Inside Bryan city limits, the combined property tax rate for 2025 is $1.9906 per $100 of taxable value, split among three taxing entities: Bryan Independent School District at $0.9469, the City of Bryan at $0.6240, and Brazos County at $0.4197.1Brazos Central Appraisal District. Adopted Tax Rates Each entity resets its rate every fall, so the total shifts from year to year. On a $250,000 home with no exemptions, that combined rate produces an annual bill of about $4,977.
Who Levies the Tax and What Each Rate Funds
Three separate governing bodies tax every parcel inside the city, and the Brazos County Tax Office sends a single combined bill on their behalf.2Brazos County, TX – Official Website. Property Taxes The 2025 breakdown looks like this:
- Bryan ISD: $0.9469 per $100, made up of $0.6769 for maintenance and operations and $0.2700 for debt service.
- City of Bryan: $0.6240 per $100, made up of $0.4528 for maintenance and operations and $0.1712 for debt service.
- Brazos County: $0.4197 per $100, made up of $0.3895 for maintenance and operations and $0.0302 for debt service.
The school district takes the largest share by a wide margin. On that $250,000 home with no exemptions, Bryan ISD alone accounts for about $2,367 of the $4,977 total. The maintenance-and-operations portion funds day-to-day costs like salaries and utilities. The debt-service portion, sometimes called “interest and sinking,” pays off bonds issued for capital projects like new schools or road improvements.
How Your Bill Is Calculated
The Brazos Central Appraisal District (BCAD) appraises every property in the county at its market value as of January 1 each year.3Brazos Central Appraisal District. Brazos Central Appraisal District Market value is what a willing buyer would pay a willing seller in the current market. BCAD uses mass appraisal methods, analyzing recent sales, property characteristics, and neighborhood trends across the county.
Once BCAD sets your market value and any exemptions are applied, the result is your taxable value. Divide that by 100, then multiply by the combined rate. For a $250,000 home with no exemptions:
$250,000 ÷ 100 = 2,500 × $1.9906 = $4,976.50 per year.
The same home with a $140,000 school-district homestead exemption would owe Bryan ISD taxes on only $110,000. That drops the school portion from $2,367 to roughly $1,042 and the total bill to about $3,651.
Exemptions That Lower What You Owe
General Homestead
If you own and live in the home as your primary residence, the general homestead exemption removes $140,000 from your appraised value before school district tax is calculated.4Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Property Tax Exemptions The City of Bryan and Brazos County may offer additional optional homestead exemptions on top of that. To qualify, your Texas driver’s license or state ID must show the property address.5Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Residence Homestead Exemption Application
Apply by filing Form 50-114 with BCAD. The general deadline is before May 1 of the tax year, though late applications may be accepted up to two years after the delinquency date for the taxes on which the exemption is claimed.4Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Property Tax Exemptions You file once and don’t need to reapply as long as you remain in the home.
Over-65 and Disability
Homeowners who are 65 or older or who have a qualifying disability receive an additional $10,000 off their taxable value for school district purposes, on top of the general homestead exemption.6State of Texas. Texas Tax Code TAX 11.13 – Residence Homestead The larger benefit is the school district tax ceiling. Whatever you owe Bryan ISD the first year you turn 65 (or first qualify as disabled) becomes a permanent cap. Your school taxes cannot go higher than that amount, even if your home’s value rises. If the school rate drops, your bill can go down, but it can never exceed the ceiling. A proportional ceiling can also be transferred to a new home elsewhere in Texas.
Disabled Veterans
Veterans with a service-connected disability qualify for exemptions tied to their VA disability rating:7Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Disabled Veteran and Surviving Spouse Exemptions Frequently Asked Questions
- 10% to 29% disability: up to $5,000 off the property’s value.
- 30% to 49%: up to $7,500.
- 50% to 69%: up to $10,000.
- 70% to 100%: up to $12,000.
Veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled, along with those who are 65 or older with at least a 10% rating, totally blind, or who have lost the use of one or more limbs, can qualify for either the $12,000 exemption or, under a separate provision, a complete exemption from all property taxes on their homestead.7Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Disabled Veteran and Surviving Spouse Exemptions Frequently Asked Questions Surviving spouses of qualifying veterans may keep these benefits.
The 10% Homestead Appraisal Cap
Even in a hot market, Texas law limits how fast a homesteaded property’s appraised value can climb. Once your homestead exemption is in place, BCAD cannot raise your appraised value by more than 10% per year, plus the value of any new improvements you’ve added. If comparable sales suggest your home jumped 25% in one year, the appraisal district can still only raise your taxable value by 10%. The gap between the capped value and full market value narrows over time, but in years when prices spike, this cap saves real money.
The cap applies only while the homestead exemption is active. If you buy a home the previous owner homesteaded, the cap resets to full market value in your first year of ownership, before your own homestead exemption kicks in. That first-year jump catches a lot of new buyers off guard.
Protesting Your Appraised Value
If BCAD’s appraisal seems too high, you can protest, and this is the single most effective way to lower your bill. Filing costs nothing. Each spring, BCAD mails notices of appraised value. You must file a written protest by May 15, or within 30 days of the date your notice was delivered, whichever is later.8State of Texas. Texas Tax Code TAX 41.44 – Notice of Protest Form 50-132 works, but any written notice that identifies the property and states your disagreement is accepted.9Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Appraisal Protests and Appeals
Strong protests rely on evidence. Recent sales of comparable homes in your neighborhood are the most persuasive. Photos of property conditions that hurt value (deferred maintenance, foundation issues, a flood-prone lot) also help. Pull BCAD’s evidence packet before your hearing to see exactly what data they’re relying on and to spot errors in square footage, lot size, or property features.
Your case goes before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB), a panel of local citizens. Hearings typically last 15 to 20 minutes. You present your evidence, the appraisal district presents theirs, and the board decides. You can attend in person, appear by phone or video, or submit a sworn written statement. If the ARB rules against you, the next steps are binding arbitration or a suit in district court.9Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Appraisal Protests and Appeals
When to Pay and What Happens If You’re Late
Tax bills go out in October, and payment is due by January 31. Anything unpaid on February 1 is delinquent.10Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Paying Your Taxes The Brazos County Tax Office collects for all three entities and accepts payment online at brazostax.org (credited up to 11:00 p.m. on the date submitted), by mail (timely if postmarked by January 31, so metered or unstamped postage is risky), or in person at the office in Bryan.2Brazos County, TX – Official Website. Property Taxes
Miss the January 31 deadline and penalties and interest stack up quickly:11State of Texas. Texas Tax Code TAX 33.01 – Penalties and Interest
- February 1: 6% penalty plus 1% interest (7% total).
- March 1: 7% penalty plus 2% interest (9% total).
- April 1: 8% penalty plus 3% interest (11% total).
- May 1: 9% penalty plus 4% interest (13% total).
- June 1: 10% penalty plus 5% interest (15% total).
- July 1: penalty jumps to a flat 12% plus 6% interest (18% total), and an additional collection penalty may apply.
After July 1, the 12% penalty holds while interest keeps climbing at 1% per month with no cap. On a $5,000 bill, waiting until July 1 costs you $900 in penalties and interest. The tax office has no authority to waive these charges; they’re set by state law.10Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Paying Your Taxes Taxes left delinquent long enough can produce a tax lien and, eventually, a foreclosure suit.
Installment Plans and Deferrals for Qualifying Owners
If you’re 65 or older, disabled, or a disabled veteran, Texas offers two ways to ease a large bill.
The quarterly installment plan splits your annual tax into four equal payments with no penalty or interest, as long as you make the first payment and submit a written request before February 1. The remaining three are due before April 1, June 1, and August 1. Miss any installment and the unpaid portion becomes delinquent with the standard 6% penalty and 1% monthly interest.12Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Payment Options
A tax deferral goes further. Homeowners 65 or older and those with disabilities can defer all property tax payments on their homestead indefinitely; taxes don’t come due until you no longer own or live in the home. Deferred taxes accrue interest at 5% per year, and the full balance becomes due when the deferral ends. It can be a lifeline on a fixed income, but the balance grows steadily, so it’s better as a last resort than a first choice.