Texas Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption: Complete 2026 Guide

If you are a Texas veteran with a service-connected disability rating from the VA, you may qualify for a property tax exemption that can eliminate your entire annual tax bill. The benefit scales by disability percentage, and surviving spouses can inherit it too. Here is everything you need to file Form 50-135 correctly and claim what you are owed.

What Is the Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption?

The disabled veteran property tax exemption in Texas comes from two separate sections of the Tax Code. Section 11.22 covers partial exemptions for veterans rated between 10% and 99%. Section 11.131 covers a full exemption for veterans rated 100% disabled or 100% unemployable by the VA. Each section uses a different form and has different rules.

Under §11.22, the exemption amount is a fixed dollar figure based on your disability rating tier:

10% to 29% disability - $5,000 of assessed value exempted
30% to 49% disability - $7,500 of assessed value exempted
50% to 69% disability - $10,000 of assessed value exempted
70% to 100% disability - $12,000 of assessed value exempted

Under §11.131, a veteran rated 100% disabled or 100% individual unemployability receives a complete exemption from property tax on their entire residence homestead. This means the full taxable value of your home and surrounding land is exempted, not just a fixed dollar amount.

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The §11.22 partial exemptions are modest in annual savings but they stack with the standard $35,000 homestead exemption and the over-65 or disabled homeowner additional exemptions. A 70% rated veteran on a $300,000 home saves roughly $288 per year from the $12,000 partial exemption alone, plus another $480 from the standard homestead exemption at a 2.4% combined tax rate.

How Much Can You Actually Save?

The savings depend on your disability rating and your property's taxable value. For veterans with less than 100% ratings, the partial exemptions reduce your taxable assessed value by $5,000 to $12,000. At a typical Texas combined tax rate of 2.4%, that translates to roughly $120 to $288 per year in direct savings.

There is also a special tier buried in §11.22 that many veterans never learn about. A veteran who is age 65 or older with any disability rating of at least 10%, OR who is blind in one or both eyes, OR who has lost the use of one or more limbs, qualifies for the maximum $12,000 exemption regardless of where their actual rating falls in the percentage table. A 68-year-old veteran with a 20% rating would normally get $5,000 exempted, but under this special tier they receive $12,000 instead.

How Do You Qualify for the Disabled Veteran Exemption?

The basic requirements are straightforward. You must be a Texas resident, own the property you are claiming the exemption on, and have a disability rating certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or your service branch. The property must be your residence homestead, meaning it is your primary residence and not a second home, vacation property, or rental.

You can only claim this exemption on one property in Texas, and it must be the same property for every taxing unit that collects taxes on it. Your county appraisal district will process the application, not the Texas Comptroller. You file once per property ownership, but you must notify the district in writing before May 1 if your eligibility ends or your circumstances change.

WARNING

The exemption is tied to ownership and occupancy. If you move, rent out the home, or cease using it as your primary residence, you must notify your appraisal district immediately. Failure to do so can result in disqualification and repayment of taxes plus penalties.

What Are the Disability Rating Tiers and Exemption Amounts?

The partial exemption amounts under §11.22 are fixed dollar figures that vary by VA disability rating tier:

Rating	Exempted Value
10% - 29%	$5,000
30% - 49%	$7,500
50% - 69%	$10,000
70% - 100%	$12,000

Each tier applies regardless of your property's assessed value. The exemption reduces your taxable assessed value by that fixed dollar amount for each taxing unit.

The special tier for veterans age 65 or older with any disability rating of at least 10%, or those who are blind or have lost limb use, always grants the maximum $12,000 exemption regardless of the percentage-based tier that would otherwise apply. This is a critical detail that appraisal districts do not always volunteer during the application process.

Can Surviving Spouses and Children Claim the Exemption?

Texas extends disabled veteran exemptions to surviving spouses in two distinct ways under the Tax Code.

First, under §11.22, an unremarried surviving spouse of a deceased disabled veteran retains the same exemption amount the veteran had at the time of death. If the veteran was receiving the full 100% exemption, the surviving spouse continues to receive it for as long as they own and occupy the property and remain unmarried.

Second, under §11.133, an unremarried surviving spouse of a service member who died in the line of duty receives a 100% property tax exemption on their residence homestead. This applies even if the deceased service member did not have a qualifying disability rating during life. The spouse must have been living with the service member when they died and must not have remarried.

Surviving children of deceased disabled veterans or fallen service members may also qualify for partial exemptions, but only if they are under 18 years old and unmarried at the time of application.

How Do You File Form 50-135 Step by Step?

Filing is done through your county appraisal district using Form 50-135, Application for Disabled Veteran's or Survivor's Exemption. The form is available on the Texas Comptroller website. Here is what you need:

Step 1: Gather Your Documentation

You must provide documentation from the VA showing your current disability rating. This is typically your VA rating letter, which you can obtain through eBenefits. You also need proof of property ownership and a copy of your driver's license or state-issued ID.

Step 2: Complete Section 1 and Section 3

In Section 1, provide your personal information including name, physical address, phone number, and email. In Section 3, describe the property you are claiming the exemption on with the street address, city, state, ZIP code, legal description from your deed, and the appraisal district account number if you know it.

Step 3: Fill Out Section 4

Select whether you are filing as a disabled veteran or as a surviving spouse or child. If you are a veteran, provide your branch of service, disability rating, age, and VA file serial number. Check the boxes for any service-connected loss of use of limbs or blindness in one or both eyes.

Step 4: Attach Required Documents

Attach your VA disability rating letter and a copy of your driver's license or state-issued ID to the application. Do not submit originals, only copies. The appraisal district will return these documents to you after processing.

Step 5: Submit to Your Appraisal District

File the completed form and attachments with the appraisal district in each county where the property is located. You can usually submit in person, by mail, or sometimes online through the district's website. The filing deadline is April 30 of the tax year for which you are claiming the exemption.

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You must file between January 1 and April 30 each year for the current tax year. However, if your eligibility ends during the year, you must notify the district in writing before May 1 of that year.

What Are the Deadlines for Filing?

The application deadline is April 30 of the tax year for which you are requesting the exemption. This is a hard deadline enforced by Tax Code Section 11.43. The chief appraiser may grant a single extension of up to 60 days if you show good cause, but this is not automatic and must be requested in writing before the April 30 deadline expires.

If the chief appraiser requests additional information after you file, you have 30 days to provide it. The district can extend this by an additional 15 days for good cause shown. If the application is denied, you may protest the decision to the county appraisal review board under Tax Code Chapter 41.

There is also a back-claim window that most veterans never learn about. Under §11.439, you can file a late application no later than five years after the delinquency date for the taxes on the designated property. This means if you were eligible but never filed, you may be able to recover refunds for up to five years of overpaid taxes. The delinquency date is typically January 31 of the year following the tax year.

What If You Are Rated 100% Disabled?

Veterans rated 100% disabled or 100% individual unemployability by the VA qualify for a full property tax exemption under §11.131. This is not a partial exemption, it is a complete elimination of the property tax bill on your residence homestead. On a $400,000 home with a typical 2.4% combined rate, that is roughly $9,600 per year in savings. The entire assessed value of the home, lot, and any outbuildings are exempt from taxation.

The application process is different from the partial exemption. Instead of Form 50-135, you file Form 50-114, Application for Residence Homestead Exemption. This is the same form used for the standard homestead exemption, but you must also attach your VA rating letter showing the 100% disability determination.

NOTE

The §11.131 full exemption does not have to be renewed annually as long as ownership and occupancy remain unchanged. The chief appraiser may require a new application only if they send written notice requesting confirmation of ongoing eligibility, which typically happens when property ownership changes hands.

How Does This Combine with Other Exemptions?

The disabled veteran exemption works alongside other Texas property tax exemptions, not instead of them. Most veterans will qualify for multiple layers of relief:

Standard homestead exemption - automatically exempts the first $25,000 to $35,000 of assessed value from school district taxes
Disabled veteran partial or full exemption - additional exemption based on VA rating
Over-65 homestead exemption - if you are 65 or older, an additional $10,000 exemption

These exemptions stack to reduce your taxable value. A 72-year-old veteran with a 50% disability rating would receive the $35,000 standard homestead exemption, plus the $10,000 partial veteran exemption, plus the $10,000 over-65 exemption, for a total reduction of $55,000.

The disabled veteran exemption also works with the ag exemption if you have agricultural land. If you own rural acreage that qualifies for agricultural open-space valuation, adding a disabled veteran exemption on your residence homestead portion can create substantial combined savings.

What Are the Most Common Filing Mistakes?

Veterans make several mistakes that cause delays or denials. The most common is filing with the wrong form. Veterans rated 100% should use Form 50-114, not Form 50-135. Using the wrong form means your application will be returned and you lose valuable time in the tax year.

Another frequent error is submitting an outdated VA rating letter. The appraisal district needs documentation showing your current disability rating, not a letter from five years ago. If your rating has changed since your last determination, you must provide updated paperwork.

Some veterans forget to check the boxes for special circumstances like blindness or limb loss. These trigger the $12,000 maximum exemption tier under §11.22 even if your percentage-based tier would be lower. If you qualify for this special tier and do not claim it on the application, you lose the benefit permanently for that tax year.

Finally, many veterans file only once and assume the exemption renews automatically every year. While this is true as long as eligibility does not change, you must notify the district in writing before May 1 if your circumstances change. For more on property tax deadlines across Texas counties, see our county-by-county deadline guide.

Where to Go Next

How the ag exemption works alongside other tax breaks - understand how multiple exemptions stack on rural and suburban land
Conservation easements vs. ag exemptions: which path saves more - compare long-term tax strategies for larger properties
Texas property tax deadlines by county - find your appraisal district's contact information and local filing procedures
Savings estimator tool - calculate your potential tax savings across all exemptions you may qualify for

Sources

Texas Tax Code Section 11.22 (disabled veteran partial exemption), Section 11.131 (100% disabled veteran full exemption), Section 11.133 (surviving spouse of fallen service member), and Section 11.439 (late application back-claim window). Verified August 24, 2026.

Form 50-135: Application for Disabled Veteran's or Survivor's Exemption - official form with filing instructions, deadlines, and required documentation
Texas Comptroller: Property Tax Exemptions - overview of all exemption types including disabled veteran provisions under §11.22 and §11.131
Texas Veterans Commission: Property Tax Exemptions for Disabled Veterans - guidance on qualification, disability ratings, and surviving spouse benefits