SECTION 5: Hearing Type
To receive your hearing notice by email, you must file your protest through your owner's account at https://owners.hcad.org
I want to receive my ARB hearing notice by certified mail. (There may be a charge for this)............................................................... Yes No
I want the ARB to send me a copy of its hearing procedures......................................................................................................... Yes No
If a protest goes to a hearing, the ARB automatically sends each party a copy of the ARB's hearing procedures.
SECTION 6: Certification and Signature
Property Owner
Property Owner's Agent
Agent Code
Other:
print
here â
Print Name of Property Owner or Authorized Representative
sign
here â
Signature of Property Owner or Authorized Representative
Date
Important Information
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: This form is for use by a property owner
or an owner’s designated agent to file a protest with the appraisal
review board (ARB) pursuant to Tax Code Section 41.41. Lessees
contractually obligated to reimburse a property owner for property taxes
may be entitled to protest as a lessee if all Tax Code requirements are
met, including those in Tax Code Section 41.413.
WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS: If your deadline falls on a Saturday,
Sunday, or a legal holiday, it is postponed until midnight of the next
working day.
HEARING PARTICIPATION: If you do not want to attend your
scheduled hearing in person, the law allows you to submit your
evidence in the form of a sworn affidavit. The affidavit must state that
you swear or affirm that the information it contains is true and
correct, and it must be sworn to and subscribed before a notary
public or other public official who is authorized to administer
oaths. If you decide you want to submit an affidavit, please make sure
that it includes: (1) the owner's name and address, (2) the property
account number and description, and (3) the date and time of your
hearing. To ensure that the affidavit is available for consideration,
it should be received at the hearing location at least two (2)
business days prior to the date and time of the hearing. If you
decide to submit an affidavit and also appear by telephone conference
call: 1) You must provide written notice to the appraisal review board at
least 10 days before the hearing or with this notice of protest; 2) You
must submit your evidence with a written affidavit delivered to the ARB
before the hearing; 3) You will not be allowed to offer any evidence that
was not included with your affidavit; 4) You will not be able to add any
new evidence or testimony by telephone; and 5) You are responsible
for providing access to the call to any person(s) you wish to invite to
participate in the telephone conference call.
DEADLINES: With exceptions, the typical deadline for filing a notice of
protest is midnight, May 15. (Tax Code Section 41.44) A different
deadline will apply to you if:
Ÿ your notice of appraised value was delivered to you electronically or
by mail after April 16;
Ÿ your protest concerns a change in use of agricultural open-space, or
timber land;
Ÿ the appraisal district or the ARB was required by law to send you
notice electronically or by mail about a property and did not;
Ÿ the ARB made a change to the appraisal records that adversely
affects you and you received notice of the change; or
Ÿ in certain limited circumstances, the property owner had good cause
for missing the May 15 protest filing deadline.
APPOINTMENT OF AGENT: You may also have a representative
appear for you. This person should be able to discuss your property
from personal knowledge. A valid agent appointment form must first be
filed with the appraisal district. Agent appointments must be made on
Texas State Comptroller's Form 50-162 (or Comptroller Form 50-241,
but only for use as required by court order existing as of Oct. 3, 2013).
You can obtain Form 50-162 by calling our office or downloading it from
www.hcad.org/forms.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: In the event a protest or correction is
filed on this account, we intend to use as part of our evidence any and
all information included in this notice.
APPOINTMENT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS: Fill out the following
authorization if you want to have a family member or friend represent
you at the protest hearing. Use this only for family or friends who do
not charge you for representation. You must use state form 50-162 to
appoint a paid representative or to have notices and tax bills mailed to
a representative.
APPOINTMENT OF FAMILY OR FRIEND TO REPRESENT ME IN PROTEST HEARING
I hereby appoint:
First Name Last Name
to represent me in my protest hearing. My representative has general authority to review confidential information, appear for me at the
protest hearing, and to negotiate and resolve the matters covered by this protest.
This appointment applies only for the hearing on this account. I understand that notice will be delivered to me.
Property Owner's Signature Name Printed Date
