10-Minute Guide: How to Protest Your Harris County Property Taxes Online

Important Deadlines

• Standard Deadline: May 15 or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed (whichever is later)
• Early Protest Deadline (Homestead Properties): April 30

Step 1: Gather Your Information

• Find your Notice of Appraised Value from HCAD (typically mailed in April)
• Locate and write down these two important numbers found in the top right corner of your notice:
  1. Account Number
  2. iFile Number
• If you can't find your notice, you have two options:
  • Use the HCAD mobile app to scan your driver's license
  • Visit https://owners.hcad.org/publicArea/help.aspx for assistance
• Download your property tax comparable report from TaxLasso.com - this is the most powerful evidence for your protest
• Save the report file to a location where you can easily find it for uploading later
• (Optional) You can also include photos of property defects or repair estimates if you have them handy

Step 2: Access the Online System

• Open your web browser and go to https://owners.hcad.org
• If this is your first time using the system:
  • Click the "Create an Account" button or "Sign Up" link
  • You'll need to enter the Account Number and iFile Number from Step 1
  • Follow the prompts to create your username and password
• If you've used the system before:
  • Enter your username and password in the Sign In section
  • Click "Sign In"

Step 3: File Your Protest

• Once logged in, look for the "e-Filing" section on the main menu
• Click on the "iFile a Protest" option
• On the protest form, find the section for selecting protest reasons
• Check the box that says: "Value is unequal compared with other properties"
• Look for the section labeled "Opinion of Property Market Value"
• Enter the exact adjusted market value amount that TaxLasso provided in your report
• Find the iSettle participation section (typically asks "Do you wish to participate in iSettle?")
• Select the "Yes" option
• Find the comments box or section labeled "Give Facts That May Help Resolve Your Case"
• Type only: "See Attached Documents"
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "Continue" button

Step 4: Review and Submit

• You'll now see a confirmation/review page
• Carefully verify these four items appear correctly:
  1. "Value is unequal compared to other properties" is checked
  2. "See Attached Documents" appears in the comments section
  3. iSettle participation shows "Yes"
  4. Your proposed value matches the TaxLasso adjusted market value
• If all information is correct, click the "Submit My Protest" button
• You should receive a confirmation page and an email confirming your protest submission

Step 5: Upload Your Evidence

• After submitting, you'll be returned to the main account page
• Look again under the "e-Filing" section
• Click on the "Upload Files" option
• On the file upload page, click the "Upload File" button
• When prompted for file type, select "Other" from the dropdown list
• Click the "Choose Files" or "Browse" button
• Navigate to where you saved your TaxLasso.com report and select it
• After selecting, check that your file name appears in the upload list
• Click the "Done" or "Upload" button to complete the upload

That's it! Your protest is filed with the best possible evidence.

What Happens Next?

• HCAD will review your protest and evidence (this process typically takes 1-4 weeks)
• You'll receive an email notification when HCAD has made a settlement offer through iSettle
• Log back into the HCAD system to view and respond to the offer
• If you accept the offer, your protest is complete
• If you reject it, you'll be automatically scheduled for an Appraisal Review Board hearing