Texas Over-65 Property Tax Exemption: What You Get in 2026
Last Updated: August 31, 2026
A qualifying Texas homeowner 65 or older exempts $200,000of their home's appraised value from school district property taxes — $140,000 from the general homestead exemption plus $60,000 additional for being 65+. There is no income limit, and you don't need to reapply once approved.
The headline figure
$200,000 — combined school district exemption at 65+. Tax year 2025+.
As of 2026-08-31, per Arithmetic on Comptroller-published figures (Tax Code §11.13(b)+(c)).
This page explains what the published rules say. It is not tax, legal or financial advice, and it is not a determination of your eligibility. Only your county appraisal district can tell you whether you qualify. Figures are for the tax year shown and were last verified on the date shown.
What $200,000 actually means for your bill
The exemption reduces the taxable value used to calculate your school district tax bill, not your tax rate. On a $350,000 home, $200,000 of value is exempt from school tax, leaving $150,000 taxable by the school district (other taxing units — county, city, hospital district — apply their own, separate rules). Use the calculator below to estimate your own number.
Estimate your own school-tax saving →Who qualifies — and the income-limit myth
You qualify if you are 65 or older, own the home, and use it as your principal residence. There is no income limit— a common misconception carried over from other states' programs. You must be 65 as of January 1 of the tax year to qualify for that year, though Texas prorates the exemption if you turn 65 partway through the year and file promptly.
The exemption is not the ceiling
The $200,000 figure is an exemption — it shrinks your taxable value. Separately, once you qualify, your school district tax billis capped at the dollar amount it was the year you first qualified — that's the ceiling, a different mechanism covering a different part of your bill. County, city, and junior-college ceilings are optional and only apply if that taxing unit has adopted one. See the school tax ceiling page for the full breakdown.
What the exemption doesn't cover
It applies to school district taxes. County, city, hospital district, MUD, and junior-college taxes each have their own separate rules — some offer their own local-option exemptions on top, some don't. See our county-by-county comparisonfor which local options we've verified.
County and city local options
Individual counties, cities, and other taxing units may adopt additional local-option exemptions for 65+ homeowners on top of the statewide figure. We've confirmed a handful of these against primary sources — the range runs from the statutory minimum of $3,000 up to $175,000 in the City of Dallas. See the county comparison page for exactly which figures are verified.
How and when to apply
File Form 50-114 with your county appraisal district. The standard deadline is April 30, though Texas allows late filing for up to two years after the delinquency date. Full walkthrough on our how-to-apply page.
Missed the deadline?
You can still file. Texas allows a late homestead exemption application for up to two years after the delinquency date, with a retroactive refund for those years. See what you can still do.
Why some sources still say $10,000 or $110,000
Two of the Texas Comptroller's own pages currently disagree with each other, and several national publishers and even a Google AI Overview have quoted figures from before Proposition 11 passed in November 2025. The Comptroller's Exemptions page correctly shows $140,000 + $60,000. Its older Age 65 or Older FAQ page still shows figures from two legislative sessions ago. We follow the current, correct figure and flag the discrepancy rather than silently pick a side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Texas over-65 exemption save me?
It exempts $200,000 of your home's appraised value from school district taxes — $140,000 from the general homestead exemption plus $60,000 additional for being 65 or older. Your actual dollar savings depend on your school district's tax rate; use the calculator above for an estimate.
Is there an income limit?
No. Texas imposes no income test on the age-65 homestead exemption. Anyone 65 or older who owns and occupies the home as their primary residence qualifies, regardless of income.
Do I have to reapply every year?
No. Once approved, the exemption continues automatically as long as you continue to own and occupy the home as your homestead.
Does this exemption freeze my whole tax bill?
No — that's a separate mechanism called the school tax ceiling. The $200,000 exemption reduces the taxable value; the ceiling caps the total school tax bill at the level it was the year you first qualified. See our page on the school tax ceiling for the difference.
Can I get both the over-65 exemption and the disabled-person exemption?
Not from the same taxing unit — you choose one or the other for each unit. See our page on disabled-and-over-65 stacking rules.
Sources and Last-Verified Dates
| Figure | Tax Year | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| General school district homestead exemptionTax Code §11.13(b) | 2025+ | Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Exemptions | 2026-08-31 |
| Additional school exemption, age 65+ or disabledTax Code §11.13(c) | 2025+ | Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Exemptions | 2026-08-31 |
| Combined school district exemption at 65+Tax Code §11.13(b)+(c) | 2025+ | Arithmetic on Comptroller-published figures | 2026-08-31 |
| Income limit on the Texas over-65 exemptionTax Code §11.13 | current | Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Exemptions | 2026-08-31 |
| Annual reapplication requirementTax Code §11.43 | current | Texas Comptroller, Age 65 or Older or Disabled FAQ | 2026-08-31 |
| Homestead/over-65 exemption application deadlineTax Code §11.43 | current | Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Exemptions / 65+ FAQ | 2026-08-31 |
| Late homestead exemption application windowTax Code §11.431 | current | Texas Comptroller, Age 65 or Older or Disabled FAQ | 2026-08-31 |
| Residential homestead / over-65 exemption application formTax Code §11.43 | current | Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Forms | 2026-08-31 |