional or CPA rather than advising on it ourselves. If you are planning a move and want to understand the tax picture first, connect with our team.
Frequently asked questions
When are Dallas County property taxes due?
Dallas County property taxes are due when the statement arrives, typically in October, and become delinquent if not paid on or before January 31. For 2026 taxes, January 31, 2027 falls on a Sunday. Texas law generally extends weekend deadlines to the next business day, but paying by Friday, January 29, 2027 avoids any question about postmarks or cutoffs.
What happens if I pay my Dallas County property taxes late?
The Dallas County Tax Office adds a 6% penalty and 1% interest to any unpaid balance on February 1. Penalty rises by 1% each month to 12% on July 1, and interest keeps accruing at 1% per month. On July 1 the total is 18%, and taxing units may add up to 20% more for attorney fees.
How do I know if my homestead exemption is on my bill?
Look at the school district line on your statement for a homestead exemption, which the Texas Comptroller says is $140,000 for school taxes. Then confirm on your Dallas Central Appraisal District account. If it is missing, Dallas CAD accepts late homestead applications up to two years after the delinquency date, and any resulting refund is issued automatically.
Can I still protest my 2026 property value in Dallas County?
The regular protest deadline, listed by the Dallas County Tax Office as no later than May 15, has passed for 2026 values. Narrower options remain under Texas Tax Code Section 25.25, including motions for clerical errors and, before taxes become delinquent, for overvaluation of more than one-fourth on a homestead. Ask the appraisal district or a property tax professional.
Who can pay Dallas County property taxes in installments?
Homeowners who are 65 or older or disabled with that school exemption, and qualifying disabled veterans or their unmarried surviving spouses, can pay homestead taxes in four equal installments without penalty or interest. The first payment and notice must come before the delinquency date. Dallas County lists due dates of January 31, March 31, May 31 and July 31.
Sources
- Dallas County Tax Office, Questions regarding penalty and interest, accessed October 10, 2026
- Dallas County Tax Office, Statements, Billing and Payments, accessed October 10, 2026
- Dallas County Tax Office, Deadlines and Delinquency, accessed October 10, 2026
- Dallas County Tax Office, 2025 Property Tax FAQ pamphlet, accessed October 10, 2026
- Dallas County Tax Office, 2025 Property Tax Payment Postmarks press release, January 15, 2026
- Dallas County Tax Office, 2025 Tax Rates, accessed October 10, 2026
- Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Exemptions, accessed October 10, 2026
- Dallas Central Appraisal District, What is the deadline to apply for a Homestead Exemption, accessed October 10, 2026
- Texas Tax Code Chapter 25 (Section 25.25), accessed October 10, 2026
- Texas Tax Code Chapter 31 (Section 31.031), accessed October 10, 2026
- Texas Tax Code Section 31.01 via Texas Public Law, accessed October 10, 2026
- Texas Tax Code Section 1.06 via Texas Public Law, accessed October 10, 2026
