--- title: "Appraisal district: Definition and Sources | Tax Glossary" description: "An appraisal district is the county office that sets the appraised value of property for local taxing units; Tarrant Appraisal District and Denton CAD are two..." url: https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/appraisal-district publisher: Wallace CPA phone: +1-877-682-1171 quote: https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/contact --- Property tax # Appraisal district An appraisal district is the county office that sets the appraised value of property for local taxing units; Tarrant Appraisal District and Denton CAD are two examples. In Texas, a county appraisal district values property each year. It does not set tax rates. Cities, counties, schools and special districts set rates, and the tax assessor-collector sends the bill. The Comptroller advises owners to take appraisal and tax questions to the local appraisal district or the tax assessor-collector. The district also takes [homestead exemption](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/homestead-exemption) applications and mails the notice of appraised value. If you disagree with the value, you file a [property tax protest](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/property-tax-protest). Southlake and Westlake owners deal with Tarrant Appraisal District. See the [Tarrant Appraisal District dates post](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/blog/tarrant-appraisal-district-dates-southlake) for local timing. [Wallace CPA can helpTax planning](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/services/tax-planning) ## Related terms - [Homestead exemption](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/homestead-exemption) - [Property tax protest](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/property-tax-protest) ## Sources 1. [Texas Comptroller: Property tax](https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/) 2. [Tarrant Appraisal District: 2026 notices of appraised value](https://www.tad.org/tad-mails-2026-notices-of-appraised-value-to-property-owners) ## Talk to Wallace CPA Call the Southlake office and say what you need: a return, an IRS letter, your books or a new business. Have the notice or last year's return nearby if you have one. [Call (877) 682-1171](tel:+1-877-682-1171)[Send a message](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/contact) 180 State Street, Suite 225, Southlake, TX 76092