Central Appraisal District

Bexar Central Appraisal District, commonly called BCAD, is the local appraisal district responsible for property appraisal records and related property-tax administration functions in Bexar County. Property owners use the district to review appraisal information, search property records, file qualifying exemption applications, submit protests, manage certain appraisal matters online, obtain forms, and review taxpayer information. This article explains which BCAD services apply to common property-related tasks, how the online systems work, what information owners should prepare, how appraisal protests and exemptions are handled through district services, and when a matter belongs to the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector instead of the appraisal district.

Bexar Central Appraisal District Role

The Bexar Central Appraisal District official site is the primary starting point for appraisal-related property matters in Bexar County. Its services center on property identification, appraisal values, exemptions, protests, appraisal records, online applications, notices, forms, and information about the local property-tax process.

One of the most important distinctions for property owners is the difference between appraisal work and tax collection. BCAD specifically states that it does not accept property tax payments. Questions or concerns about paying property taxes belong to the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector's Office. Using the correct office can prevent a property owner from spending time contacting the appraisal district about a payment issue that it does not handle.

BCAD's website provides access to several major services, including property searches, map-based property information, online appeals and applications, current tax-rate information, Appraisal Review Board hearing procedures, forms, taxpayer information, and electronic requests to district staff.

Property Records and Appraisal Information

A property search is often the first step when an owner needs to confirm how a parcel appears in BCAD records. The district's property-search service supports searches using identifying property information such as the owner's name, property address, or Property ID. The search system also offers quick and advanced search modes.

Property records can help users identify the correct account before working on an exemption, protest, address change, or other appraisal-related request. Owners should take particular care when several properties have similar street addresses, when a person owns more than one parcel, or when searching for property held in a business or other name.

Useful Property Identifiers

Different BCAD services use different identifiers. A property owner should not assume that every number appearing on a notice serves the same purpose. The following identifiers are particularly relevant:

Property ID or property account number: Used to identify a specific property record and available for property-related searches.

Owner or agent name: May be used to locate appraisal records when the property identifier is not immediately available.

Property address: Useful for finding the appraisal record associated with a street location.

OWNER/AGENT ID: Required when registering for BCAD's Online Services Portal.

PIN: Also required for portal registration and treated by BCAD as the owner's signature for online-service purposes.

The OWNER/AGENT ID and PIN should not be confused with a general Property ID. The Property ID helps identify the property itself, while the OWNER/AGENT ID and PIN are credentials associated with access to BCAD's electronic services.

Online Services Portal

BCAD makes a number of appraisal-district services available electronically through its Online Services Portal. The portal is available to property owners who want to conduct eligible business with the appraisal district online. It is also available to agents authorized to represent an owner under Section 1.111 of the Texas Property Tax Code.

Available portal functions include filing an exemption on a residential homestead property, submitting a Notice of Protest when the service is available for the applicable appraisal year, receiving notices electronically, reviewing information connected with eligible properties, and handling other supported district applications.

Portal Registration Information

Creating an online account requires registration. BCAD states that the property owner or authorized agent needs the OWNER/AGENT ID and PIN shown at the top of the appraisal notice and accompanying letter. The PIN is case sensitive, so it must be entered exactly as it appears.

BCAD also states that a PIN from a current appraisal notice may be used and that a notice received in a prior year may also provide the information needed for registration. After registration, the user must log in to the account before accessing services that are available for the property.

Protecting the Portal PIN

Property owners should treat the PIN differently from an ordinary search number. BCAD considers the PIN to be the owner's signature and instructs users not to share it. Entering the wrong capitalization can also prevent successful registration because the PIN is case sensitive.

Owners who need their OWNER/AGENT ID and PIN may request that the information be mailed to them through BCAD customer service or by submitting a request through the district's Help Center. Waiting for portal credentials does not extend a filing deadline. Anyone dealing with a time-sensitive exemption application or protest should keep that limitation in mind rather than assuming that a delayed PIN creates additional filing time.

Appraisal Notices and Market Value

BCAD reports that appraisal notices are mailed to new owners and to owners whose market value increased by $1,000 or more from the previous year. A property owner therefore should not assume that every account will receive a new value notice every year.

For the 2026 appraisal year, BCAD has also stated that owners who protested in 2025 may not receive a value notice for 2026. The absence of a notice does not itself prevent a property owner from filing a protest. BCAD specifically states that a notice is not required to submit a protest.

This distinction matters because waiting for a notice that may not arrive could interfere with an owner's ability to respond within the applicable filing period. Property owners with questions about an appraisal or protest should rely on the district's current records, notices, online services, and Help Center instructions rather than assuming that no mailed notice means no action is available.

Property Appraisal Protests

A property owner who wants to challenge an appraisal through the district can use the protest procedures and forms provided by BCAD. The district's forms collection includes Form 50-132, Notice of Protest, as well as a Spanish version of the form.

Other Appraisal Review Board forms available from BCAD include forms involving certain motions, appointment or revocation of an agent, and a property owner's affidavit of evidence. Because these documents serve different purposes, users should select the form that corresponds to the specific appraisal issue rather than assuming that every disagreement with a property record uses the standard Notice of Protest.

Online Appeals for 2026

BCAD announced that, because of annual appraisal-roll operations and maintenance, online appeals for 2026 stopped being accessible after 5 p.m. on September 4, 2026. Property owners with active or pending 2026 protests were advised to download, save, or print documents received through the online portal before that cutoff.

The restriction concerns online appeals for the 2026 appraisal year. BCAD states that other portal functions, including online applications, remain available. Owners should therefore distinguish an unavailable online protest function from the entire portal being unavailable.

Protest Documents and Records

Keeping copies of documents received through the portal is particularly useful when a protest is active or pending. BCAD's 2026 notice specifically advised affected users to preserve copies before online appeal access ended. Owners handling appraisal matters electronically should maintain their own records of notices, submissions, supporting documents, and other materials received through the district system.

Questions about an active or pending protest can be submitted through the BCAD Help Center request form. The request system asks users to choose the issue that matches their inquiry and marks required fields with an asterisk.

Appraisal Review Board Procedures

Protests that proceed through the formal review process may involve the Bexar Central Appraisal Review Board. BCAD publishes protest hearing procedures for property owners who need information about how those hearings are conducted.

Property owners should distinguish the appraisal district from the Appraisal Review Board when reviewing paperwork. BCAD administers appraisal records and provides protest filing services, while Appraisal Review Board procedures concern the hearing process for protests. The district's forms page separates ARB-related documents from exemption, request, business personal property, and agricultural appraisal forms, which helps users identify the correct category.

An appointment-of-agent form is also available for situations in which an owner is represented by an authorized agent. BCAD's Online Services Portal likewise permits agents authorized under the Texas Property Tax Code to access eligible electronic services.

Exemptions and Property Applications

Property owners seeking an exemption should work through BCAD rather than the tax-payment office. The district provides a broad collection of official appraisal forms and applications for exemptions, property changes, renditions, agricultural appraisal matters, Appraisal Review Board filings, and other property-tax administration purposes.

Among the applications available through BCAD are the Residence Homestead Exemption form and a Spanish-language residence homestead application. The district's forms also include materials associated with disabled persons, over-65 applicants, disabled veterans, charitable organizations, religious organizations, private schools, cemetery property, solar or wind-powered energy devices, temporary disaster exemptions, certain child-care facilities, and other qualifying property categories.

The availability of a form on the district website does not mean that every property owner qualifies for that exemption. Users should choose the application that corresponds to their circumstances and follow the instructions associated with that form.

Homestead Applications Online

The Online Services Portal supports electronic filing of an exemption for a residential homestead property. A registered account is required for eligible online services, which means an owner planning to use the portal should have the required OWNER/AGENT ID and case-sensitive PIN available.

BCAD expressly states that use of the online service does not change deadlines for a timely exemption application. An owner waiting for portal credentials should not assume that the filing period pauses while the credentials are being mailed.

Address and Record Changes

BCAD's form collection includes a Change of Address Form for appraisal-district records. Owners who need to update property-record information should use the district form applicable to the requested change rather than treating a tax-payment account or another county system as interchangeable with the appraisal record.

The forms page also includes a General Change Request for business personal property accounts, as well as GIS split or merge requests and requests involving confidentiality. These forms illustrate why identifying the type of account before submitting paperwork matters: a residential property-address change, a business personal property change, and a GIS parcel request are separate matters.

Business Personal Property

BCAD administers forms associated with business personal property, commonly abbreviated BPP. The district provides the Personal Property Rendition form along with other forms related to leased vehicles, aircraft, railroad property, pipelines, certain exemptions, allocation of value, decreased value, rendition extensions, and penalty-waiver requests.

Special inventory forms are also provided for categories such as motor vehicle dealers, vessel dealers, heavy-equipment dealers, and retail manufactured housing inventory. Businesses should identify which form category corresponds to the property involved instead of using a residential appraisal form for a business account.

The forms page separates ordinary BPP filings from special-inventory documents, making that distinction useful when gathering paperwork before submission.

Agricultural and Wildlife Appraisal

Property owners dealing with agricultural or wildlife appraisal matters can also obtain official documents from BCAD. Available forms include the Agricultural Appraisal Application, a Spanish agricultural appraisal application, an Agricultural Appraisal 1-D Application, timberland-related applications, wildlife management documents, and requests involving determinations of change of use.

BCAD also provides forms for owners requesting removal of certain agricultural appraisal treatment. Because agricultural, wildlife, timberland, and recreational or scenic-land applications appear as separate documents, owners should select the form associated with the particular appraisal category involved.

Taxpayer Information and Rights

BCAD maintains a Taxpayer Information section with materials covering the property-tax process, taxpayer assistance, property-tax exemptions, taxpayer rights, the appraisal calendar, property-tax basics, and the Texas Property Tax Code.

These materials are useful when an owner needs context for an appraisal notice, exemption application, or protest. The appraisal calendar can help users understand when different stages of property-tax administration occur, while the taxpayer-rights materials explain the framework surrounding the appraisal and review process.

BCAD also provides both English- and Spanish-language taxpayer information in parts of this section, including Spanish materials concerning available taxpayer resources and property-tax basics.

Local Property Tax Information

Appraisal value is only one part of the property-tax process. BCAD's local property tax information page explains that the local property-tax database provides information concerning property taxes, including the amount of taxes that taxing entities would impose if proposed rates are adopted.

The page states that the local property-tax database is updated regularly during August and September as local elected officials propose and adopt property-tax rates. This rate and tax information serves a different purpose from the appraisal record itself.

Property owners should keep that distinction clear: BCAD appraises property and handles appraisal-related services, while the county Tax Assessor-Collector handles property-tax payment matters. A question about the appraised value, an exemption, or an appraisal protest belongs with the appraisal district. A question about paying the property tax belongs with the Tax Assessor-Collector.

Forms and Document Preparation

Preparing the correct information before beginning an online transaction or completing a form can reduce avoidable problems. The specific information needed depends on the service, but BCAD's systems and forms make several items particularly relevant.

Confirm the correct property record before submitting an appraisal-related request.

Have the Property ID or other property-identifying information available when working with a specific account.

For Online Services Portal registration, locate the OWNER/AGENT ID and PIN from an appraisal notice or accompanying letter.

Enter the PIN exactly as printed because it is case sensitive.

Do not share the portal PIN because BCAD treats it as the owner's signature.

Select the correct exemption, protest, rendition, agricultural, or request form for the type of property and action involved.

Keep copies of electronically submitted or received protest documents, particularly when BCAD announces that access to an appraisal-year appeal system will end.

Some forms available through BCAD are PDF documents. The district notes that certain documents require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. Users working with downloadable applications should review the individual form before completing or submitting it so they are working from the appropriate document.

Common Filing Mistakes

Sending Tax Payments to BCAD

BCAD does not accept property-tax payments. A payment question should be directed to the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector rather than the appraisal district. This is one of the most significant office distinctions for property owners because the appraisal and collection functions are handled separately.

Waiting for a Value Notice

A property owner does not need an appraisal notice in order to submit a protest. BCAD's 2026 notice also states that some owners who protested in 2025 may not receive a 2026 value notice. Waiting solely for a mailed notice can therefore be a poor way to determine whether appraisal action is available.

Confusing Portal Credentials

The OWNER/AGENT ID and PIN used for portal registration are not simply interchangeable with the property's account number. The PIN is case sensitive and is treated as the owner's signature. Users should copy it exactly and keep it private.

Assuming Online Filing Extends Deadlines

BCAD expressly states that online services do not change filing deadlines for exemptions or protests. The same principle applies when an owner is waiting for an OWNER/AGENT ID or PIN to arrive by mail. The district does not extend the deadline solely because portal credentials have been requested.

Choosing the Wrong Form Category

BCAD maintains separate forms for homestead exemptions, other exemptions, ARB matters, business personal property, special inventory, agricultural appraisal, wildlife management, address changes, public-information requests, and other property matters. Selecting a document based only on a similar title can lead to an incorrect filing. Reviewing the category and form name before completing the document helps avoid that problem.

Official Offices and Contacts

Bexar Central Appraisal District
411 North Frio Street
San Antonio, TX 78207
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 830248, San Antonio, TX 78283
(210) 242-2432

Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector
233 N Pecos La Trinidad
San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 335-2251

Central Appraisal District FAQs

Can I ask BCAD to keep my property information confidential?

Bexar Central Appraisal District provides a Request for Confidentiality form for property owners whose circumstances qualify under applicable property-tax law. It also provides a separate form for revoking a previous confidentiality request. Because confidentiality is not automatically available for every account, review the applicable form and its requirements before submitting it. Both documents are available through the district’s property forms and applications page.

What form should I use if my homestead was destroyed by fire?

BCAD lists Form 50-339, Temporary Exemption for Residence Homestead Destroyed by Fire, among its official exemption and request forms. Owners dealing with fire-damaged residential property should review that specific form rather than using the general homestead exemption application. BCAD also lists Form 50-312 for a Temporary Disaster Exemption, so the correct filing depends on the circumstances addressed by each application.

Does BCAD have forms for deferring certain property taxes?

Yes. The district’s forms collection includes Form 50-126, Tax Deferral Affidavit, and Form 50-274, Tax Deferral Affidavit for Appreciating Residence Homestead Value. These are separate filings with different purposes. Property owners should read the instructions attached to the appropriate form before filing and should not assume that submitting an affidavit automatically establishes eligibility.

How do I request public records from the appraisal district?

BCAD provides a Request for Public Information through its official forms section. This is intended for requests for district records rather than changes to an appraisal account, exemption filing, or protest. If the issue concerns a specific property-service question instead, the district also provides an online request form where users select the issue that best matches their inquiry.

Can cooperative housing be taxed separately?

BCAD lists Form 50-173, Request for Separate Taxation of Cooperative Housing Corporation, among its official applications and request forms. Owners or qualifying parties dealing with cooperative housing should use that specific filing instead of a general real-estate change request.