South Texas
|Last reviewed: August 2026Bexar County Ag Exemption Requirements
Property tax exemption requirements and resources for Bexar County, Texas. Below you'll find the rules for each exemption type, the filing deadline, and your local appraisal district contact information.
Appraisal District
Bexar Appraisal District
411 N Frio St, San Antonio, TX 78207
Available exemptions
Agricultural
Livestock, crops, hay, and general farming operations.
Requirements
- Apply by April 30
Qualifying uses
Row/broadcast crop operations typically require 20+ acres. Hay operations typically require 10+ acres. Properties 6-10 acres may qualify if leased as part of an adjoining operation.
Wildlife Management
Native habitat management on land with existing ag valuation.
Requirements
- Requires existing ag valuation
- 3 management practices required
Must have had ag valuation for at least 5 of the previous 7 years before converting to wildlife.
Beekeeping
Honey bee operations as a qualifying agricultural use.
Requirements
- Minimum 5 acres
- Minimum 6 hives
6 colonies minimum on 5 acres. 1 additional hive per 2.5 additional acres. Maximum 20 acres.
Timber
Managed timber production on qualifying acreage.
Not a primary timber-producing region.
Learn more about each exemption
Conservation easements in Bexar County
Significant development pressure along the I-35 corridor. Agricultural and ranch lands at risk of fragmentation. Conservation easements are a separate instrument from property tax exemptions - they generate a federal income tax deduction by permanently restricting development rights. Most landowners benefit from both an exemption and an easement.
Bexar County agricultural profile
Stocking rates & intensity standards
Two methods: (1) Minimum AU method (tracts 20 acres or under): minimum 4 AU regardless of pasture type. (2) Stocking ratio method (over 20 acres, by soil type): Improved pasture 4-10 acres/AU, Native pasture 6.5-20 acres/AU, Brush 8-40 acres/AU depending on soil type 1-5.
BCAD publishes a soil type map on their forms page, identify your property's soil type before calculating required AU. Goat head-count varies by breed: Spanish goat = 6 head per AU, Boer x Spanish = 5 head/AU, Angora = 8 head/AU. Late apps carry a 10% penalty.
How to apply
To apply for a property tax exemption in Bexar County, contact the Bexar Appraisal District directly. The standard application deadline is April 30 of each year, though late applications may be accepted until the appraisal review board approves the appraisal records.
The primary application form is Form 50-129 (Application for 1-d-1 Agricultural Use Appraisal), available from the Bexar Appraisal District website or the Texas Comptroller's office.
If the use of your land changes, you may face a rollback tax - the difference between what you paid under the special valuation and what you would have paid at market value, for the 3 years preceding the year of the change. The change-of-use year itself is not included, and for 1-d-1 open-space land no interest is added to the rollback.
Estimated savings in Bexar County
Average tax rate: 1.54% - Market value: $5,850/ac - Ag value: $130/ac
Per-acre values are regional averages, not Bexar County appraisals. Use them for a rough estimate only.
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