Are You Getting All the Property Tax Exemptions You Are Eligible For?

Published on March 25, 2026

Houses along a neighborhood street

By Susan Schrock, Office of Communication

The May 15 deadline is fast approaching for Arlington residential property owners to protest their appraisals with the Tarrant Appraisal Review Board.

Even if you do not plan to protest your appraisal this year, now is good time to review your Tarrant Appraisal District account to ensure you are receiving all the property tax exemptions you are eligible for within the City of Arlington. The last day to file an exemption application with the Tarrant Appraisal District is Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Property Taxes and Exemptions in Arlington

For decades, the City Council has authorized a variety of exemptions to provide property tax relief for Arlington residential property owners.

Property tax exemptions help by removing a portion of the value of your property from taxation, which in turn lowers your tax bill.  The City of Arlington offers this list of tax relief options for eligible residential property owners:

  • a tax freeze for seniors who are 65 or older, first approved in 2005
  • a tax freeze for individuals with disabilities
  • a 20% homestead exemption, annually approved since 1985
  • a $60,000 exemption for persons who are 65 or older
  • a $60,000 exemption for persons with disabilities
  • Exemptions ranging from $5,000 to $12,000 for veterans with disabilities or for survivors of U.S. Armed Forces members or first responders who were killed in action

Overall, the City of Arlington’s tax rate makes up about 20 to 25% of an Arlington homeowner's total property tax bill, depending on the school district your home is located within. Arlington’s property tax rate, approved by City Council, is currently $0.6298 per $100 of assessed value. This rate, when compared to other taxing entities listed on the Tarrant Appraisal District website, is lower than the surrounding cities of Mansfield, Kennedale, Pantego, Grand Prairie and Fort Worth.

What is an exemption?

A property tax exemption removes part of the value of your property from taxation and lowers your taxes. For example, if your home and land are appraised at $350,000 and you qualify for a 20% homestead exemption, you will pay City of Arlington taxes on your property as if it was worth $280,000.

In 2025, Arlington residential property owners had more than $6.5 billion in value exempt from city property taxes due to the City of Arlington’s allowed exemptions. That’s just under 21% of the City’s $31.4 billion residential property tax base (market value). An additional $2.3 billion in residential property value was also exempt because of tax freezes for owners who are 65 or older and for individuals with disabilities.

An exemption approved by the City Council in May 2024 also provides property tax relief for eligible childcare providers in Arlington.

How do I apply for an exemption?

Property owners may file an application for homestead, disabled, veteran and over 65 exemptions on the Tarrant Appraisal District website, https://www.tad.org. There is no fee for filing a residence homestead exemption application. For questions, contact a Tarrant Appraisal District Exemptions Specialist at 817-284-4063 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Para asistencia en Español, llame al 817-284-4063.

Tarrant Appraisal District website

 

Tagged as:
Back to top