Texas · Zavala County · Local exemptions · Updated Oct 2026
Zavala County, TX property tax exemptions (2026)
The property tax breaks that are set or run locally in Zavala 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 Zavala County
In Zavala County your exemptions depend on each taxing unit on your bill: of the 6 units the Zavala Central Appraisal District lists for 2025, 0 give a percentage homestead exemption, 2 non-school units add an over-65 amount, and the list does not say which non-school units have adopted a tax ceiling (freeze). Zavala County itself: $20,000 off for owners 65 or older. It has no percentage homestead exemption. Crystal City ISD: $10,000 off for owners 65 or older (on top of the state $60,000); a school tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners, as state law requires. It has no percentage homestead exemption.
Apply at
Zavala Central Appraisal District
Phone
830-374-3475
Local breaks
Zavala County local option homestead exemptions, Crystal City ISD local option homestead exemptions, City of Crystal City local option homestead exemptions
$20,000 off for owners 65 or older. It has no percentage homestead exemption.
Set by
county
Tax year
2025
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in Zavala 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 Zavala County: file Form 50-114 once with the Zavala Central 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.
Crystal City ISD local option homestead exemptions
$10,000 off for owners 65 or older (on top of the state $60,000); 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
2025
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in Crystal City 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 Crystal City ISD: file Form 50-114 once with the Zavala Central 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.
City of Crystal City local option homestead exemptions
$20,000 off for owners 65 or older. It has no percentage homestead exemption.
Set by
city
Tax year
2025
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in City of Crystal City. 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 Crystal City: file Form 50-114 once with the Zavala Central 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 Zavala County
Answer a few questions to see which property tax breaks may fit you. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Document checklist for Zavala 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 Zavala County
What property tax exemptions are there in Zavala County?
In Zavala County your exemptions depend on each taxing unit on your bill: of the 6 units the Zavala Central Appraisal District lists for 2025, 0 give a percentage homestead exemption, 2 non-school units add an over-65 amount, and the list does not say which non-school units have adopted a tax ceiling (freeze). Zavala County itself: $20,000 off for owners 65 or older. It has no percentage homestead exemption. Crystal City ISD: $10,000 off for owners 65 or older (on top of the state $60,000); a school tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners, as state law requires. It has no percentage homestead exemption. Local breaks here: Zavala County local option homestead exemptions; Crystal City ISD local option homestead exemptions; City of Crystal City local option homestead exemptions.
Where do I apply for a property tax exemption in Zavala County?
Zavala Central Appraisal District Phone: 830-374-3475 Address: 323 W. Zavala St., Crystal City, TX 78839-3240. Also: Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Assistance Division, which state agency: statewide exemption rules and forms.
When is the deadline to apply in Zavala County?
Zavala 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). Crystal City 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 Crystal City 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 Zavala County?
Zavala County local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply. Crystal City ISD local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply. City of Crystal City local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
Do Texas’s statewide exemptions apply in Zavala 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 Zavala County sets or runs itself.
Good to know in Zavala 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 Zavala 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.