The Falls County Appraisal District (Falls CAD) sets the January 1 market value on every property in Falls County, handles homestead and other exemptions, and is where a value protest starts. Falls CAD does not collect taxes. Its site sends you to the Falls County Tax Office to pay. Falls CAD is at 403 Craik St., Marlin, TX 76661, phone (254) 883-2543, online at fallscad.net. The site uses both "Falls County Appraisal District" and "Falls County Central Appraisal District," so if you searched either name, this is the office you want.
I'm Taylor Ring, a Mortgage Loan Officer with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (The Wood Group) in Belton. I'm not affiliated with Falls CAD. Falls County comes up when buyers widen a Waco or Temple search to find more land or a lower price, and the tax side deserves the same attention as the house. Everything below comes from fallscad.net and the Texas Comptroller, read October 28, 2026.
Buying in Falls County? Get Pre-Approved or Book a Free Consultation.
Falls CAD and Tax Office Contacts
| Office | Address | Phone / Email | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falls County Appraisal District (values, exemptions, protests) | 403 Craik St., Marlin, TX 76661 | (254) 883-2543; fax 254-883-6500; info@fallscad.net | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. for lunch |
| Falls County Tax Office (tax bills and payments) | 125 Bridge St., Room 102, Marlin, TX 76661 | 254-883-1436; taxac@co.falls.tx.us | Contact the tax office directly |
Sources: Falls CAD home page, tax payment notice, truth in taxation page, and the Comptroller's Falls County directory.
Falls CAD at a Glance
From Falls CAD's home page and its 2026 annual report:
- Falls CAD appraises property for 23 taxing entities in Falls County and surrounding counties.
- The district handles about 20,063 real estate and personal property accounts, and Falls County covers 774 square miles.
- Its annual report says 9 of its taxing entities are from outlying counties. The school district list runs from Marlin, Chilton, Rosebud-Lott, and Westphalia ISDs to Lorena, Robinson, Mart, Riesel, Bruceville-Eddy, Troy, Groesbeck, and Bremond ISDs.
- Cities on the list: Bruceville-Eddy, Golinda, Lott, Marlin, and Rosebud. Special districts include the Elm Creek Watershed and Falls County Emergency Service Districts 1, 2, and 3.
That school district list is the first thing I'd check on any Falls County listing. Two homes a few miles apart can sit in different districts and carry different tax lines.
Who Sends Your Falls County Tax Bill
Falls CAD sets values. It doesn't bill. Its site says to pay at falls.propertytaxpayments.net or mail payment to the Falls County Tax Office, 125 Bridge Street, Rm 102, Marlin, TX 76661.
The Comptroller's directory lists the taxing units the Falls County Tax Assessor-Collector collects for:
- Falls County
- Chilton, Marlin, Westphalia, and Rosebud-Lott ISDs
- The cities of Lott, Rosebud, Marlin, and Bruceville-Eddy
- Elm Creek Watershed District and Falls County ESDs 1, 2, and 3
The directory says that if a taxing unit isn't on the consolidated list, you contact that taxing unit directly. So a home in, say, Lorena ISD or Troy ISD may get a school tax bill from a different office than its county bill.
If you escrow, your servicer pays each bill. You still want to know how many bills there are so the escrow account is set up right at closing. My what is escrow in a mortgage guide explains how that works.
How to Look Up a Property on Falls CAD
- Go to esearch.fallscad.net (the Property Search link on fallscad.net).
- Search by owner, address, or property ID. Falls CAD's tips: if an address search struggles, try just the street name.
- Open the account to see values, exemptions, and taxing units. Falls CAD also has an interactive map.
The property search says it only contains values. For estimated taxes and tax rates, Falls CAD points you to falls.countytaxrates.com.
What to Check on a Listing's Record
- The school district and city. The record lists every taxing unit on the account.
- Ag or timber valuation. Falls CAD's forms page carries the 1-d-1 agricultural and timber appraisal applications. If a rural tract has special valuation, ask how a change of use would affect it before you buy.
- The seller's exemptions. Exemptions and the homestead cap belong to the seller. Your taxes after the first year are based on your own exemptions.
Filing Your Homestead Exemption With Falls CAD
- The form: Falls CAD's forms page links the Comptroller's Form 50-114, Residence Homestead Exemption Application, and Form 50-135 for the disabled veteran exemption.
- What to attach: Form 50-114 asks for a copy of your Texas driver's license or state ID, and the address on it should match the home.
- When: the Comptroller's Form 50-114 says applications are generally due April 30. Form 50-114 also allows a late application up to two years after the filing deadline (Tax Code Section 11.431).
- Bought after January 1? The Comptroller says you can receive the general homestead exemption for the applicable portion of the year if the previous owner did not receive the same exemption that year.
- Online account: Falls CAD's taxpayer portal lets you enroll to view property details, opt into electronic communication, review documents, and manage applications.
Questions about filing go to Falls CAD at (254) 883-2543. My how to file a homestead exemption in Texas guide walks through the form line by line.
Homestead Exemptions in Falls County
State law sets the school district amounts, according to the Comptroller's exemptions page:
| Exemption | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General residence homestead, school districts | $140,000 | Tax Code 11.13(b) |
| Age 65 or older or disabled, school districts (added) | $60,000 | Tax Code 11.13(c) |
| Local option homestead, any taxing unit | Up to 20% of appraised value, at least $5,000 | Tax Code 11.13(n) |
| Local option age 65 or disabled, any taxing unit | At least $3,000 | Tax Code 11.13(d) |
| Disabled veterans | Partial amounts by rating; total exemption at 100% | Tax Code 11.22, 11.131 |
What Falls CAD's own list shows: the 2026 partial exemption list reports totals, not per-home amounts. It shows local over-65 and disabled-person exemptions on the books for Falls County, the City of Marlin, and the City of Rosebud. It doesn't say how much each home gets, so call Falls CAD for the local amounts on a specific property.
See my Texas homestead exemption over 65 guide and the Texas disabled veteran property tax exemption guide if either applies to you.
The 10% Homestead Cap
The Comptroller explains that a homestead's appraised value can't rise more than 10% a year (Tax Code 23.23), plus the value of new improvements. The cap starts January 1 of the tax year after you first qualify for the homestead exemption. So in your first year, the value is based on market value, not the seller's capped value.
How to Protest Your Falls County Appraisal
Falls CAD posts the Comptroller's Property Tax Protest and Appeal Procedures with its own contact information. Here's what it says:
- Start informally. Contact Falls CAD at (254) 883-2543 to discuss your value before you mail a formal protest.
- Deadline: not later than May 15, or within 30 days after the appraisal district mailed your notice, whichever is later. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.
- How to file: use the Notice of Protest form (Form 50-132-A) on Falls CAD's forms page, or file online through the Falls CAD taxpayer portal. Falls CAD's old online protest page says the online protest has moved to the portal.
- Hearing format: the Comptroller says you can appear in person, by phone or video, or by written affidavit (Form 50-283).
How protests went in 2026: Falls CAD's annual report says it processed 583 protests. Between May 12 and June 17, 2026, 114 were resolved informally, and 469 went to a formal Appraisal Review Board hearing.
For evidence, hearings, and appeals, see my Texas property tax protest guide.
Falls County Property Tax Calendar
| When | What Happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Values and exemption qualification set as of this date; tax lien attaches | Comptroller |
| April 1 (or soon after) | Notices of appraised value for homesteads | Comptroller |
| April 30 | General deadline for homestead exemption applications | Form 50-114 |
| May 15 (or 30 days after notice) | Protest deadline, whichever is later | Falls CAD protest procedures |
| February 1 | Prior year's taxes become delinquent if the bill was mailed by January 10 | Comptroller |
Remaining 2026 Falls CAD closures on its holiday schedule: November 11, November 26 and 27, and December 24 and 25.
Planning Your Payment in Falls County
Hypothetical example: A buyer compares two homes near Lott. One is inside the city in Rosebud-Lott ISD. The other is outside town in a school district the county tax office doesn't collect for. Same price, but the first carries a city tax line, and the second gets its school bill from a different office. The buyer pulls both records from Falls CAD before making an offer. Hypothetical scenario; tax lines vary by property.
My checklist for Falls County buyers:
- Confirm the school district, city, and ESD on the Falls CAD record.
- Note which office bills each tax: the county tax office or the taxing unit itself.
- Estimate taxes on full market value with your own exemptions. See how much house can I afford in Texas.
- File your homestead once your driver's license shows the new address.
- Looking at rural acreage? Check whether a USDA loan fits on my USDA home loan Texas map page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Falls County Appraisal District?
The Falls County Appraisal District, or Falls CAD, appraises property in Falls County at January 1 market value, administers exemptions, and handles the start of value protests. It appraises for 23 taxing entities in Falls County and surrounding counties. The office is at 403 Craik St. in Marlin, phone 254-883-2543.
Is the Falls County Central Appraisal District the same as Falls CAD?
Yes. Falls CAD's website uses both names, Falls County Appraisal District and Falls County Central Appraisal District, for the same office. Its website is fallscad.net, and the office is at 403 Craik St., Marlin, TX 76661.
Does Falls CAD collect property taxes?
No. Falls CAD sets values and handles exemptions, but its website directs taxpayers to pay the Falls County Tax Office at 125 Bridge Street, Room 102, in Marlin, or online at falls.propertytaxpayments.net. Some taxing units that the county tax office does not collect for send their own bills.
How do I file a homestead exemption in Falls County?
Use the Comptroller's Form 50-114, which is linked on Falls CAD's forms page, and attach a copy of your Texas driver's license or state ID showing the home's address. Applications are generally due April 30, and Form 50-114 allows a late application up to two years after the deadline.
What is the Falls CAD protest deadline?
Falls CAD's posted protest procedures say to file not later than May 15, or within 30 days after the appraisal district mailed your notice of appraised value, whichever is later. Falls CAD also invites owners to call 254-883-2543 to discuss a value informally before filing.
Planning a Purchase in Falls County?
I'll pull the Falls CAD record on any Marlin, Rosebud, or Lott home you're considering, check every tax line, and build your payment estimate on the taxes you'll actually pay.
Get Pre-Approved | Book a Free Consultation
Related Guides
- McLennan County Appraisal District Guide
- Bell County Appraisal District Guide
- Milam County Appraisal District Guide
- Buying a Home in Waco
- Texas Property Tax Protest Guide
- USDA Loan Requirements in Texas
Sources
- Falls County Appraisal District: home page, forms, public information, truth in taxation, links, property search, taxpayer portal, 2026 annual report, 2026 partial exemption list, 2026 protest and appeal procedures, notice of protest form, and 2026 holiday schedule
- Texas Comptroller: property tax exemptions, valuing property, protests and appeals, property tax deadlines, Form 50-114, and Falls County directory
Taylor Ring, NMLS #2809683 | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2289 | The Wood Group of Fairway, 127 Lake Rd Ste 300, Belton, TX 76513 | Equal Housing Opportunity. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines, and approval, rates, and program availability are not guaranteed. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Falls County Appraisal District, the Falls County Appraisal Review Board, the Falls County Tax Assessor-Collector, or any government agency. Contact Falls CAD directly for official values, deadlines, and exemption decisions.