Got a tax district letter about your homestead exemption? Here’s what it means

Tarrant County homeowners benefiting from a homestead exemption may have received a letter from the Tarrant Appraisal District asking them to confirm the exemption.

If you received one, don’t fret, as the letter is part of a new requirement for appraisal districts following the passage of SB 1801 in 2023. Here’s what it means.

Effective Sept. 1, 2023, the law requires each appraisal district in the state to confirm that the recipients of a homestead exemption still qualify for the exemption at least once every five years.

If a homeowner has received a letter asking for confirmation, then that homeowner will have to complete an enclosed application and submit the required documents by Dec. 31, 2024. There are no fees associated with the process.

The documentation required for submission to the appraisal district will vary, depending on your circumstances.

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1. If one or more of the owners no longer qualifies for the exemption, then the owner has to notify the district in writing before May 1 of the year after the right to the exemption ends.
2. If the property currently receiving an exemption is temporarily no longer the principal residence, the owner may still qualify for the exemption under three exceptions:
   • A different principal residence has not been established.
   • The owner intends to return to and occupy the home receiving the exemption.
   • No one else is occupying the property as a primary residence.
3. If one or more of the owners listed on the district’s ownership record is dead, a copy of the owner’s death certificate and a probated will or heirship affidavit noting who inherits the property must be provided.

Taxpayers with questions or concerns regarding the homestead exemption application may reach out to the appraisal district’s exemption specialists at 817-284-4063.

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