In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, many Texas property owners are facing rising costs to make urgent repairs to their homes and businesses because of storm damage. This step-by-step guide is designed to help Texas property owners evaluate their eligibility and navigate the process of applying for a temporary disaster exemption. O’Connor provides this guide to clients and all Texas property owners free of charge.
Step 1: Confirm if your property is in a Texas county where a state disaster declaration is in effect. Click here to view our Temporary Disaster Exemption Information page. We have collected lists of 2024 Texas disaster declarations, including the counties impacted, declaration dates and deadlines.
Step 2: Take photographs of the damage. For the best documentation, take photos from different angles and make sure you have pictures of the entire home or structure as well as close pictures of the areas of wreckage.
Step 3: Collect your estimates for repair and/or any receipts from completed repairs on the property for which you wish to apply for property tax exemption. You will need the values from these estimates and receipts for Step 4 and these supporting documents will be essential to demonstrate your actual property damage to the county.
Step 4: Using your estimates and receipts, determine if your property has sustained at least 15% damage from a recent catastrophic weather event. Use O’Connor’s Disaster Exemption Calculator to estimate your exemption amount. If you qualify for a disaster exemption, continue to Step 5.
Step 5: Download and complete Form 50-312: Temporary Exemption Property Damaged by Disaster.
Step 6: File the completed Form 50-312 and all your supporting documentation with the county appraisal district where your property is located. Your exemption application must be supported by photographic evidence, and information from credible sources such as a construction bid or an insurance adjuster’s quote. Check with your appraisal district to determine the preferred method of submission. The application MUST be submitted to your county appraisal district no later than the 105th day after the governor has declared the county a disaster area. Applications related to Hurricane Beryl must be submitted by the deadline of October 17, 2024.
Step 7: Should your application be rejected, you may file an appeal in order to be granted a hearing. Property owners may represent themselves or O’Connor offers representation to defend your disaster declaration exemption for a contingency fee based on the value reduction your property attains at the hearing. Interested clients should contact us through their client portal account or by calling customer service at 713-290-9700. If you are not a client and would like representation at a hearing, whether related to exemptions or your property value appeal, you may enroll using the online form or call 713–290-9700.
