Texas Veteran
Property Tax
Exemption
Texas offers one of the strongest veteran property tax benefits in the country. If you have a service-connected VA disability rating, you qualify for a reduction — and if you're rated 100% permanent and total (P&T), Texas removes your property taxes entirely. No partial reduction. Zero dollars. Every year.
Unlike a standard homestead exemption that requires you to own the property on January 1st, the 100% disabled veteran exemption takes effect the day you occupy the home as your primary residence. Property taxes are prorated for the year — you only owe taxes for the portion of the year before you qualified. You have up to one year from your qualification date to file your application.
This guide was written by Christopher Beal — U.S. Army veteran with a 100% permanent and total (P&T) VA disability rating, MRP-certified Military Relocation Professional, and founder of Veteran Real Estate San Antonio: The Beal Group. Ranked #13 in 2024 and #14 in 2025, and #20 in 2026 by the San Antonio Business Journal Top 25 Realtors. 6× eXp ICON Agent · 3× Platinum Top 50. He specializes in veteran and military home buying in San Antonio and the Hill Country.
Do 100% Disabled Veterans Pay Property Taxes in Texas?
No. Veterans with a 100% permanent and total (P&T) service-connected disability rating from the VA are fully exempt from property taxes on their primary residence in Texas under Texas Tax Code Section 11.131. The exemption eliminates all property taxes — county, city, school district, and special districts — on the full assessed value of the home with no cap on home price. Veterans with ratings from 10% to 99% qualify for partial reductions in assessed value scaled to their rating. The exemption applies to primary residences only, transfers to a new home if you move, and can be inherited by a surviving spouse who has not remarried. Applications are filed with the Bexar Appraisal District (bcad.org) in San Antonio. Unlike the standard homestead exemption, the 100% disabled veteran exemption is effective the day you move in — taxes are prorated for the year, and you have up to one year from the date you qualified to apply. Active duty and veteran buyers may also qualify for additional savings through the Serve & Save Program. Contact Christopher Beal — a 100% P&T veteran who has personally used this benefit — at (210) 882-8583.
Every Disability Rating Tier — What You Save
Exemption amounts represent the minimum reduction in assessed taxable value under state law. Individual taxing units may offer additional local exemptions on top of these amounts.
Sources: Texas Tax Code §11.131 (full 100% disabled veteran homestead exemption) and §11.22 (partial exemption tiers, any one property). Verify current exemption amounts and any local additions with the Bexar Appraisal District or the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Can You Use Both Exemptions at the Same Time?
Yes — and most veterans don't know this.
Complete elimination of all property taxes on your primary residence / homestead. No cap on home value. Applies to all taxing entities. Renews automatically.
Fixed assessed value reduction ($5,000–$12,000 depending on rating) applied to any one property you own — second home, vacation property, or investment property. Not limited to your homestead.
A veteran with a 100% P&T rating who owns their primary home in San Antonio and a second property in Boerne can:
① Apply §11.131 to the San Antonio primary residence → $0 property taxes on that home.
② Apply §11.22 to the Boerne second property → $12,000 reduction in assessed value on that property.
Both exemptions are active simultaneously. The §11.22 application for a second property uses Form 50-135 filed with the appraisal district for the county where that property is located. You must own the property as of January 1 of the application year.
No partial reduction. No cap on home value. No school district taxes, no county taxes, no city taxes, no special district taxes. A 100% P&T disabled veteran's primary residence in Texas is fully exempt from all property taxes. On a $450,000 home in Bexar County, that can represent roughly $9,000–$12,000 or more in annual savings depending on local tax rates and special districts — every year, for as long as you own the home. Confirm your specific savings with your tax statement or BCAD.
How to Apply for the Exemption in San Antonio
The Bexar Appraisal District (BCAD) handles all exemption applications for properties in Bexar County — including San Antonio, Helotes, Converse, Schertz, and other municipalities within the county.
Surviving Spouse Eligibility
The surviving spouse of a veteran who qualified for the 100% total property tax exemption may continue to receive the full exemption on the same property — provided they have not remarried and continue to occupy the property as their primary residence. The surviving spouse of a service member who died on active duty may also qualify for the exemption even if the veteran was not previously rated 100% P&T. Applications for surviving spouses are filed with the Bexar Appraisal District and require a death certificate, proof of the veteran's qualifying status, and confirmation of current primary residence. This benefit is also portable — if the surviving spouse moves to a new primary residence in Texas, they can apply for the exemption on the new property.
Texas Veteran Property Tax FAQ
Questions Christopher hears most from veteran buyers and homeowners in San Antonio
Does the 100% exemption apply to the full home value — even luxury homes?
What is the difference between the homestead exemption and the veteran disability exemption?
Can I transfer the exemption if I buy a new home in Texas?
What if my VA disability rating increases after I buy?
Does the exemption apply to investment properties or rental homes?
I just bought a home in San Antonio — when should I file?
Work With a Veteran Who Knows This Benefit Firsthand.
Christopher Beal is a 100% permanently and totally disabled Army veteran who has personally used the Texas veteran property tax exemption on his own San Antonio home. Ranked #13 in 2024 and #14 in 2025, and #20 in 2026 by the San Antonio Business Journal. 6× eXp ICON Agent · 3× Platinum Top 50. When veteran clients ask about this benefit, he's not reading from a script — he's been through the BCAD application process, knows what documents are required, and understands the real-dollar impact on your homeownership costs. He factors the exemption into every veteran buyer's purchasing analysis, because it fundamentally changes the true cost of ownership.
Maximize Your
Veteran Benefits
at Every Step.
The property tax exemption is one piece. Zero down payment with a VA loan, no PMI, and the funding fee waiver for 100% P&T veterans are the others. Christopher Beal knows how to stack all of these benefits into a purchase that makes financial sense — because he's used them himself.