How Much Does It Cost to Protest Property Taxes in Texas?
Most property tax protest companies won't show you this math. We will. Here's what every option actually costs — upfront, hidden, and over time.
Free assessment · No credit card required
Three Ways to Protest (and What Each Costs)
DIY (Free)
Filing a protest costs $0. There is no government fee. You'll spend 5–15 hours gathering evidence, preparing your case, and attending hearings.
The risk: without verified comparable sales and equity data, the average DIY reduction is significantly smaller than professional results. DIY guide →
Hire a Protest Company (Contingency)
Industry range: 25–40% of your tax savings. $0 upfront. But watch for: minimum fees ($150–$350), auto-renewals that charge you year after year, and “percentage OR flat fee, whichever is higher” clauses.
Alamo Tax Defense: 40% of first-year savings only. No minimums, no recurring fees, no catches.
Hire an Attorney ($500–$2K+)
You pay regardless of outcome. Attorneys make sense for commercial properties or complex cases worth $1M+ — not a typical residential protest.
Only 2–3% of Bexar County protests go beyond the ARB hearing stage. For most homeowners, a licensed property tax consultant delivers equal or better results at a fraction of the cost.
Alamo Tax Defense Pricing — No Surprises
40% of first-year tax savings. Period. No minimum fee. No auto-renewal. No upfront cost. If we don't reduce your taxes, you owe nothing.
Real Bexar County Example
Year 2 and beyond: you keep 100% of the savings — $968/yr, every year. No recurring fee, no auto-renewal.
The 5-Year Math That Changes Everything
Paying 40% of a big number once beats paying 25% of a smaller number every year. Here's the same $40,000 reduction over 5 years:
Based on $40,000 reduction at 2.42% tax rate ($968/yr savings). Competitor assumes 25% recurring annual fee on the same reduction. DIY assumes equal reduction — actual DIY results are typically lower without professional evidence.
Fee Structures Compared
DIY
Upfront: $0
Fee: None
Recurring: No
Watch for: Your time (5–15 hrs). Weaker evidence = smaller reduction.
Contingency Firm (Industry Avg)
Upfront: $0
Fee: 25–40% of savings
Recurring: Often — many charge every year
Watch for: Watch for minimum fees ($150–350) and auto-renewals.
Alamo Tax Defense
Upfront: $0
Fee: 40% of Year 1 savings only
Recurring: Never
Watch for: None. No reduction = no fee. No minimums. No auto-renewal.
Attorney
Upfront: $500–$2,000+
Fee: Flat or hourly
Recurring: Per engagement
Watch for: You pay regardless of outcome. Only needed for complex cases.
Can My Taxes Go Up If I Protest?
No. Texas Tax Code §41.43 prohibits the appraisal district from raising your assessed value as a result of filing a protest. This is the most common misconception — and the reason many homeowners leave money on the table.
There is zero risk. The worst outcome is your value stays the same. The best outcome? Homeowners in Bexar County saved a combined $243 million in 2024. The 88% success rate means the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to protest property taxes in Texas?+
Filing a protest costs $0 — there is no government filing fee. If you hire a professional, most charge a contingency fee of 25–40% of your first-year tax savings. Some charge flat fees of $200–$500 regardless of outcome. Attorneys typically cost $500–$2,000+.
Do I pay anything upfront with Alamo Tax Defense?+
No. We charge $0 upfront, $0 if we don't reduce your taxes, and $0 minimums. You only pay 40% of your first-year savings after the reduction is official — and your card is charged through Stripe only after BCAD confirms the new value.
What if the protest doesn't reduce my taxes?+
You owe nothing. Our fee is 100% contingency — if we don't save you money, you don't pay. Filing a protest also cannot increase your assessed value (Texas Tax Code §41.43), so there is zero financial risk.
Do I have to pay every year?+
Not with Alamo Tax Defense. Our fee applies to first-year savings only. There is no auto-renewal and no recurring charge. Year 2 and beyond, you keep 100% of the savings. Many competitors charge 25% every year — which adds up to far more over time.
How is the fee calculated?+
Assessment reduction multiplied by your combined tax rate equals your annual savings. Our fee is 40% of that number, one time. Example: $40,000 reduction × 2.42% tax rate = $968 annual savings. Our fee: $387. You keep $581 in Year 1, then $968/yr every year after.
Is it worth paying someone to protest?+
The numbers say yes. Approximately 88% of Bexar County protests result in a meaningful reduction, and the average homeowner saves about $504/yr. Professional firms with verified comparable sales data consistently achieve larger reductions than DIY protests. And with a contingency model, you only pay if the savings exceed the fee.
Check your property in under 3 minutes.
If we can't save you money, you pay nothing.
40% of first-year savings only. No minimum fee. No auto-renewal. Licensed TREC agents. Bexar County only.
Statistics sourced from BCAD 2024 Annual Report, O'Connor Tax Reduction, Ownwell, TX Comptroller, and San Antonio Board of Realtors MLS.
Fee comparisons reflect publicly available pricing as of March 2026. Alamo Tax Defense — Property Tax Consultant #13464, TX Real Estate Agent #672780.