Central Texas
|Last reviewed: August 2026Travis County Ag Exemption Requirements
Property tax exemption requirements and resources for Travis County, Texas. Below you'll find the rules for each exemption type, the filing deadline, and your local appraisal district contact information.
Appraisal District
Travis Central Appraisal District
850 E Anderson Ln, Austin, TX 78752
Available exemptions
Agricultural
Livestock, crops, hay, and general farming operations.
Requirements
- Apply by April 30
Qualifying uses
Minimum 12 acres east of IH-35, 20 acres west of IH-35 for grazing, dryland farming, and hay. Intensive farming (orchards, vineyards) may qualify with 5 acres. Minimum 4 animal units required.
Wildlife Management
Native habitat management on land with existing ag valuation.
Requirements
- Requires existing ag valuation
- 3 management practices required
Minimum acreage follows the same east/west IH-35 split as ag. Must have had ag valuation for at least 5 of the previous 7 years.
Beekeeping
Honey bee operations as a qualifying agricultural use.
Requirements
- Minimum 5 acres
- Minimum 6 hives
6 hives on 5-20 acres. 1 additional hive per 2 additional acres. Homestead acreage excluded from qualifying acres. Must register with Texas Apiary Inspection Service.
Timber
Managed timber production on qualifying acreage.
Not a primary timber-producing region.
Learn more about each exemption
Conservation easements in Travis County
Active land trust presence. High development pressure from Austin/San Antonio growth. Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. 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.
Travis County agricultural profile
Stocking rates & intensity standards
Minimum 4 AU for all grazing operations. East of IH-35: 12 acres minimum for grazing, hay, and dryland farming. West of IH-35: 20 acres minimum. Intensive farming (orchards, vineyards) may qualify with 5 acres regardless of location.
The IH-35 east/west split is the defining feature of Travis County ag, the same tract has different minimum acreage requirements depending on which side of the highway it sits on. Reference: TCAD Guidelines for the Appraisal of Open-Space Land.
How to apply
To apply for a property tax exemption in Travis County, contact the Travis Central 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 Travis Central 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 Travis County
Average tax rate: 1.34% - Market value: $7,203/ac - Ag value: $140/ac
Per-acre values are regional averages, not Travis County appraisals. Use them for a rough estimate only.
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