Tarrant County, TX Property Tax Calculator

Tarrant County Property Tax Rates

The median home value in Tarrant County is $209,600. That may sound low, but Tarrant County property owners pay a relatively hefty median real estate tax amount of $4,736. That makes the average effective property tax rate in Tarrant County quite high at 2.26%.

Property owners in Tarrant County are subject to different taxing units, including their county government, city government and school district. Every September, these taxing units set their budgets for the fiscal year and then establish a property tax rate that will enable them to meet their revenue goals.

Depending on whether you pay in person, by mail, by phone or online, you can pay your property taxes by check or money order, in cash, via e-check or with a debit or credit card. Cash payment is only available in person. Payments made by mail must be postmarked by January 31 to avoid triggering penalty and interest charges. Returned checks will incur a charge of about $25.

Credit and debit card payments will incur a fee, too, but the fee depends on whether you’re paying in person, online or by phone. Pay with a credit card in person and the fee generally is 2.30%. Pay with a debit card in person and there is a flat fee of $2.50. If you pay online by credit card, the fee is 2.15%. Pay online by debit card and the flat fee is $3.95.

A financial advisor can help you understand how homeownership fits into your overall financial goals. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Tarrant County Property Tax Breaks

Need help with your Tarrant County property taxes? Certain residents are eligible for property tax breaks. There are property tax exemptions for qualified residents who are at least 65 or have a disability. These breaks are only available for “homestead” properties, i.e. primary residences. Veterans with disabilities may also qualify for property tax exemptions. If you think you qualify, you must apply for exemptions through the Tarrant Appraisal District – the exemption will not be granted automatically.

To be clear, property tax exemptions don’t let you off the hook completely. Instead, they exempt a certain portion of the assessed value of your home (usually between $5,000 and $15,000) from property taxes. If you qualify for an exemption, the property tax rate will be applied to a lower home value, resulting in a lower property tax bill.

Another property tax break availability to qualified Tarrant County residents is the option to break your tax bill into four payments instead of making one or two larger payments. This can be helpful for people who are on fixed incomes or who otherwise struggle to come up with large sums of money.

You have three property tax payment options in Tarrant County. You can pay the entire bill when you receive the statement. You can also opt for the Half Payment Option and pay in two equal installments, without accruing penalty or interest charges. If you select the Half Payment Option, the first half is due by November 30 and the second half is due by June 30. Mark your payments as “Half Payment” so the County will know you’re not just sending a partial payment.

You can also select the Quarter Payment Option and pay in four equal installments. To qualify for the Quarter Payment Option, the property in question must be your “residence homestead” (so not a rental property, for example) and you must have either an Over 65 Exemption or a Disability Exemption. With this option, payments are due by January 31, March 31, May 31 and July 31.

If you have questions about how property taxes can affect your overall financial plans, a financial advisor in Arlington can help you out.

How Your Tarrant County Property Tax Bill Works

In Tarrant County, property tax statements are usually mailed in the first week of October. If you don’t get a property tax statement, it’s important to contact the County or print a statement online. If you miss the deadline to pay your property taxes, “I never got a statement in the mail” will not work as an excuse for non-payment. Penalty and interest will still accrue.

The last day to pay your property taxes without incurring a late penalty is January 31. All payments must be processed on or before 12 a.m. Central Standard Time on that date. If you’re late making a property tax payment in Tarrant County, a penalty fee and interest will accrue.

The amount of penalty and interest applied to your bill will depend on how late your payment is. Beginning in February, late bills are subject to a 6% penalty and 1% interest. In March, the penalty jumps to 7% and the interest rate jumps to 2%. Penalty and interest continue to climb as the months tick by. By July, the combination of penalty and interest amounts to 18%. These steep penalties are why it behooves you to get your Tarrant County property tax payments in on time.

If you pay your property tax bill and then the County belatedly approves an exemption application or an appeal of your assessed property value (or otherwise decides you were overcharged), the County will issue you a refund check. Such property tax corrections can go in the other direction, too. If the County decides that you paid too little it can issue a supplemental tax bill requesting additional money.

If you’re waiting on the results of an appeal of your property value, your exemption application or any other property tax issue, it’s important to pay the full bill on time anyway. Don’t subtract what you think you shouldn’t have to pay, because if you fail to pay what’s owed you will rack up penalties and interests. Pay the full amount now and, with luck, your application or appeal will go through and you’ll get a refund.