Do Veterans Pay Property Taxes in Texas? Disabled Veteran Exemptions in San Antonio

Do veterans pay property taxes in Texas? In most cases, yes. Texas doesn't exempt a home just because the owner served. It does offer meaningful relief tied to a service-connected disability rating, and some surviving spouses keep that relief. If you're a veteran buying or already living in San Antonio, the Texas disabled veteran property tax exemption can lower or even erase the tax on your home. Here is how each exemption works and how to file in Bexar County.

Do veterans pay property taxes in Texas? Start with your VA rating

Texas exemptions for veterans depend on a disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or your branch of service:

• No service-connected disability rating: you pay property taxes like any other owner, but you can still claim the general residence homestead exemption on your principal residence.
• Rating of 10% or more: a partial exemption under Tax Code Section 11.22 on one property.
• 100% rating or individual unemployability: a total exemption on your residence homestead under Section 11.131.

The Comptroller notes a driver's license or personal ID is not proof of a disability rating, so have your VA rating documentation ready when you apply.

Texas disabled veteran property tax exemption amounts (Section 11.22)

The Texas Comptroller lists these partial exemption amounts, which come off the property's taxable value, not your tax bill:

• 10% to 29% rating: $5,000
• 30% to 49% rating: $7,500
• 50% to 69% rating: $10,000
• 70% to 100% rating: $12,000

You can also get the $12,000 amount if you are 65 or older with a disability rating of at least 10%, are totally blind in one or both eyes, or have lost the use of one or more limbs. The 11.22 exemption applies to any one property you own, not only your homestead, and you must be a Texas resident. Apply with Form 50-135, the Application for Disabled Veteran's or Survivor's Exemptions.

An unmarried surviving spouse may also qualify for the partial exemption, and surviving children under 18 may qualify too. The Comptroller also notes that a spouse of an active-duty member who dies may qualify for a $5,000 exemption under Section 11.22.

100% disabled veteran homestead exemption (Section 11.131)

If the VA has rated you 100% disabled from a service-connected disability, or has determined you individually unemployable, the Comptroller describes a total exemption on your residence homestead. Key points for San Antonio buyers:

• It covers your homestead. The home must be your principal residence. File Form 50-114, the Residence Homestead Exemption Application, with the appraisal district where the home is located.
• Buying mid-year is covered. The Comptroller says a veteran who qualifies after January 1 "may receive the exemption immediately on qualification for the applicable portion of that tax year." If you move, tax for the earlier part of the year is still owed on the old property.
• Surviving spouses can keep it. An unremarried surviving spouse who held the home as a homestead when the veteran died continues to qualify. If that spouse buys a new homestead, the exemption on the new home is limited to the dollar amount of the exemption on the former homestead.
• Late filing is possible. The Comptroller says you may file up to five years after the delinquency date for taxes on the property.

Other Texas exemptions for veterans and military families

• Donated homestead (Section 11.132): a partial exemption, based on the disability rating, for a residence homestead donated to a disabled veteran by a charitable organization. It may extend to an unremarried surviving spouse. File Form 50-114.
• Surviving spouse of a service member killed in the line of duty (Section 11.133): a total homestead exemption for a surviving spouse of an armed services member killed or fatally injured in the line of duty who has not remarried.
• General homestead exemption: the Comptroller states that school districts must provide a $140,000 exemption on a residence homestead. Owners 65 or older or disabled get an additional $60,000 school exemption.

A disabled veteran may also qualify for the disabled person exemption. How exemptions combine on one tax bill depends on the taxing units, so check the Bexar Appraisal District record after you file. Bel's Bexar County homestead exemption guide walks through the general homestead filing.

How to apply for veteran exemptions in Bexar County

1. Gather documents: your VA rating documentation, a Texas driver's license or ID showing the property address and, for surviving spouses, the marriage and death certificates the district asks for.
2. File with the Bexar Appraisal District through its online applications or by paper form. The district's office is at 411 North Frio Street, San Antonio, and customer service is (210) 242-2432.
3. Use the right form: Form 50-135 for the 11.22 partial exemption, and Form 50-114 for the homestead and 100% exemptions.
4. Watch the deadline: the general exemption deadline is April 30. The veteran exemptions allow late filing within the windows the Comptroller describes.
5. Check your record on the next notice of appraised value to confirm the exemption posted.

Common mistakes with Texas veteran property tax exemptions

• Assuming it's automatic. Your VA rating doesn't reach the appraisal district on its own. You have to file the application with supporting documents.
• Filing with the wrong district. Some cities around San Antonio cross county lines, including Schertz and Universal City. File with the appraisal district that holds your property record, which may be Bexar, Guadalupe, Comal or Kendall.
• Not updating after a rating change. If your rating rises, file again so the district can apply the correct amount. If it reaches 100% or you're found individually unemployable, apply for the 11.131 homestead exemption.
• Expecting the 100% exemption on a rental or second home. Section 11.131 covers your residence homestead. The 11.22 partial exemption can apply to any one property you own.
• Missing a past year. If you qualified earlier but never filed, ask the appraisal district about the late-filing window the Comptroller describes.
• Not reporting changes. If you move, sell or stop qualifying, tell the appraisal district.

Buying a home in San Antonio as a disabled veteran

The exemption affects your monthly payment, so plan for it during the purchase:

• Tell your lender about your rating early. Your escrow estimate may start from the seller's tax bill. Ask how and when the lender will adjust escrow after your exemption posts.
• Understand prorations. Property taxes are prorated at closing under the contract. If you qualify for the 100% exemption, it applies from when you qualify the home, so your first-year bill may mix exempt and non-exempt portions.
• Compare loan options. Bel's VA home loan guide for San Antonio explains how VA financing works, and first time home buyer Texas programs covers state programs that waive the first-time rule for qualified veterans.
• Pick an area around your base. If you work at JBSA-Lackland, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Randolph or Camp Bullis, test the gate commute first. The San Antonio property taxes guide shows why taxing units differ across neighborhoods.

Bel is not a tax advisor or lender. Confirm your eligibility with the Bexar Appraisal District and your figures with your lender.

Work with a military-focused San Antonio agent

Bel Thanadabouth is a Texas-licensed real estate sales agent with Home Pros Real Estate Group who works with veterans, active-duty families and surviving spouses relocating around Joint Base San Antonio, in English or Spanish. See how Bel helps military buyers in San Antonio, call or text (210) 932-3606, or schedule a consultation.