The disabled veteran property tax exemption Texas offers depends on your VA disability rating. Under Tax Code Section 11.22, a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 10% or more can exempt $5,000 to $12,000 of one property's assessed value. Under Section 11.131, a veteran awarded 100% disability compensation with a rating of 100% disabled or individual unemployability is exempt from taxes on the total appraised value of their residence homestead. Unremarried surviving spouses can keep these exemptions in many cases, and you file with your county appraisal district, not the Comptroller.
I'm Taylor Ring, a Mortgage Loan Officer with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (The Wood Group) in Belton. When a veteran buys a home with me, property taxes are a big piece of the monthly payment, so this exemption matters to the math. Below is how each exemption works, pulled from the Texas Tax Code and the Comptroller's forms, read October 20, 2026. For the general homestead exemption every owner-occupant can claim, see my guide to filing a homestead exemption in Texas.
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The Texas Disabled Veteran Exemptions at a Glance
| Exemption | Who Qualifies | Amount | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Code 11.22 | Disabled veteran with a service-connected rating of at least 10% (and certain survivors) | $5,000 to $12,000 of assessed value on one property | 50-135 |
| Tax Code 11.131 | Veteran awarded 100% disability compensation with a 100% or individual unemployability rating | Total appraised value of the residence homestead | 50-114 |
| Tax Code 11.131(c) | Unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who qualified (or would have) | Total value of the same homestead | 50-114 |
| Tax Code 11.132 | Partially disabled veteran whose homestead was donated by a charity | Percentage equal to the disability rating | 50-114 |
| Tax Code 11.133 | Unremarried surviving spouse of a service member killed in the line of duty | Total value of the homestead | 50-114 |
| Tax Code 11.136 | Unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died from a qualifying PACT Act condition | Total value of the homestead | 50-114 |
Sources: Texas Tax Code Chapter 11 and the Texas Comptroller's exemptions page.
Section 11.22: The Partial Exemption by Disability Rating
Section 11.22 gives a disabled veteran an exemption from part of the assessed value of a property the veteran owns and designates:
| VA Disability Rating | Exemption Up To |
|---|---|
| 10% to 29% | $5,000 |
| 30% to 49% | $7,500 |
| 50% to 69% | $10,000 |
| 70% and over | $12,000 |
You also get $12,000 if you're 65 or older with a rating of at least 10%, totally blind in one or both eyes, or have lost the use of one or more limbs. If you qualify more than one way, you take the single largest amount.
The fine print matters:
- One property only, and it has to be the same property for every taxing unit. You designate it on the application.
- It doesn't have to be your homestead. The Comptroller notes that some disabled veteran exemptions "can be applied to any one property owned by the qualifying individual." Section 11.22 is that one.
- You must be a Texas resident.
- "Disabled veteran" means a veteran classified as disabled by VA or the branch of service, with a service-connected disability.
- Form 50-135, Disabled Veteran's or Survivor's Exemption Application, is the form. It asks for a copy of your driver's license or state ID and documentation of your disability percentage from VA or your branch.
Survivors. If a veteran who had this exemption dies, the unremarried surviving spouse gets the same amount the veteran had. If there's no surviving spouse, each unmarried child under 18 gets a share. If a service member dies on active duty, the surviving spouse gets a $5,000 exemption, and eligible children split $5,000.
Section 11.131: The 100% Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption
This is the one most people mean when they search for the Texas disabled veteran exemption. Section 11.131(b) says a disabled veteran "who has been awarded by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its successor 100 percent disability compensation due to a service-connected disability and a rating of 100 percent disabled or of individual unemployability is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the total appraised value of the veteran's residence homestead."
Three requirements, all at once:
- 100% disability compensation from VA for a service-connected disability
- A rating of 100% disabled, or individual unemployability
- The home is your residence homestead under Tax Code Section 11.13
If it applies, every taxing unit's tax on that homestead goes away, not just part of it. HOA dues, insurance, and your mortgage payment don't.
Qualifying Partway Through the Year
Most Texas exemptions depend on your status on January 1. Section 11.131 is different. Tax Code 11.42(e) says a person who qualifies "after January 1 of a tax year may receive the exemption for the applicable portion of that tax year immediately on qualification." So if your 100% rating comes through in, say, August, you don't wait until next year. If you're buying a home, ask your appraisal district how the year of purchase will be handled on your account.
You Usually Don't Reapply
Once the exemption is allowed, you don't file every year unless ownership or your qualification changes, or the chief appraiser sends written notice asking for a new application. And under Tax Code 11.43(r), the chief appraiser can't require a new application to recheck an 11.131 exemption if VA has determined you have a permanent total disability under 38 C.F.R. 4.15. Form 50-114 asks that question directly.
Surviving Spouses
Texas protects surviving spouses in several ways:
- Spouse of a 100% disabled veteran (11.131(c)): the unremarried surviving spouse keeps the total exemption on the same homestead if it was the spouse's homestead when the veteran died and still is. This also covers a veteran who would have qualified if the law had been in effect on the date of death.
- Moving to a new home (11.131(d)): if that spouse later moves, the exemption on the new homestead equals the dollar amount of the exemption on the old one in the last year it applied. The chief appraiser of the old county issues a certificate with the numbers.
- Spouse of a service member killed in the line of duty (11.133): a total exemption on the surviving spouse's homestead, as long as the spouse hasn't remarried, with the same dollar-amount carryover to a later home.
- Spouse of a veteran who died from a PACT Act condition (11.136): effective January 1, 2026, the unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died from a condition or disease with a presumption of service connection under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 is entitled to a total homestead exemption, regardless of the veteran's rating at death or the date of death.
Section 11.132: Homes Donated by a Charity
A veteran with a disability rating below 100% whose homestead was donated by a 501(c)(3) charity can exempt a percentage of the home's appraised value equal to the disability rating. The donation can be at no cost, or at a cost (cash, a mortgage, or both) of no more than 50% of the charity's good-faith estimate of market value on the donation date. An unremarried surviving spouse can keep it. Under Tax Code 11.43(k), you must apply no later than the first anniversary of the date you qualified.
How to File With Your Appraisal District
- Pick the right form. Form 50-114 (Residence Homestead Exemption Application) covers 11.131, 11.132, 11.133, and 11.136, along with the general homestead exemption. Form 50-135 covers Section 11.22.
- Attach your proof. Include your driver's license or state ID and your VA documentation, such as your award letter showing your rating and compensation.
- File with the appraisal district in the county where the property sits, like Bell CAD, McLennan CAD, or Williamson CAD. Don't send it to the Comptroller.
- Meet the deadline. Generally between January 1 and April 30 of the tax year.
- Know the late-filing window. Form 50-114 says disabled veterans (not surviving spouses) may file late for 11.131 or 11.132 up to five years after the delinquency date, and surviving spouses up to two years after the delinquency date. Form 50-135 gives the same five years for Section 11.22.
If a late application is approved and you already paid the taxes, Tax Code 11.439(b) requires the collector to refund the tax on the exempted portion, along with related penalties and interest.
My homestead exemption filing guide walks through Form 50-114 line by line, and my over-65 exemption guide covers age-based exemptions.
What Happens to Your Mortgage Escrow
If your loan has an escrow account, your servicer collects your property taxes monthly and pays the bill. The CFPB explains that "your property taxes and insurance premiums can change from year to year," and your escrow payment changes with them.
Here's how an exemption flows through:
- Your appraisal district grants the exemption, and your tax bill drops.
- Your servicer runs an escrow analysis. Federal rules under Regulation X require one at the end of each escrow computation year.
- If there's a surplus of $50 or more, the servicer must refund it within 30 days of the analysis, as long as you're current on your payments.
- Your monthly payment adjusts for the next year.
Send your servicer the appraisal district's approval once you have it. With a full 11.131 exemption, your escrow may only need to cover insurance.
Buying? When we size your payment, property taxes are a key input. My how much house can I afford guide shows how that works. One more benefit to know about: VA also waives its funding fee for veterans receiving VA disability compensation.
A Texas Example
Hypothetical example, not a tax estimate: a veteran with a 50% service-connected rating owns a home in Bell County. Under Section 11.22 they can exempt up to $10,000 of the assessed value of the property they designate. If VA later awards 100% disability compensation, they could apply under Section 11.131 for the total exemption on that homestead, and, because of Tax Code 11.42(e), receive it for the applicable portion of that year.
Questions about your specific account belong with your appraisal district. Questions about how a change affects your payment or your next purchase, bring to me. If you're also looking at VA financing, my VA loans page and VA loan rates in Texas guide are good next reads, and the Texas Veterans Land Board guide covers the state's veteran loan programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the disabled veteran property tax exemption in Texas?
Texas offers several. Tax Code Section 11.22 exempts $5,000 to $12,000 of one property's assessed value for veterans with a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%. Section 11.131 exempts the total appraised value of the residence homestead for veterans awarded 100% disability compensation with a rating of 100% disabled or individual unemployability.
Do 100% disabled veterans pay property taxes in Texas?
Not on their residence homestead, if they qualify under Tax Code Section 11.131. The veteran must be awarded 100% disability compensation for a service-connected disability and have a rating of 100% disabled or individual unemployability, and must apply with the county appraisal district. The exemption applies only to the residence homestead.
Can a surviving spouse keep the disabled veteran exemption in Texas?
Yes, in many cases. The unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who qualified for the 100% exemption keeps it on the same homestead if it was the spouse's homestead when the veteran died and remains so. Surviving spouses can also qualify under Sections 11.22, 11.133, and 11.136.
What form do I file for the disabled veteran exemption in Texas?
Use Form 50-114, Residence Homestead Exemption Application, for the 100% disabled veteran exemption and the other homestead-based veteran exemptions. Use Form 50-135, Disabled Veteran's or Survivor's Exemption Application, for the Section 11.22 partial exemption. File with your county appraisal district, not the Texas Comptroller.
How far back can a disabled veteran file for the exemption in Texas?
Disabled veterans may file a late application under Sections 11.131, 11.132, or 11.22 up to five years after the delinquency date for the taxes on the property. Surviving spouses may file late for the Section 11.131 or 11.132 exemption up to two years after the delinquency date. If the taxes were already paid, the collector refunds the tax on the exempted portion.
Let's Build Your Payment Around Your Exemption
If you're a disabled veteran buying in Central Texas, I'll show you how your property taxes, your exemption, and your VA benefit fit together before you make an offer.
Get Pre-Approved | Book a Free Consultation
Related Guides
- How to File a Homestead Exemption in Texas
- Texas Homestead Exemption Over 65
- VA Loan Rates in Texas
- Texas Veterans Land Board Home Loan
- How Much House Can I Afford in Texas?
- VA Loans
Sources
- Texas Tax Code Chapter 11 (Sections 11.22, 11.131, 11.132, 11.133, 11.136, 11.42, 11.43, 11.439)
- Texas Comptroller: Property tax exemptions
- Comptroller Form 50-114, Residence Homestead Exemption Application
- Comptroller Form 50-135, Disabled Veteran's or Survivor's Exemption Application
- CFPB: What is an escrow or impound account?
- 12 CFR 1024.17, Escrow accounts (Regulation X)
- VA: Funding fee and closing costs
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 tax or legal advice; your county appraisal district decides exemption eligibility. Examples are hypothetical. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Texas Comptroller, any appraisal district, or any government agency.