Skip to content

Appeal guide · Texas

How to appeal a commercial assessment in Bexar County

8 steps from the notice to the Bexar Appraisal Review Board and beyond, with the forms, exchange deadlines and mistakes that decide commercial cases here.

Deadline

May 15 or the 30th day after the notice was mailed, whichever is later (Tex. Tax Code §41.44(a)(1)); mailed protests must be postmarked by the deadline

Where to file

BCAD Online Services Portal (bcadonline.org), using the property ID printed on the notice

Statute

Tex. Tax Code §41.41 and §41.44 (protest); §42.21 (district court); Chapter 41A (binding arbitration)

The process, in order

The Bexar ARB follows the Comptroller's model hearing procedures before a three-member or single-member panel (single-member on written request by the 10th day before the hearing). Hearings are usually scheduled for 15 minutes at a set time, and owners should sign in 15 minutes early. Telephone or video hearings must be requested in writing at least 10 days ahead when an agent represents the owner and require a notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration. Panels deliberate orally and make a separate motion on each protested issue; the Order Determining Protest is sent by certified mail or email. Owners of complex property may request a special panel under §41.66(k-1).

Forms you will need

  • +Notice of Protest (BCAD's version of Comptroller Form 50-132) or an online protest
  • +Form 50-162, Appointment of Agent for Property Tax Matters
  • +Form 50-283, Property Owner's Affidavit of Evidence (or an unsworn declaration)
  • +Form AP-219, Request for Binding Arbitration
Bexar County jurisdiction hub
  1. 1

    Early April, whether or not a notice arrives

    Check the value online

    Look up the account in BCAD's property search, confirm building area, class and year built, and compare the January 1 value with the prior year.

  2. 2

    Before filing

    Appoint the agent

    File Form 50-162 with BCAD so notices and settlement communications reach the consultant.

  3. 3

    By May 15 or 30 days after the notice was mailed, whichever is later

    File the protest and request BCAD's evidence

    File through the Online Services Portal with the property ID, protest market value and unequal appraisal, and request the district's evidence on the protest so the 14-day rule applies.

  4. 4

    After filing, before the ARB date

    Informal meeting with a BCAD appraiser

    Present the rent roll, operating statements and comparables. An agreed value is fixed by a signed consent form and ends the protest.

  5. 5

    Hearing notice arrives at least 15 days before the hearing

    Prepare for the ARB

    Rebut BCAD's evidence, file the affidavit for a remote hearing, request a single-member panel by the 10th day if preferred, and deliver evidence 48 business hours ahead.

  6. 6

    Hearings began May 26 in 2026 and run through the summer

    Present to the Bexar ARB

    Sign in 15 minutes early, present within the 15-minute slot, and state an opinion of value for each protested issue.

  7. 7

    By certified mail or email after the hearing

    Receive the Order Determining Protest

    Receipt of the order starts the arbitration, SOAH and district court deadlines.

  8. 8

    30 days for a SOAH notice; 60 days for arbitration or district court

    Arbitrate, go to SOAH or sue

    File Form AP-219 with the Comptroller, file a SOAH notice with the chief appraiser, or petition district court and pay the undisputed taxes before the delinquency date.

Mistakes that lose Bexar County appeals

  • Assuming no notice means no protest right; BCAD mailed fewer notices in 2026 and values still changed on unnoticed accounts.
  • Not requesting BCAD's evidence on the protest, which forfeits the 14-day exclusion rule under §41.67(d).
  • Signing an informal consent form before testing the agreed value against the income model; the agreement is final.
  • Choosing a telephone hearing and missing the check-in without an affidavit on file, which can end in dismissal.
  • Handing evidence over at check-in instead of 48 business hours ahead, leaving the panel to read it during the hearing.

Evidence rules

  1. 1.Owner evidence, in paper or digital form, should reach the ARB at least 48 business hours before the formal hearing; evidence brought on the day is handed over at check-in and kept for the record.
  2. 2.BCAD must deliver the evidence it plans to use at least 14 days before the hearing if the owner requested it; requested information not delivered in time is excluded under Tax Code §41.67(d).
  3. 3.Under §41.67(e) the chief appraiser may not offer evidence supporting a value change that was not delivered to the owner in time on request.
  4. 4.Proprietary income data can be presented in a closed hearing on joint request; it must be marked confidential and is protected by Tax Code §22.27.
  5. 5.At the end of each side's presentation, an opinion of value must be stated for the property.

Frequently asked

Can I protest in Bexar County if I did not get a notice?

Yes. BCAD states that owners may protest without having received a notice, and in 2026 notices went only to owners whose value changed by more than $1,000.

What is the Bexar protest deadline?

May 15 or 30 days after the notice was mailed, whichever is later. Mailed protests must be postmarked by the deadline.

How long is a Bexar ARB hearing?

Usually 15 minutes, scheduled at a set time. Owners and agents should sign in with the ARB receptionist 15 minutes before the hearing.

Is an informal settlement with BCAD final?

Yes. When the owner and the appraiser agree, both sign a consent form and the agreed value becomes the final value for the year.

File a stronger Bexar County appeal this cycle.

ATALI ELECTRIC builds the income, sales and uniformity exhibits, fills the county forms and tracks every deadline.

Start free trial Explore demo