Hays County Property Tax Protest Savings Calculator

See what a lower Hays CAD value would save, unit by unit, with Hays County's 2025 rates preloaded.

Short answer: savings = value reduction × your combined rate. In San Marcos (2.0666%), every $10,000 off your value saves about $206.66 a year.

Build your estimate

Rate source

Pick my taxing units

Enter a combined rate I already know

Taxing units

County

City

If you live outside any city limits, choose "Unincorporated / no city."

School district (ISD)

Search special districts

MUDs, ESDs, and similar districts depend on your exact address. None are selected by default — verify yours on your appraisal district's site.

Select a county first.

Property values

Noticed (appraised) value this year ($)

Target value after protest ($)

Support this with comparable sales or an unequal-appraisal comparison — see the prep checklist below.

Do you have a residence homestead exemption on this property?

Yes

Are you age 65+ or disabled?

Yes

Only affects the units-picker mode, where it adds the school homestead exemption automatically.

Per-unit savings
Taxing unit	Rate	Noticed tax	Target tax	Savings

Hays County example

$400,000 noticed → $360,000 target, homestead, pick San Marcos and San Marcos CISD.

$6,845.12Tax at $400,000
$6,018.48Tax at $360,000
$826.64Yearly savings
2.0666%Combined rate

Appraisal district: Hays Central Appraisal District (Hays CAD)
Protest deadline: May 15 (next business day if that falls on a weekend), or 30 days after the notice is mailed — whichever is later (Tax Code §41.44). Check your notice.

Questions

How much could a protest save in San Marcos?

If a $400,000 San Marcos homestead is lowered to $360,000, the bill drops by about $826.64 a year: the $40,000 reduction × the combined 2.0666%.

How do I file a protest with Hays CAD?

Online through the Online protest portal (linked from hayscad.com/protest-info), using the Online Protest ID on your Notice of Appraised Value. See hayscad.com/protest for paper filing and office details.

What is the Hays County protest deadline?

May 15 (next business day if that falls on a weekend), or 30 days after the notice is mailed — whichever is later (Tax Code §41.44). Your notice from Hays CAD shows the exact date.

Do I need to hire a protest company?

No. Filing is free and you can present your own evidence. The free Hays CAD protest kit walks you through it.