New Homeowner Checklist
Are you new to Texas? Did you just purchase a home? This checklist
contains information that you might not know about the appraisal and
property tax process in Texas.
1. When you purchase a property, you need to make sure that a
deed showing you as the owner has been filed with the Fort
Bend County Clerk. The title company that handled the
property sale typically files the deed. Visit the Fort Bend
County Clerk’s website at County Clerk | Honorable Laura
Richard | Fort Bend County (fortbendcountytx.gov).
2. Update the address on your driver’s license or apply for a
Texas driver’s license with the Texas Department of Public
Safety. Their website is at
Welcome to the Texas Department of Public Safety |
Department of Public Safety.
3. The Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (FBCAD) receives
deeds from the County Clerk at least once a week. FBCAD
updates property information to match deeds. It can take up
to 6 weeks for this process to be complete. Check your
property information at Fort Bend CAD Property Search
(fbcad.org), to see if you are listed as the owner of your
property. If you are not, please contact FBCAD at 281-344-
8623 or info@fbcad.org.
4. Check your mailing address and your other property
information at Fort Bend CAD Property Search (fbcad.org). If
your mailing address incorrect, please update it at
https://www.fbcad.org/address-change/. If other property
information is incorrect, such as number of beds and
bathrooms, square footage, legal description, property
address, etc., please email info@fbcad.org.
5. Every property in Texas has taxing units associated with it.
Taxing units and property taxes exist to provide fund for
schools, roads, police, fire protection, and more. You can find
your taxing units at Fort Bend CAD Property Search
(fbcad.org). All properties in Texas will have a county and
school district as a taxing unit. A property may also have a
city, utility district, or other special district for a taxing unit.
6. Property taxes are not all collected by the same agency. You
can find what agency collects property taxes for each of your
taxing units at Truth in Taxation – FortBendTax.org. You will
be sent a tax bill for each agency that collects your taxes.
7. Property tax exemptions exclude all or part of a property’s
value from taxation. You can learn more about exemptions for
which you may be eligible at
https://www.fbcad.org/homestead-exemptions/. The deadline
to apply for a lot of exemptions is April 30
th
of the tax year for
which you are applying, but there are provisions in the Tax
Code for late filed exemption applications. Please apply for
every tax year for which you think you are eligible, and FBCAD
will approve every tax year allowed by the Tax Code. You can
apply for exemptions through our online exemption portal at
https://www.fbcad.org/exemption-application/. If you have
any questions, please contact us 281-344-8623 or email
8. Check to see if your property has any agricultural (ag) rollback
taxes. If you purchased a property that used to be part of a
larger tract that received special agricultural valuation, there
may be ag rollback taxes. You can check with your title
company or with FBCAD to see if the property you bought
was part of a larger tract that received agricultural special
use. Ask your title company who is responsible for paying the
rollback taxes.
9. When you purchase a property, you want to make sure you
know who is responsible for paying the taxes for the current
and previous tax year. Often there are agreements on
whether the buyer will pay part or all the taxes. Check your
closing paperwork and title policy or contact your title
company to find this information.
10. If you run a business out of your home, you need to submit
a business personal property rendition. The deadline to
submit a business personal property rendition is April 30
th
of
the tax year for which you are submitting the rendition. You
can fill one out electronically and submit it at Form 50-144 –
Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (fbcad.org). You can learn
how to complete a rendition at BPP – Fort Bend Central
Appraisal District (fbcad.org). Please contact us at 281-344-
8623 or info@fbcad.org if you have questions.
11. Mark your calendar to check your mailbox for your appraisal
notice starting in April. When you receive the appraisal notice,
check to see if the exemptions you expect to see are on it. If
they are not, please contact us 281-344-8623 or
12. Review your appraisal notice for your protest deadline.
Property owners have the right to protest if they disagree with
their property value or any appraisal district actions
concerning their property. You must file a protest by the
deadline. The protest deadline is May 15
th
, or 30 days after
your appraisal notice is mailed, whichever is later.
13. Property tax statements are mailed starting in October
every tax year. If you have a mortgage company and they
want your tax statement mailed to them, they will need to
request it from the Fort Bend County Tax Office and any other
tax collection agencies associated with your property. If you
or your mortgage have not received your tax statement,
please contact the Tax Office at 281-341-710 or
FBCTaxInfo@fortbendcountytx.gov, and any other tax
collection agency associated with your property. The Texas
Tax Code states the failure to send or receive a tax bill does
not affect the validity of property taxes, penalty or interest,
tax payment due dates, tax liens, or any procedures used to
collect taxes.
14. When you receive your tax statement, please review it, and
contact FBCAD to correct any incorrect information such as
owner name, physical address of property, exemptions,
values, taxing jurisdictions, etc.
15. Your property taxes are due by January 31
st
of the
following year. For example, 2022 taxes are due January 31,
2023. If you have questions about paying your property taxes,
penalty and interest for delinquent property taxes, or any
other property tax related issue, please contact the Tax Office
at 281-341-710 or FBCTaxInfo@fortbendcountytx.gov.
Contact Information
Fort Bend Central Appraisal District
2801 B. F. Terry Blvd., Rosenberg, TX 77471
Phone: 281-344-8623
Email: Info@fbcad.org
Fort Bend County Tax Office
