Homestead Exemption in Texas on Land (2026)
Green Central Texas ranch land with a house site, the kind of tract where a homestead exemption in Texas applies once the owner lives there

Homestead Exemption in Texas: Does Raw Land Qualify? (2026 Guide)

Raw land does not qualify for a Texas homestead exemption until you live on it. Here is how the 20-acre rule, the $140,000 school exemption, the May 1 deadline, and the 10 percent cap work on acreage.

The homestead exemption in Texas applies to a home you own and occupy as your principal residence plus up to 20 acres used for residential purposes, under Tax Code §11.13. Raw land with no home on it does not qualify. Once you live on the tract, school districts exempt $140,000 of value and the 10 percent annual appraisal cap begins.

The sections below define the exemption, explain why vacant acreage is excluded, show how the 20-acre rule works, put numbers on the savings, walk through the application, and compare it with an ag exemption. La Tierra Realty is an Austin-based land company that sells surveyed, unrestricted acreage in Central and North Texas with owner financing through Stonebridge Purchasing (NMLS #2349261), and buyers who build or place a home on those tracts file for this exemption the year they move in.

What Is the Texas Homestead Exemption?

The Texas homestead exemption is a property tax reduction that removes part of a home's appraised value from taxation and caps how fast the rest can rise. Tax Code §11.13(j) defines a residence homestead as a structure, including a mobile home, “together with the land, not to exceed 20 acres, and improvements used in the residential occupancy of the structure.”

The school district portion is the largest. According to the Texas Comptroller's 2026 property tax exemptions page, “Tax Code Section 11.13(b) requires school districts to provide a $140,000 exemption on a residence homestead.” Texas voters approved that amount on November 4, 2025, when Proposition 13 passed with 79.41 percent of the vote, according to Ballotpedia, and Senate Bill 4 applied it to tax years beginning January 1, 2025.

Owners who are 65 or older or disabled get more. Senate Bill 23 and Proposition 11, approved at the same November 2025 election, raised their additional school exemption from $10,000 to $60,000, for a combined $200,000. Cities, counties, and special districts can add a local-option exemption of up to 20 percent of value under Tax Code §11.13(n), with a $5,000 floor. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's February 2025 statement estimated that “the average Texas homeowner will save $363.44” from the $140,000 increase alone.

Does Raw Land Qualify for a Homestead Exemption in Texas?

No. Raw land does not qualify for a Texas homestead exemption, because Tax Code §11.13(j) ties the exemption to a structure that the owner occupies as a principal residence. A surveyed tract with no house, no manufactured home, and no occupied barndominium is taxed at full market value, or at agricultural productivity value if it carries an ag valuation.

The timing works like this. A buyer who closes on 10 acres in March 2027 and lives in an RV while building gets no homestead exemption for 2027, because an RV is a titled vehicle rather than a structure attached to the land. Once the house or manufactured home is occupied, the exemption applies. The Texas Comptroller's 2026 guidance notes that an owner who acquires property after January 1 can receive the exemption “for the applicable portion of the tax year immediately on qualification,” so a mid-year move-in is prorated rather than lost.

Three structures qualify on La Tierra tracts: a site-built house, a barndominium with living quarters, and a manufactured home with a Statement of Ownership filed under Tax Code §11.432. La Tierra's guide to placing a mobile home on land in Texas covers the Statement of Ownership step, and the build-on-your-land checklist covers the permit sequence for a house. While the land sits vacant, an ag exemption is the only special valuation available.

How Does the 20-Acre Rule Work on Acreage?

The 20-acre rule limits the homestead exemption to the house plus no more than 20 acres “used in the residential occupancy of the structure,” under Tax Code §11.13(j). On a 25-acre tract, at most 20 acres can carry the homestead; the rest is taxed at market value or, if it qualifies, at agricultural productivity value.

TractHomestead portionRemainderTypical setup
2 to 5 acres, house and yardAll acresNoneWhole tract homestead; 10% cap on all of it
10 acres, house plus pastureHomesite of 1 to 2 acres, or all 10 if used residentially8 to 9 acres at ag value if grazing or bees qualifyHomestead on the house, ag valuation on the pasture
25 acres, house plus pastureUp to 20 acresAt least 5 acres at market or ag valueHomesite homestead plus ag valuation on the balance

Most owners of 10 or more acres split the tract. Hood Central Appraisal District's 2026 agricultural appraisal page states that when it grants agricultural use, “1-2 acres for the homesite will be carved out as non-agricultural use.” The homesite carries the homestead exemption and the cap; the pasture carries the lower ag value.

How Much Does the Homestead Exemption Save?

The Texas homestead exemption saves the school tax on $140,000 of value plus whatever the 10 percent cap holds back in a rising market. At a school tax rate of $1.00 per $100 of value, the $140,000 exemption alone is worth $1,400 per year, and Ballotpedia's 2025 example shows a $300,000 home taxed on $160,000 instead.

ItemRuleEffect on a $300,000 home (illustration at $1.00 per $100 school rate)
School exemption$140,000 (Tax Code §11.13(b), 2025)Taxable school value $160,000; about $1,400 saved per year
Age 65+ or disabledAdditional $60,000 (SB 23, 2025) plus a school tax ceilingTaxable school value $100,000
Local optionUp to 20% of value, $5,000 minimum (§11.13(n))Up to $60,000 off city or county value where adopted
Appraisal cap10% per year plus new improvements (§23.23)A 20% market jump is taxed as 10%

The cap is the quiet part of the savings. Tax Code §23.23(a) limits the appraised value to the lesser of market value or the prior year's value plus “10 percent of the appraised value of the property for the preceding tax year” plus new improvements. Under §23.23(c), the cap takes effect on January 1 of the year after the first year the owner qualifies, so a home first exempted in 2027 is capped starting in 2028. Ownwell's 2025 analysis of state estimates puts the $140,000 exemption's average savings at $350 to $500 per year on school taxes, depending on the district rate.

How Do You Apply for a Homestead Exemption in Texas?

Apply by filing Comptroller Form 50-114 with the county appraisal district where the home sits, with a copy of your Texas driver's license or ID showing the property address, before May 1 of the first year you occupy the home. The application is free, and the exemption stays in place until you move or the district asks for verification.

  1. Move in first. The exemption depends on occupancy as your principal residence, so the house, barndominium, or manufactured home must be finished and lived in.
  2. Complete Form 50-114. Tax Code §11.43(f) requires the form to collect “the applicant's name and driver's license number, personal identification certificate number, or social security account number.” Buyers with an ITIN instead of a Social Security number use a Texas license or ID number.
  3. Match the address. Under §11.43(n), the chief appraiser cannot approve the exemption unless the address on the license or ID matches the property, with exceptions for active-duty military and protective-order licenses.
  4. File before May 1. Section 11.43(d) sets the deadline for exemptions determined as of January 1. Under §11.431, a late application is accepted up to two years after the delinquency date, with a refund for approved years.
  5. Add the manufactured home paperwork. Section 11.432 requires a copy of the Statement of Ownership from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, or an affidavit if the prior owner's paperwork cannot be found.

Verification is periodic. Tax Code §11.43(h-1) requires each appraisal district to confirm at least once every five years that owners still qualify, usually by mail.

Homestead Exemption vs. Ag Exemption on Texas Land: Which Applies?

A homestead exemption applies to the home and homesite you live on; an ag exemption applies to land in agricultural or wildlife use, with or without a home. Vacant acreage can carry only the ag valuation. Occupied acreage of 10 or more acres usually carries both, split by the appraisal district.

FactorResidence homestead exemptionAg exemption (1-d-1 valuation)
Legal basisTax Code §§11.13, 11.43, 23.23Tax Code §§23.51–23.55
Needs a home?Yes, occupied as principal residenceNo
Acreage coveredHouse plus up to 20 acresLand in qualifying use; county minimums often 10+ acres for grazing
Savings method$140,000 off school value; 10% appraisal capLand valued at productivity instead of market
Wait periodNone after move-in; prorated first year5 of the preceding 7 years in ag use
Penalty for ending useNone; exemption simply endsRollback of 3 years plus 5% interest

Market value sets the stakes. The Texas Real Estate Research Center's second-quarter 2026 rural land report puts the Austin-Waco-Hill Country region at a record $8,040 per acre, up 8.63 percent from a year earlier, and the statewide average at $5,218 per acre. The free ag exemption guide lists county minimums and contacts.

Which La Tierra Tracts Set Up Well for a Homestead?

La Tierra Realty tracts set up well for a homestead exemption when a buyer plans to live on the land within a year or two, because every tract is surveyed, unrestricted, and deeded to the buyer at closing. A tract of 20 acres or less can fall entirely under the exemption when it is used residentially; on 10 acres or more, owners often pair it with an ag valuation on the pasture.

Examples include Pecan Peak Ranch in Granbury (about 2 to 9 acres from $110,000, about 40 minutes from Fort Worth) and Campo de Oro in Lockhart (2 to 3.8 acres from $150,000, about 35 minutes from Austin). Financing runs through owner financing with Stonebridge Purchasing, which typically closes with a warranty deed to the buyer plus a note and deed of trust; ask about current terms. Browse every tract on the available properties page, and see what an acre costs in Central Texas.

Buy the Land Now, File the Homestead When You Move In

La Tierra Realty's surveyed, unrestricted tracts across Central and North Texas are deeded to you at closing, so the homestead exemption is yours to file the year your home is occupied. Ask us which tracts pair a homesite with an ag valuation. Call (512) 980-1719. Atención en español.

Browse Texas Land Download the Free Ag Exemption Guide

Sources: Texas Tax Code §§11.13, 11.26, 11.43, 11.431, 11.432, 23.23 (2026); Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Property Tax Exemptions (2026); Ballotpedia, Texas Proposition 13 and Proposition 11 (November 2025); Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, statement on Senate Bill 4 (February 2025); Ownwell, Texas Proposition 13 homestead exemption analysis (2025); Hood Central Appraisal District, Agricultural and Wildlife Appraisal (2026); Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University, Texas Rural Land Markets Second Quarter 2026 (2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim a homestead exemption if I live in an RV on my land?

No. Tax Code Section 11.13(j) defines a residence homestead as a structure, including a mobile home, together with up to 20 acres, and an RV is a titled vehicle rather than a structure attached to the land. A manufactured home does qualify once it has a Statement of Ownership from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and you occupy it as your principal residence.

Can I have a homestead exemption and an ag exemption on the same tract?

Yes. The county appraisal district splits the tract: the house and homesite carry the residence homestead exemption and the 10 percent appraisal cap, while the pasture carries the agricultural productivity value. Hood Central Appraisal District, for example, carves out 1 to 2 acres for the homesite when it grants agricultural use. Each portion needs its own application.

Does the homestead exemption move with me when I buy a new tract?

No. The exemption attaches to the property, so you file a new Form 50-114 with the new county's appraisal district after you move in. The 10 percent appraisal cap also starts over on the new property. Owners age 65 or older can transfer the percentage of their school tax ceiling to the new homestead under Tax Code Section 11.26.

What happens if I miss the April 30 homestead deadline in Texas?

You can still file. Tax Code Section 11.431 requires the chief appraiser to accept a late residence homestead application filed up to two years after the delinquency date for that year's taxes, and the district refunds any overpayment for the approved years. Filing late delays the refund, so most owners file the month they move in.

Do buyers with owner financing qualify for the homestead exemption?

Yes, when the buyer holds the deed and lives on the property. La Tierra financing typically closes with a warranty deed to the buyer plus a note and deed of trust, so the buyer is the record owner from day one and can file once a home is occupied. Tax Code Section 11.43(f) accepts a driver's license, personal ID certificate, or Social Security number on the application.

This article is general information for Texas property owners and is not legal or tax advice. Exemption amounts, deadlines, and local-option exemptions change with legislation and local votes; confirm current rules with the county appraisal district and the Texas Comptroller before relying on any figure. La Tierra Realty does not prepare tax filings.

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