Property Taxes in San Antonio: What You Need to Know

Written by: Levi Rodgers, Founder

Updated on May 28, 2026

Cost · Guide

Property Taxes In San Antonio Texas

San Antonio property tax bills stack levies from Bexar County, the city, your school district, Alamo Community College, and University Health on a single statement. The city rate alone is $0.54159 per $100 of assessed value, and homestead exemptions can reduce school taxable value by $100,000 to $140,000. San Antonio is now weighing its first rate increase in 33 years to close a structural budget deficit, so 2026 bills could shift noticeably.

San Antonio Property Tax Rates by Category

School district: The school district levy at 1.38% is the largest slice of your bill, typically accounting for more than half the total rate.
City rate: San Antonio’s city portion sits at 0.56%, though the city is weighing its first rate increase in 33 years for the 2026 tax year.
County rate: Bexar County adds 0.75% for county services, pushing the typical combined rate across all taxing entities to between 2.5% and 2.9%.
Bottom line: On a $300,000 home, that 2.5% to 2.9% combined rate means $7,500 to $8,700 per year before any homestead exemption savings.

Annual Property Tax Bill by Home Value

$250,000 home: At Bexar County’s combined 2.5% to 2.9% rate, expect $6,250 to $7,250 annually, or $520 to $604 added to your monthly mortgage escrow.
$400,000 home: The same rate range puts your annual bill at $10,000 to $11,600, pushing monthly escrow contributions past $830 before exemptions.
Homestead exemption offset: Filing a homestead exemption with Bexar County removes $100,000 from your school district taxable value, saving roughly $1,380 per year on most San Antonio homes.
Worth noting: San Antonio is considering its first city property tax rate increase in 33 years for 2026, so current estimates may shift upward for buyers closing after October.

San Antonio Property Tax Exemptions

Homestead savings: Texas removes $100,000 from your school district taxable value through the general homestead exemption. Bexar County, San Antonio, and local districts layer additional reductions on top.
Over-65 and disabled: Qualifying homeowners receive an additional $10,000 school district exemption plus a permanent school tax freeze, locking your school taxes at the amount owed the year you qualify.
Filing deadline: Submit your homestead exemption application to the Bexar Appraisal District by April 30 of the tax year with your deed, Texas ID, and proof of occupancy.
Bottom line: A homeowner turning 65 on a $250,000 home can save $2,000 or more annually by stacking the general homestead and over-65 exemptions, and those school taxes never increase again.

Real-World San Antonio Property Tax Examples

New purchase: A $400,000 home in 78258 at a 2.7% combined rate owes roughly $10,800 per year before any exemption filings.
Homestead filing: That same home with the $100,000 school tax homestead exemption saves about $1,380 annually, dropping the bill to roughly $9,420.
Disabled Veteran: A 100% service-connected disabled Veteran pays zero property taxes on their primary residence in Bexar County, regardless of assessed value.
Worth noting: On a $400,000 purchase without exemptions, property taxes add $900 per month to your escrow, so file your homestead exemption immediately after closing.

What are property taxes in San Antonio, Texas?

San Antonio’s total combined property tax rate typically falls between 2.5% and 2.9%, depending on your exact location and taxing districts. The median effective rate in Bexar County is about 1.55%, higher than both the Texas state median of 1.48% and the national median of 1.02%. All property taxes are due by January 31st.

How do property taxes in San Antonio work?

Multiple taxing units (city, county, school district) each set their own rate, and the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector sends one combined bill. Total rates typically fall between 2.5% and 2.9% of assessed value. Taxes are due January 31, with penalties and interest starting February 1.

Who pays property taxes in San Antonio, Texas?

Every property owner in San Antonio pays property taxes to the city, Bexar County, and local school districts, with combined rates typically ranging from 2.5% to 2.9% of assessed value. The Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector bills all taxing units together, and payment is due by January 31 of the following year.

The Bottom Line Up Front

San Antonio property owners pay some of the highest property tax rates in Texas, with combined rates typically landing between 2.5% and 2.9% depending on your exact location within Bexar County. Understanding how the city, county, and school district each set their own rates, plus what exemptions you qualify for, determines whether your annual bill stays manageable or catches you off guard.

The City of San Antonio’s rate sits around 0.56%, Bexar County adds roughly 0.75%, and the school district portion can push 1.38% or higher. That school district slice is the largest piece of your bill. The city is also weighing its first property tax rate increase in 33 years for the 2026 tax year, which would push combined rates even higher. Homestead exemptions, over-65 freezes, and disabled Veteran exemptions can cut thousands off your annual obligation. All taxes are due by January 31st, with penalties and interest starting February 1st.

Combined property tax rates in San Antonio range from 2.5% to 2.9% based on taxing jurisdictions.
School district taxes make up roughly half your total bill, often exceeding 1.38%.
San Antonio may raise its city tax rate for the first time since 1993.
Homestead, over-65, and disabled Veteran exemptions can lower your taxable value by tens of thousands.
All Bexar County property taxes are due January 31st, with penalties accruing starting February 1st.

How Are Property Taxes Calculated in San Antonio?

San Antonio property taxes come from three overlapping taxing entities: the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and your local school district. Each sets its own rate annually based on its adopted budget. The Bexar County Appraisal District assesses your property’s market value each spring, and all three entities apply their rates against that assessed value. Most San Antonio homeowners see a combined rate between 2.5% and 2.9%.

The appraisal district reassesses values every year using comparable sales data from your area. You receive a notice of appraised value in the spring, and that number determines your entire tax bill. If the appraised value looks inflated, you can file a protest with the Bexar County Appraisal Review Board before the deadline (usually May 15 or 30 days after the notice, whichever is later). Protesting costs nothing and is worth doing when countywide values spike.

Taxing Entity	Approximate Rate	Annual Tax on $300,000 Home
City of San Antonio	0.56%	$1,680
Bexar County	0.75%	$2,250
Local School District (varies by ISD)	1.30%–1.40%	$3,900–$4,200

Combin

On a $300,000 home at the 2.69% combined rate, the annual bill comes to roughly $8,070 before exemptions. A standard homestead exemption removes $100,000 from the school district’s taxable value, which saves approximately $1,380 per year. Filing for homestead exemption is the single most effective tax reduction for owner-occupants in Bexar County, and you only need to apply once.

tax reduction for owner-occupants in Bexar County, and you only need to apply once.

Which Districts Tax Your Property?

Your San Antonio property tax bill comes from several overlapping taxing districts, not a single rate. The school district where your home sits determines the largest chunk of that bill. Two houses in the same ZIP code can carry different combined rates if they fall in different school districts, so checking your specific parcel matters more than using citywide averages.

Bexar County collects taxes on behalf of all overlapping jurisdictions through a single annual bill due January 31. The city and county rates stay consistent across San Antonio, but the school district portion swings the total significantly. Special districts for flood control, emergency services, or water management can add smaller levies depending on your location within the county.

Taxing District	Approximate Rate	Share of Typical Bill
City of San Antonio	0.56%	~21%
Bexar County	0.75%	~28%
San Antonio ISD	1.38%	~51%
Northside ISD	1.22%	~47%
North East ISD	1.25%	~48%

Special Distric

On a $275,000 home in San Antonio ISD, the school district alone accounts for roughly $3,795 of your annual bill before exemptions. Switching that same home to Northside ISD territory drops the school portion by about $440 per year. Pull your specific taxing districts on the Bexar County Tax Office website using your property’s account number.

on the Bexar County Tax Office website using your property’s account number.

What New Homeowners Actually Pay

A new homeowner buying at San Antonio’s median sale price of roughly $280,000 can expect an annual property tax bill between $7,000 and $8,120, depending on the combined rate in their specific taxing districts. That range assumes the standard homestead exemption is in place. Without it, the bill runs higher in year one since the exemption must be filed separately after closing.

Your first tax bill often surprises buyers because the appraisal district reassesses the property at your purchase price. If the prior owner held the home for years with a homestead cap limiting annual increases to 10%, the taxable value may jump significantly once ownership transfers. A home previously taxed on a $220,000 assessed value that sells for $280,000 resets to the higher number, and your bill reflects that full valuation from day one.

Homestead exemption filing deadline is April 30 of the year following your purchase. File with the Bexar Appraisal District as soon as you close.
School district exemptions (typically $100,000 off assessed value) provide the largest single reduction on your bill.
Over-65 and disabled Veteran exemptions offer additional freezes and reductions beyond the standard homestead.
Mortgage escrow estimates may understate the actual bill if based on the prior owner’s lower assessed value.
Taxes are due January 31 of the following year, with penalties and interest starting February 1.

If you close on a $280,000 home in July, your lender will collect roughly $580 to $680 per month in escrow for property taxes alone. Run the numbers before you make an offer, not after. The purchase price determines your assessed value, and in San Antonio, that assessed value directly sets your tax burden for at least the first full year of ownership. Budget for the reset, not the seller’s old bill.

Connect with LRG →

Exemption Mistakes That Cost You Money

The most expensive property tax error in San Antonio is skipping exemptions you already qualify for. Bexar Appraisal District processes homestead, over-65, disabled Veteran, and surviving spouse exemptions, but none of them apply automatically. You have to file each one. Missing the basic homestead exemption alone on a $280,000 home means overpaying by roughly $700 to $900 every year with no retroactive credit.

Most of these mistakes happen because Bexar County exemptions require a separate application. The appraisal district does not flag your account or send reminders when you close on a home. Title companies sometimes mention homestead filing at closing, but there is no requirement to do so. Veterans with a VA-rated disability of 100% qualify for a full property tax exemption on their primary residence in Texas, yet many never file because they assume the VA notifies the county. It does not. You file directly with BCAD.

Mistake	What It Costs You
Not filing homestead exemption	$700–$900/year on a $280,000 home (lost $100,000 school district exemption plus 10% appraisal cap)
Missing the April 30 deadline	Full tax bill for the entire year with no partial credit
Assuming exemptions transfer at closing	New owners must file separately; the seller’s exemption does not carry over
Skipping over-65 or disabled Veteran filing	Lose school district tax ceiling freeze and up to $12,000 in additional exemption value
Not protesting after a valuation spike	Accepting an inflated assessed value locks in higher taxes until you protest or sell

Filing homestead on wrong property Only one Tex

If you bought your San Antonio home in the last 12 months and have not filed a homestead exemption with the Bexar Appraisal District, start there. The application is free on the BCAD website and takes about 15 minutes. Over-65 and disabled Veteran exemptions require additional documentation but save significantly more. File before April 30 of each tax year to lock in that year’s savings.

ave significantly more. File before April 30 of each tax year to lock in that year’s savings.

Filing Your Homestead Exemption Step by Step

Filing your homestead exemption with the Bexar Appraisal District takes about 15 minutes online and saves most San Antonio homeowners between $500 and $1,500 per year depending on their school district and other overlapping taxing entities. The deadline is April 30 of the tax year you want the exemption applied, but Texas allows retroactive filing for the previous two tax years if you missed it.

The most common delay is an address mismatch between your Texas driver’s license and the property. Bexar CAD requires your state-issued ID to show the same address as the home you are claiming. If you recently closed on a house and have not updated your license, the application stalls until you do. Update your address at any Texas DPS office or through the DPS online change-of-address portal before you start the exemption application.

Locate your property’s geographic ID number on your appraisal notice or through the Bexar CAD online property search.
Update your Texas driver’s license or state ID to reflect your San Antonio property address before applying.
Complete Form 50-114 (Residence Homestead Exemption Application) on the Bexar CAD website or download it from the Texas Comptroller. Check the general homestead box plus any additional exemptions you qualify for, such as over-65, disabled Veteran, or surviving spouse.
Attach a copy of your updated Texas ID showing the matching property address.
Submit online through the Bexar CAD portal or mail the completed form to Bexar Appraisal District, P.O. Box 830248, San Antonio, TX 78283.
Check your exemption status online within 30 to 90 days after submission. Bexar CAD sends a confirmation letter once approved.

If you bought your home mid-year, file the exemption as soon as your ID reflects the new address. The exemption applies to the full tax year provided you owned and occupied the property on January 1. Homeowners who filed in a prior year do not need to refile annually. Bexar CAD keeps the exemption active until ownership changes or you move to a different primary residence.

Payment Deadlines and Penalty Breakdown

Bexar County property taxes are due January 31st of the year following the tax year. Miss that date and penalties plus interest start accruing on February 1st, climbing every month. By July, the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector adds a 20% collections penalty on top of what you already owe. On a $7,500 tax bill, that July hit alone adds $1,500.

Month Delinquent	Penalty	Interest	Combined Cost on $7,500 Bill
February 1	6%	1%	$525
March 1	7%	2%	$675
April 1	8%	3%	$825
May 1	9%	4%	$975
June 1	10%	5%	$1,125
July 1	12% + 20% collections	6%	$2,850

Homeowners 65 or older and those with a disability exemption can split payments into quarterly installments without penalty, as long as the first quarter is paid by January 31st. Active-duty Military personnel deployed outside the U.S. get an automatic 60-day extension from their return date. Both options require filing with the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector before the original deadline passes.

If your mortgage includes an escrow account, your lender handles the January payment directly. Verify with your servicer each fall that the escrow analysis reflects your current tax amount, especially after a reappraisal year. Escrow shortages that go unnoticed until February create the same penalty exposure, and the lender passes those costs back to you.

The Bottom Line

San Antonio property taxes come down to three factors: which taxing districts overlap your address, what your school district charges, and whether you’ve filed every exemption you qualify for. On a $280,000 home, expect $7,000 to $8,120 per year before exemptions. The school district rate drives the largest share of that bill, and two homes a few blocks apart can land in different districts with meaningfully different totals.

The single highest-value action is filing your homestead exemption through the Bexar Appraisal District. It takes about 15 minutes online and saves most homeowners $500 to $1,500 annually. Skip it, and you’re overpaying from day one.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are San Antonio property taxes due, and what happens if you pay late?

Bexar County property taxes are due by January 31 of the year following the tax year. If you miss that deadline, a 6% penalty plus 1% interest applies starting February 1. The penalty increases each month, reaching 12% by July 1. After July 1, an additional 20% collection penalty applies if your account goes to a delinquent tax attorney. On a $5,000 tax bill, a July delinquency could add over $1,600 in penalties and interest. The Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector’s office accepts payments online, by mail, or in person at their offices on Dolorosa Street.

What exemptions can reduce your San Antonio property tax bill?

The most common is the homestead exemption. Texas homeowners receive a mandatory $100,000 school district exemption on their primary residence. Bexar County and the City of San Antonio offer additional homestead exemptions that vary by taxing unit. Seniors 65 and older and disabled homeowners qualify for an extra $10,000 school district exemption plus a tax ceiling that freezes their school taxes at the amount owed the year they qualified. Disabled Veterans may receive exemptions ranging from $5,000 to a full exemption depending on VA disability rating. File with the Bexar Appraisal District using Form 50-114.

How do you protest your property tax appraisal in Bexar County?

File a Notice of Protest (Form 50-132) with the Bexar Appraisal District by May 15, or within 30 days of receiving your appraisal notice, whichever is later. You can file online through the Bexar Appraisal District’s eFile system. At the informal hearing, bring comparable sales data for homes similar to yours in size, age, and condition. If the informal hearing doesn’t resolve it, you proceed to the Appraisal Review Board for a formal hearing. Most homeowners settle at the informal stage. Protesting is free, and worth doing annually, especially when assessed values jump significantly.

How do San Antonio property tax rates compare to Austin and Houston?

San Antonio’s combined property tax rate typically falls between 2.5% and 2.9% of assessed value, depending on your exact location and overlapping taxing jurisdictions. Austin’s combined rates generally range from 1.8% to 2.2%, while Houston falls between 2.0% and 2.5%. San Antonio’s lower home prices offset much of the rate difference. A $300,000 home in San Antonio at a 2.7% rate generates about $8,100 in annual taxes. That same budget in Austin might buy a $450,000 home at 2.0%, producing $9,000 in annual taxes. The total dollar amount matters more than the rate alone.

What are common mistakes homeowners make with San Antonio property taxes?

The biggest mistake is not filing a homestead exemption. A significant number of eligible Bexar County homeowners miss this, leaving hundreds or thousands of dollars on the table each year. Second is skipping the annual appraisal protest. Even in flat markets, filing a protest often results in a reduction. Third, new buyers sometimes assume the seller’s tax amount carries forward. It does not. When a home sells, the appraisal district reassesses at market value, which can significantly increase the bill. Finally, some owners miss the January 31 deadline and get hit with avoidable penalties that compound monthly.

Can you pay San Antonio property taxes in installments?

Bexar County offers a quarter-payment plan for homestead properties owned by seniors 65 and older, disabled homeowners, and disabled Veterans. Payments split into four installments due January 31, March 31, May 31, and July 31. Active Military members on deployment can defer payments without penalty until 60 days after returning from service. All other homeowners must pay in full by January 31 or face penalties. If you owe delinquent taxes, the Bexar County Tax Office also offers installment agreements, though penalties and interest continue to accrue on the unpaid balance until it is paid off.

What happens to property taxes when you buy or sell a home in San Antonio?

Property taxes are prorated between buyer and seller at closing. The title company calculates each party’s share based on the closing date. If you close on June 30, the seller covers roughly half the year and the buyer covers the rest. The proration is typically based on the prior year’s tax amount until the current year’s bill is finalized. One thing to watch: if the seller had a homestead exemption and you don’t file yours promptly, your first full tax bill could come in noticeably higher than expected. File your homestead exemption with the Bexar Appraisal District immediately after closing.