Henderson County Appraisal District: Disabled Veteran Exemptions

The exemptions are the State's; the Texas entries explain them. The Henderson County Appraisal District decides them for property in Henderson County, from 1751 Enterprise Street, Athens; 903-675-9296. Partial exemption. The district's 2026 Exemptions Notice Publication says Texas law provides partial exemptions "for any property owned by disabled veterans, surviving spouses, and surviving children of deceased disabled veterans", including homesteads donated to disabled veterans by charitable organizations, with "the percentage of service-connected disability" determining "the exemption amount" - the $5,000 to $12,000 range of Tax Code 11.22, which the district's Exemptions Brochure states outright and ties to documents from VA or the service branch showing a rating of at least 10 percent. 100 percent residence homestead (Tax Code 11.131). The notice: a disabled veteran awarded 100 percent disability compensation due to a service-connected disability and a rating of 100 percent disabled or individual unemployability "is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the total appraised value of the veteran's residence homestead", with surviving spouses of veterans who qualified, or would have qualified, also eligible with certain restrictions. When to file. Return the application to the district after January 1 but no later than April 30; the brochure adds that late filing does not apply to the disabled veteran's exemption, and that once granted the exemption need not be reapplied for unless the chief appraiser asks or qualifications change. The district must have a copy of a Texas driver licence. Tax deferral. The notice also names "qualified disabled veterans, their unmarried surviving spouses, or their unmarried children under age 18" among those who may sign a tax deferral affidavit at the district office, deferring - not cancelling - current and delinquent homestead taxes while the owner lives in the home, at 5 percent interest a year, with no penalties during the deferral period.