Texas · Washington County · Local exemptions · Updated Oct 2026
Washington County, TX property tax exemptions (2026)
The property tax breaks that are set or run locally in Washington County, on top of Texas’s statewide rules: what each is worth here, who qualifies, where to apply and the deadline.
What is different in Washington County
In Washington County your exemptions depend on each taxing unit on your bill: of the 10 units the Washington County Appraisal District lists for 2026, 1 give a percentage homestead exemption, 4 non-school units add an over-65 amount, and the list does not say which non-school units have adopted a tax ceiling (freeze). Washington County itself: An over-65 exemption (yes, amount not listed). It has no percentage homestead exemption. Brenham ISD: An over-65 exemption (yes, amount not listed); a school tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners, as state law requires. It has no percentage homestead exemption.
Apply at
Washington County Appraisal District
Phone
979-277-3740
Local breaks
Washington County local option homestead exemptions, Brenham ISD local option homestead exemptions, City of Brenham local option homestead exemptions
Washington County local option homestead exemptions
An over-65 exemption (yes, amount not listed). It has no percentage homestead exemption.
Set by
county
Tax year
2026
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in Washington County. Over-65 amount: you are 65 or older; a surviving spouse 55 or older can keep it.
How to apply
No separate application to Washington County: file Form 50-114 once with the Washington County Appraisal District, checking the age 65 or disabled box if it applies, with a copy of your Texas driver's license or ID showing the home's address. The appraisal district applies every taxing unit's exemptions to your home.
Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431).
Renewal
One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
An over-65 exemption (yes, amount not listed); a school tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners, as state law requires. It has no percentage homestead exemption.
Set by
school district
Tax year
2026
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in Brenham ISD. Over-65 amount: you are 65 or older; a surviving spouse 55 or older can keep it.
How to apply
No separate application to Brenham ISD: file Form 50-114 once with the Washington County Appraisal District, checking the age 65 or disabled box if it applies, with a copy of your Texas driver's license or ID showing the home's address. The appraisal district applies every taxing unit's exemptions to your home.
Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431).
Renewal
One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
An over-65 exemption (yes, amount not listed). It has no percentage homestead exemption.
Set by
city
Tax year
2026
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in City of Brenham. Over-65 amount: you are 65 or older; a surviving spouse 55 or older can keep it.
How to apply
No separate application to City of Brenham: file Form 50-114 once with the Washington County Appraisal District, checking the age 65 or disabled box if it applies, with a copy of your Texas driver's license or ID showing the home's address. The appraisal district applies every taxing unit's exemptions to your home.
Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431).
Renewal
One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
Roughly what an exemption could save you a year: the value it takes off, times your tax rate.
Eligibility finder for Washington County
Answer a few questions to see which property tax breaks may fit you. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Document checklist for Washington County
Pick the breaks you plan to apply for. You get a checklist of forms, documents, steps and deadlines to print or keep on your phone.
Questions about property tax exemptions in Washington County
What property tax exemptions are there in Washington County?
In Washington County your exemptions depend on each taxing unit on your bill: of the 10 units the Washington County Appraisal District lists for 2026, 1 give a percentage homestead exemption, 4 non-school units add an over-65 amount, and the list does not say which non-school units have adopted a tax ceiling (freeze). Washington County itself: An over-65 exemption (yes, amount not listed). It has no percentage homestead exemption. Brenham ISD: An over-65 exemption (yes, amount not listed); a school tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners, as state law requires. It has no percentage homestead exemption. Local breaks here: Washington County local option homestead exemptions; Brenham ISD local option homestead exemptions; City of Brenham local option homestead exemptions.
Where do I apply for a property tax exemption in Washington County?
Washington County Appraisal District Phone: 979-277-3740 Address: 1301 Niebuhr St., Brenham, TX 77833-5031. Also: Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Assistance Division, which state agency: statewide exemption rules and forms.
When is the deadline to apply in Washington County?
Washington County local option homestead exemptions: Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431). Brenham ISD local option homestead exemptions: Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431). City of Brenham local option homestead exemptions: Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431).
Do I have to reapply every year in Washington County?
Washington County local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply. Brenham ISD local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply. City of Brenham local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
Do Texas’s statewide exemptions apply in Washington County too?
Yes. The statewide breaks on our Texas page apply here as well, for example General Residence Homestead Exemption, Age 65 or Older or Disabled Residence Homestead Exemption and School Tax Ceiling (tax freeze) for Age 65 or Older or Disabled. This page adds what Washington County sets or runs itself.
Good to know in Washington County
Statewide, every school district must exempt $140,000 of a homestead's value and another $60,000 for owners 65+ or disabled, and freeze school taxes for them; the amounts in the table are what each local unit adds (Texas Tax Code §11.13, §11.26).
Median effective tax rate for Washington County: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, county figures as published by Tax Foundation. The rate is property taxes paid divided by home value.