Your 2026 appraisal notice just arrived. Here's what to check first.

If a gray envelope from your county appraisal district showed up in the last few weeks, it's your Notice of Appraised Value, the document that starts the entire protest clock for the year. Most homeowners glance at the bottom line and move on. Four other numbers on that same page are worth a slower look.

1. Market value vs. assessed value

These are rarely the same number. Market value is the district's estimate of what your home would sell for; assessed value is what you're actually taxed on, capped from rising more than 10% a year on a homestead. If the two numbers are far apart, that gap is worth understanding before you file anything.

2. The protest deadline printed on the notice

It's usually May 15, or 30 days from the date the notice was delivered, whichever is later, but your county's exact date is printed on the form itself. That date is the one that governs your property, not a general rule you saw online.

3. Exemptions currently on file

The notice lists which exemptions are applied to your account. A missing homestead exemption is one of the most common, and most expensive, gaps we see on a first review.

The notice is a starting point, not a verdict. It reflects what the district's models produced, not necessarily what your home is actually worth.

4. The comparable properties used, if listed

Some counties include a short list of comparable properties used to generate your value. If yours does, that list is the fastest way to spot a clerical mismatch, like a lot size or bedroom count that doesn't match your actual home.

None of this means you should protest automatically. It means you now know what to check before deciding either way.