Knowledge Base – Page 8 – Fort Bend Central Appraisal District

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Appeals/Protest Topics

Tips for Protest/Appeal Review

You have the choice of requesting an informal conference, also known as an informal meeting. The meeting must take place before your formal ARB hearing date. A notice of protest must be filed to be able to request an informal conference.
Informal conferences are conducted remotely with an appraiser. You can request one online at https://www.fbcad.org/informal/. You can also submit your notice of protest though our online appeals portal. When you do so and appraiser reviews your protest, and this counts as your informal hearing. You can do so at https://www.fbcad.org/appeals/ and then clicking on File Now next to Option 1.
An informal conference gives the opportunity to discuss your property value with a registered FBCAD appraiser. There is the potential during a meeting to reach a settlement. You should provide documentation regarding your value to the appraiser. It should be sent prior to or during the meeting. The information could include date-stamped photos, estimates of repairs, closing statements, and independent appraisal reports.
Verify the property description and measurements are correct for your home. If not, mention it at the informal conference with the appraiser.
Ensure to request an evidence packet, the earlier the better. It will be mailed sent to you At least 14 days before your formal ARB hearing. You can request your ARB evidence packet at https://www.fbcad.org/arb-protest-evidence-packet-request/. You must file a Notice of Protest before you can request an evidence packet.
If you or your agent fails to appear, you may lose the right to be heard by the ARB on the protest and you may lose the right to appeal. If you file with the ARB a written statement showing good cause for failing to appear and requesting a new hearing, it may be granted.
Consult with FBCAD about your property’s value before your hearing. Ask questions about things you don’t understand, browse our website for information.
Be on time and prepared for your hearing. The ARB typically place time limits on hearings.
Stick the facts and avoid emotional pleas. The ARB does not have control over FBCAD’s operations or budget, tax rates, inflation, or local politics. Talking about these types of topics during your hearing will not help you win your case.
Review the ARB hearing procedures. Become familiar with them and be prepared to follow them. Find them at https://www.fbcad.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-Property-Owner-Information-Packet.pdf
Take anything that will help you make your case with you to the hearing. You should gather all information about your property that may be relevant such as: photographs of your properties and comparables (properties that can be compared to yours); receipt or estimates of repairs; sales price documentation such as listings, closing statements, and other information; calculation of median level of appraisal, if equal and uniform appraisal is being protested; affidavits; newspaper articles; architectural drawings or blueprints, engineering report, property surveys, deed records, etc.
Present your information in a simple and well-organized way. You and the FBCAD staff are required to exchange evidence before or at the hearing. Photos and other documents are useful. You should take enough copies so that each ARB member and the appraisal district representative can each have one.
We value property based on January 1st, so you should make sure that any improvements that make up your property or damage that occurred to your property before or on January 1st are included in the appraisal of your property.
If you are protesting the value of business property or other appraisal matters, you should bring evidence to support your opinion of the value. Sales data may not be available, and it may not be relevant, but income and expense information may be helpful.

How to File An Online or Electronic Protest and Schedule a Hearing

If you file your Notice of Protest online through the property owner or agent portal, the appeal is reviewed by an appraiser and offers are submitted to you; therefore, it is considered an Informal Conference.

When a settlement offer is made, you can either accept or decline it through the online portal you created.

If you decline the settlement offer, your online protest is closed and a formal protest is opened and then you can schedule and reschedule your ARB hearing date online.

Property owners can download our step-by-step guide to learn how to file an online or electronic protest and how to schedule a hearing:

How to File An Online or Electronic Protest and Schedule a Hearing Guide

How to Reschedule/Postponement Appraisal Review Board (ARB) Hearing:

All postponement requests must be submitted in writing prior to the initial hearing date.

A property owner who has not designated an agent under Section 1.111 to represent the owner at the hearing is entitled to one postponement of the hearing to a later date without showing cause.

You may provide a date and/or time that you would like to be rescheduled to. The ARB will try to accommodate you as best as possible if the schedule permits.

Please note, if you are requesting a reschedule after the hearing date has passed or for a second time, it will fall under the ARB’s discretion to grant the request and is not guaranteed.

The ARB will NOT contact you by phone to reschedule your hearing. Once rescheduled, you will receive a rescheduled hearing notice via the delivery method selected on your Notice of Protest.

The hearing may not be postponed to a date that is less than 5 days or more than 30 days after the original hearing date unless the date and time of the postponement are agreed to by the chairman of the appraisal review board or the chairman’s representative, the property owner, and the chief appraiser.

Reschedule requests can be submitted online at ARB Reschedule Request

Requests can also be submitted by mail or in person to: Attn: Appraisal Review Board at 2801 B. F. Terry BLVD Rosenberg, TX 77471

How to Withdraw or Cancel Your Protest/Appeal?

The Withdrawal of Protest form can also be downloaded from our website at Forms, under Most Requested and in the Appeals & Arbitration category.

Once the form has been filled out, you can drop it off in person or mail it to: Attn: Appraisal Review Board at 2801 B. F. Terry Blvd., Rosenberg, TX 77471

It can also be filed electronically at Withdrawal of Protest

Late Protest?

The protest deadline for the current tax year is listed in your Notice of Appraised Value.

You can also find the deadline on our website at Appeals – Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (fbcad.org).

Per Tax Code Section 41.44(b), A property owner who files his notice of protest after the deadline prescribed by Subsection (a) of this section but before the appraisal review board approves the appraisal records is entitled to a hearing and determination of the protest if he shows good cause as determined by the board for failure to file the notice on time.

Late protests may be submitted prior to the approval of the appraisal records (typically around July 20-25th) if good cause is shown to the ARB. Once this deadline has passed, a late protest cannot be approved.

The ARB Chairman will review the late filed protest to determine if there is sufficient good cause to grant the protest. If there is, you will be scheduled for a formal hearing before the ARB.

In the event good cause is not determined, you will receive a denial letter from the ARB by mail.

You can submit your late protest and documentation showing good cause to the ARB by dropping it off in person or mailing it to:

Attn: Appraisal Review Board at 2801 B. F. Terry Blvd., Rosenberg, TX 77471

Where to Upload Evidence

If you file a protest via an online portal, you will be able to upload your informal evidence through our appeals portal.

For property owners, you can then go to the Appeal Details Page and select Manage Documents. Then you will click on Upload Documents.
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For agents, you can go to the Appeal Summary and select Documents.

The maximum file size is 10MB.

* Note the evidence submitted via any online portal is for informal purposes only. This information will not be forwarded to the Appraisal Review Board.

If you need to send formal evidence to the Appraisal Review Board, it must be taken to the formal hearing in-person on paper, an electronic device which will be kept by the ARB or uploaded via a notarized affidavit if appearing virtually at https://www.fbcad.org/aoe-upload/.

Appraisal Review Board (ARB) Applications

The ARB Selection Committee is accepting applications from residents of Fort Bend County interested in serving on the Appraisal Review Board (ARB).

Appraisal Review Board (ARB) members serve weekdays including some evenings, and periodically on weekends, typically from May to September. Appraisal Review Board (ARB) members are not scheduled for every weekday, but they must be available when needed.

Applications remain on file until the end of each calendar year. Appointments are normally made for service starting in the following January. Applicants selected as finalists are scheduled for interviews.

You can learn more about the qualifications to serve on the ARB and how to apply to be a member at ARB Information – Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (fbcad.org), click “Apply to Serve” to download the application form or to apply online.

Applications should be sent in the mail to:

Attn: ARB Selection Committee

2801 B. F. Terry Blvd. Rosenberg, TX 77471

Applications can also be sent by email to applyforARB@fbcad.org

Who’s the Appraisal Review Board (ARB)?

The Appraisal Review Board (ARB) is a group of independent Fort Bend County residents appointed by the Board of Directors to resolve disputes between property owners and the Appraisal District.

ARB members are required to uphold an unbiased approach to each property under protest.

The Appraisal Review Board (ARB) does not appraise property or have any role in appraisal district operations.

The Appraisal Review Board (ARB) fulfills an essential function in the property tax system.

The Appraisal District (FBCAD) and the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) are separate entities.

Although Appraisal Review Board (ARB) members retain staff of the appraisal district for clerical assistance, the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) maintains an independence from appraisal district staff, the chief appraiser, and the board of directors for the appraisal district.

To serve on the Appraisal Review Board (ARB), a person must have lived in Fort Bend County for at least two years.

There are certain situations that might disqualify a potential Appraisal Review Board (ARB) member:

If a person is currently or formerly employed by the State Comptroller of Public Accounts, or a member of a governing body, and officer, or a full or part-time employee of a county, city, school district, community college district, MUD, or any other taxing entity supported by local property taxes, that person cannot be on the ARB.
If a person owns an interest in property that has delinquent property taxes due, regardless of which county in Texas the property is located, they cannot serve in the ARB unless the taxes are under deferral or are being paid under an installment agreement.
If a person or a person’s spouse has a contract with a local government or appraisal district cannot be on the ARB.
If a person or a person’s spouse owns a 10% or greater interest in a business that contracts with a local government or taxing unit, they cannot be on the ARB.
Any person who has appeared before the ARB for payment as a tax consultant, accountant, appraiser, or representative of a property owner cannot be on the ARB.
Anyone who has served on the ARB for all or part of three previous two-year terms cannot be on the ARB.
Anyone who has ever been employed by the appraisal district cannot be on the ARB.
Anyone who has ever served as a member of the appraisal district’s board of directors.
Anyone who is presently under indictment for a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude and anyone who has previously been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude cannot be on the ARB.

You can learn more about the qualifications to serve on the ARB and how to apply to be a member at ARB Information, click “Apply to Serve” to download the application form or to apply online.

Affidavit in Lieu of Attending (Property Owner’s Affidavit of Evidence)

Form 50-283 is the Property Owner’s Affidavit of Evidence.

A property owner may offer evidence or argument by notarized affidavit without personally appearing and may appear by telephone conference call or videoconference to offer argument.

A property owner who appears by telephone conference call or videoconference must offer any evidence by notarized affidavit. The notarized affidavit and evidence must be submitted to the ARB before the protest hearing begins.

You can submit your notarized affidavit of evidence online through our Affidavit Portal at Affidavit of Evidence Upload – Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (fbcad.org). The affidavit portal only accepts one PDF file. Please have your notarized affidavit and evidence combined into one PDF file to upload. There is a file limit size, please reduce your PDF file to fit the size limit.

You can find the affidavit form at Forms – Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (fbcad.org), under the Appeals & Arbitration category.

The notarized affidavit and evidence can also be dropped off or mailed to:

Fort Bend Appraisal Review Board
2801 B. F. Terry Blvd., Rosenberg, TX 77471

Please remember, you must attach evidence to the affidavit, and the affidavit must be notarized for the ARB to review the evidence.

The notarized affidavit and evidence for the hearing may be submitted to the ARB either in paper or a small portable electronic device such as a CD, USB flash drive or thumb drive, which will be kept by the ARB. It must be submitted prior to the ARB hearing date and time, or it will not be considered.

All sections of the Property Owner’s Affidavit of Evidence must be completed and notarized.

When submitting a written request to change your appearance method to telephone or video, you must also submit your notarized affidavit and evidence if you have not already done so.

You do not waive your right to appear in person at your ARB Hearing by submitting the affidavit.

What is the Agent Portal?

FBCAD’s agent portal launched in 2024, providing agents with an electronic platform to interact with FBCAD and exchange documentation instantly.

Agents can submit AOA’s, protests, review appeal status and hearing information, accept or reject informal offers, receive appeal related documentation, notices, and much more.

To access the agent portal, you need to register for an account at https://agentappeals.fbcad.org.

You must have your agent ID to register.

If you have questions about the agent portal, you may contact https://www.fbcad.org/contact-appeals.

ARB Hearing Scheduling

If a property owner files a Notice of Protest online through the property owner portal (Option 1 in the Appeals Hub), a formal appeal will be opened upon conclusion of the informal offer exchanges.

Then, scheduling and rescheduling your ARB hearing date will become available via the property owner portal. If you do not select a hearing date within 2 days of the scheduling becoming available, an ARB hearing will be scheduled for you. An in-person ARB hearing notice will be mailed or emailed to you (if you have opted for electronic communications). If you have selected to appear by teleconference or video conference, the information for these will be emailed to you the Friday before your hearing is scheduled.

For step-by-step instructions on how to schedule your ARB hearing in the property owner portal, please refer to our guide at https://www.fbcad.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022OnlineAppealsGuide.pdf

When you file your Notice of Protest electronically, through the mail or in person, the ARB hearing is automatically scheduled for you and there will be questions on the form to select what format of ARB hearing you wish to be scheduled. The formats are in person, by telephone conference with evidence submitted as a written affidavit, by video conference with evidence submitted as a written affidavit, or just by evidence as a written affidavit that is delivered to the ARB before the hearing. If you change your mind later and want to opt for a different method, you must provide written notice to the ARB at least 10 days before your hearing date (5 days if you are a property owner who has not appointed an agent).

You can also select whether you want your notice of hearing to be delivered by regular first-class mail or by certified mail. If you have opted for electronic communications, notices will be emailed.

You can also select whether you want an electronic reminder of the hearing date, time, and place by text or by email.

You can also select whether you want a special panel to hear your protest if you meet certain conditions, which are listed on the Notice of Protest.

If once you receive your Notice of Hearing you need to reschedule, you are allowed one postponement of your hearing without good cause.

Postponement requests should be in writing and should list a date and/or time for which you would like the hearing to be rescheduled for consideration of the ARB’s schedule.

A hearing may not be postponed to a date that is less than 5 days or more than 30 days after the original date unless agreed to by the chairman of the appraisal review board or the chairman’s representative, the property owner, and the chief appraiser.

For more information about appeals, visit www.fbcad.org/appeals/.

How to Appoint or Remove an Agent

Tax Code Section 1.111 and Texas State Comptroller Rule 9.3044 govern the appointment of an agent. A property owner can designate a person to act as their agent for property tax matters.

The appointment of an agent will not be effective until form 50-162, Appointment of Agent, has been filed with the appraisal district.

On the form, you can designate the agent to represent the property owner for all property tax matters, or only for certain property tax matters identified in the designation.

You also must choose what types of communications from the appraisal district and ARB you want the agent to receive.

You can also remove a person from being your agent.

The removal of the agent will not take effect until you file form 50-813, Revocation of Agent, with the appraisal district.

Both forms must be signed by the property owner; a property manager authorized to designate agents for the owner; or another person who is authorized to act on behalf of the owner, other than the person being designated as an agent on the form.

If there is an agent already appointed for a property, and then a form for a different person to be agent is filed, then the old agent is removed from the property.

If you do not fill out a form to remove an agent, the agent will not be removed until the expiration date you listed on your appointment of agent form, or until a written revocation of agent form is received.

Form 50-162 and form 50-813 can be downloaded from our website at Forms – Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (fbcad.org), under Most Requested and in the Agent category.

Property owners can file the form in the Eservices tab or mail them to FBCAD at 2801 B. F. Terry Blvd., Rosenberg, TX 77471.

Agents can submit the forms through the agent portal at Agent Portal – Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (fbcad.org) or mail them to FBCAD at 2801 B. F. Terry Blvd., Rosenberg, TX 77471.

Property owners or agents can also email the forms to fid@fbcad.org.

FBCAD’s Requirement to Deliver Information - Texas Tax Code 41.461

At least 14 days before a property owner’s formal ARB hearing date, the Chief Appraiser shall:

1. Deliver to a property owner or a property owner’s agent a copy of the Comptroller’s pamphlet on Property taxpayer remedies

2. Inform the property owner that they or their agent is entitled to request a copy of the data, schedules, formulas, and all other information the Appraisal District will introduce at the ARB hearing.

3. Deliver a copy of the hearing procedures adopted by the ARB.

This information will be made available free of charge. It shall be given to the property owner or property owner’s agent by first-class mail with prepaid postage, in an electronic format, or by a secure internet website with user registration and authentication, or a website address maintained by the appraisal district on which the information is identifiable and readily available.

If a property owner or a property owner’s agent requests the information be sent by regular first-class mail or be available in person at the Appraisal District office, then Chief Appraiser must provide it that way.

To be entitled to receive the information, it must be requested. You can request this information on the Notice of Protest or at https://www.fbcad.org/arb-protest-evidence-packet-request/.

Failure to Send a Required Notice

A property owner has the right to protest before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) the failure of the chief appraiser or the ARB to provide or deliver any notice to which a property owner is entitled.

If failure to provide or deliver a notice is established, the ARB shall determine a protest made by the property owner on any other grounds of protest authorized by the tax code.

A property owner who protests for failure to send a required notice must comply with the payment requirements under section 41.4115 of the Tax Code, or the property owner forfeits their right to a determination of their protest.

Under Tax Code Section 41.4115, a property owner who files a protest for failure to send a required notice must pay the amount of taxes due on the portion of the taxable value that is not in dispute.

The property owner must pay the taxes before the delinquency date of the taxes. If they don’t, they forfeit the right to proceed to a final determination of the protest.

A property owner can file an oath of inability to pay the taxes at issue. They may be excused from the requirement of prepayment of tax as a requirement for the board to hear the protest.

The ARB will hold a hearing to review and determine if prepayment of taxes would be an unreasonable limit to the property owner’s access to the ARB.

On the motion of a party, the ARB will hold a hearing to review and determine a property owner’s compliance with the payment requirement.

The ARB may set terms and conditions that are reasonably required by the circumstances, on any determination that a property owner does not have to prepay the taxes.

If the ARB determines that a property owner has not substantially complied with the terms and conditions set out, then the ARB will dismiss the protest.

If the ARB determines the property owner has substantially but not completely complied with the terms and conditions set out, the pending protest will be dismissed if the property owner does not comply within 30 days from the ARB stating they have not complied.

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