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Central Texas

|Last reviewed: August 2026

Williamson County Ag Exemption Requirements

Property tax exemption requirements and resources for Williamson County, Texas. Below you'll find the rules for each exemption type, the filing deadline, and your local appraisal district contact information.

Bluebonnets blooming along a rustic fence in Central Texas

Appraisal District

Williamson Central Appraisal District

625 FM 1460, Georgetown, TX 78626

Available exemptions

Agricultural

Livestock, crops, hay, and general farming operations.

Available

Requirements

  • Apply by April 30

Qualifying uses

CattleHayCropsHorsesGoatsSheep

Minimum 2 animal units required. Geographic area determines acres needed to meet animal unit minimum. Online Animal Estimator tool available on WCAD website.

Wildlife Management

Native habitat management on land with existing ag valuation.

Available

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.

Available

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 applicable

Not a primary timber-producing region.

Learn more about each exemption

Conservation easements in Williamson 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.

Williamson County agricultural profile

35"annual rainfall
258day growing season

Soil & terrain

Eastern Blackland Prairie with rich dark clay soils. Western portion transitions to Edwards Plateau limestone with thinner soils. County sits on the IH-35 corridor boundary between these two distinct regions.

What grows here

Cattle and calves
Corn
Winter wheat
Grain sorghum
Cotton
Hay

Stocking rates & intensity standards

East of IH-35: improved pasture 4 acres/AU, native pasture 5 acres/AU (minimum 2 AU = 8-10 acres). West of IH-35: improved pasture 8 acres/AU, native pasture 9 acres/AU (minimum 2 AU = 16-18 acres).

WCAD publishes a free Animal Unit Estimator tool online that calculates exact minimum acreage based on pasture type and location relative to IH-35. New applications require an office review, property inspection, and final determination. Applications available via WCAD's e-services portal.

How to apply

To apply for a property tax exemption in Williamson County, contact the Williamson 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 Williamson 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 Williamson County

Average tax rate: 1.65% - Market value: $7,203/ac - Ag value: $185/ac

Per-acre values are regional averages, not Williamson County appraisals. Use them for a rough estimate only.

Calculate savings

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Need help with your application?

A qualified consultant can help you navigate the process and ensure your application is complete.

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