Houston Property Tax Guide for Homeowners and Sellers
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Last updated November 13, 2026. Figures come from the official city, county and appraisal district pages linked in Sources, the Texas Property Tax Code and the U.S. Census Bureau. A figure appears only where we could confirm it on an official page.
The City of Houston’s property tax rate is $0.51919 per $100 of taxable value (tax year 2025, the current rate the city states). That is one line on your bill. Your county, school district and any special districts add their own rates. Texas property taxes are due by January 31 and turn delinquent in February, and unpaid tax stays attached to the house until it is paid.
Houston property tax at a glance
| City of Houston rate | $0.51919 per $100 of taxable value (tax year 2025, the current rate the city states) |
| Who bills the city tax | Harris County Tax Office |
| Who sets the value | Harris Central Appraisal District |
| County | Harris County property tax guide |
| Due date | January 31 of the year after the tax year. For 2026 taxes, January 31, 2027 is a Sunday, so the last day without penalty is Monday, February 1, 2027 |
| First month late | February: 6% penalty plus 1% interest, 7% in total |
| After June 30 | The account can go to a delinquent tax attorney, who can add up to 20% (Sec. 33.07) |
| Protest deadline | May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district delivers your notice, whichever is later |
| Median home value | $277,800 (Census Bureau, 2020-2024 estimates) |
| Median real estate taxes paid | $4,198 a year (Census Bureau, 2020-2024 estimates) |
How the city tax fits on your Houston bill
Several governments tax the same house, and each sets its own rate. The county appraisal district sets the value of your property, each taxing unit adopts a rate, and one tax office sends the bill.
In Houston that can include the city, Harris County, your school district and special districts such as water or road districts. Only the city’s line is covered by the city rate above, so read the rate column on your own statement before you estimate anything.
As an illustration of the arithmetic, a house with a taxable value of $300,000 would owe about $1,558 to the City of Houston at a rate of $0.51919 per $100. That figure is only the city’s line, not the whole bill, and it assumes the same rate applies to your account.
Houston homes and homeowners
The Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 estimates put the median home value in Houston at $277,800 and the median household income at $64,813. Homeowners reported paying a median of $4,198 a year in real estate taxes. About 42 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, and the median home was built in 1982.
The city had an estimated 2,397,315 residents in 2025 (Census Bureau). A house built around 1982 is often far older than the newest neighborhoods in the same county, and each neighborhood can sit inside different special districts with their own rates. That is one reason two homes of the same value in the same city can get different tax bills.
Houston property tax calculators
Use these two to estimate your annual bill and the cost of paying late. Add the county, school and district rates from your own statement.
Estimates only. The bill estimate multiplies taxable value by the rates you enter. The late-payment estimate uses the penalty and interest percentages in Texas Property Tax Code Sec. 33.01 for February through July. In July the estimate also shows the largest collection penalty an attorney can add under Sec. 33.07.
When are Houston property taxes due?
Texas property taxes turn delinquent if they are not paid by January 31 of the following year, so taxes for 2026 are due by January 31, 2027 (Sec. 31.02). That date is a Sunday. Under Property Tax Code Sec. 1.06 a deadline that falls on a weekend moves to the next business day, so the last day to pay without penalty is Monday, February 1, 2027. After that, penalty and interest build month by month.
| Month paid | Penalty | Interest | Total |
| February | 6% | 1% | 7% |
| March | 7% | 2% | 9% |
| April | 8% | 3% | 11% |
| May | 9% | 4% | 13% |
| June | 10% | 5% | 15% |
| July | 12% | 6% | 18% |
The penalty stops at 12 percent and interest keeps rising 1 percent a month after that (Sec. 33.01). Not getting a bill does not change the due date, the penalty or the lien.
How do I look up or pay my Houston property tax bill?
- Pay or look up your account: use the official payment or account search page.
- Look up your value and exemptions: Harris Central Appraisal District property search.
- Ask the tax office named on your statement for the amount due in your closing month if you plan to sell.
- Check with your lender: if a servicer pays from escrow, ask for proof that it paid before the deadline. The lien stays on the house until the tax is paid.
What happens if I don’t pay property taxes in Houston?
A tax lien attaches to the property every January 1 (Sec. 32.01). Whoever owns the property on that date is personally liable for that year’s tax, and selling the house does not end that liability (Sec. 32.07).
Real property accounts still unpaid on June 30 can be sent to a delinquent tax attorney, who can add a penalty of up to 20 percent of the taxes, penalty and interest owed (Sec. 33.07). If the account stays unpaid, the taxing units can sue to foreclose the lien and sell the property.
The tax office cannot waive penalty or interest. Only the governing body of the taxing unit can, in the situations listed in Sec. 33.011.
Can an exemption or protest lower my Houston bill?
The city budget document refers to a $260,000 exemption for homeowners 65 or older or disabled. It does not state the percentage homestead exemption, so check with HCAD.
For school district taxes, a homeowner’s residence homestead exemption is $140,000, and homeowners 65 or older or disabled get an additional $60,000 (Sec. 11.13). You apply through the appraisal district, not the tax office. A late homestead application can be filed within two years after the delinquency date (Sec. 11.431). To protest your appraised value, file by May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district delivers your notice, whichever is later (Sec. 41.44).
Homeowners 65 or older, or disabled, can ask in writing to pay the homestead tax in four installments without penalty or interest (Sec. 31.031).
How to sell a house in Houston that owes property taxes
- Ask the tax office for the amount due in the month you expect to close, including any attorney fee if the account is already delinquent.
- Give that figure to the title company. Taxes are paid from the sale proceeds at closing, ahead of what you take home.
- Compare offers on what you actually net after taxes, repairs, commissions and closing costs.
- If time matters, ask for a written cash offer with a closing date you choose. We buy houses as-is, with no repairs and no agent commission. See how we buy houses in Houston.
Houston property tax FAQ
What is the Houston property tax rate?
The City of Houston's rate is $0.51919 per $100 of taxable value (tax year 2025, the current rate the city states). That is the city's line only. Your county, school district and any special districts add theirs, so use the combined rate on your own tax statement.
When are Houston property taxes due?
January 31 of the year after the tax year. Taxes for 2026 are due by January 31, 2027. That date is a Sunday, so the last day without penalty is Monday, February 1, 2027 (Sec. 1.06). Confirm payment cutoffs and postmark rules with the tax office.
What happens if I do not pay Houston property taxes on time?
Penalty and interest start in February, at 7 percent in total, and reach 18 percent by July (Sec. 33.01). After June 30 an attorney can add up to 20 percent more (Sec. 33.07). The lien stays on the property until the tax is paid.
Can I sell a house in Houston with unpaid property taxes?
Yes. Get the amount due from the tax office and give it to the title company, and the taxes are paid from your proceeds at closing. If the account went to a delinquent tax attorney, ask for the total that includes the additional penalty first.
Sources
- Source for the City of Houston rate
- Harris Central Appraisal District
- Payment or account search
- Texas Property Tax Code, Chapter 31 (billing and payment)
- Texas Property Tax Code, Chapter 32 (tax liens)
- Texas Property Tax Code, Chapter 33 (delinquent taxes)
- Texas Property Tax Code, Chapter 11 (exemptions)
- Texas Property Tax Code, Chapter 41 (protests)
- Texas Comptroller: Property Tax Bills
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rates, fees and dates change, so confirm amounts with your tax office and appraisal district.