The property tax rate in Southlake, TX comes to roughly $1.7154 per $100 of assessed value, combining the rates adopted by the five taxing entities that overlap on every Southlake property. Carroll Independent School District accounts for more than half of that, with the City of Southlake, Tarrant County, the Tarrant County Hospital District, and Tarrant County College making up the rest. Each entity sets its own rate every year, so the combined figure shifts annually.
What Each Entity Charges
Five jurisdictions tax your Southlake home, and the most recently adopted rates break down this way:
- Carroll Independent School District: $0.9294 per $100, split between daily operations and debt service on school facilities.1Carroll Independent School District. Tax Rate Information
- City of Southlake: $0.3050 per $100, with $0.2500 funding general city operations and $0.0550 covering debt service.2City of Southlake. City Budget and Finances
- Tarrant County: $0.1862 per $100, covering county roads, courts, law enforcement, and administration.3Tarrant County, TX. Property Tax Rate History 2016-2025
- Tarrant County Hospital District (JPS Health Network): $0.1825 per $100, funding the public hospital system.4Tarrant County, TX. Truth in Taxation Summary
- Tarrant County College District: $0.1123 per $100, supporting the community college system.5Tarrant County College. Taxpayer Information
A small number of Southlake properties extend into Denton County, which would substitute different county-level rates. Most residents fall under Tarrant County. Because each entity adopts its rate independently, usually in September or October, the combined figure changes every year.
What That Rate Means in Dollars
The Tarrant Appraisal District determines the market value of every property in its jurisdiction each year.6Tarrant Appraisal District. Tarrant Appraisal District That market value is the starting point, but it’s not necessarily what you pay tax on. After subtracting any exemptions and applying the appraisal cap, you’re left with your taxable value. From there the math is simple: divide the taxable value by 100, then multiply by the tax rate.
For a home with a market value of $1,000,000 and no exemptions, the calculation runs $1,000,000 ÷ 100 = 10,000 units × $1.7154 = $17,154 in total annual property taxes. That’s the combined bill across all five entities, delivered as a single statement from the Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector.
Exemptions change the picture significantly. Each entity calculates its portion against your adjusted taxable value for that entity, so if you claim the City of Southlake’s 20% homestead exemption, city taxes apply to $800,000 instead of $1,000,000. If you also claim the Carroll ISD exemption, school taxes apply to $860,000. The five amounts are added together on one bill.
Exemptions That Lower Your Bill
If Southlake is your primary residence, homestead exemptions are the most direct way to reduce what you owe. You file once with the Tarrant Appraisal District, and the exemptions apply automatically each year until you move or your eligibility changes. Texas Tax Code Section 11.13 governs which exemptions are available and which are mandatory versus optional for each taxing entity.7State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 11.13 – Residence Homestead
General Homestead
Two exemptions do most of the work for Southlake homeowners. The City of Southlake applies a 20% reduction on the city’s portion of your bill, which is the maximum allowed under state law.2City of Southlake. City Budget and Finances Carroll ISD subtracts $140,000 from your appraised value for school tax purposes, an amount that increased from $100,000 after voters approved Proposition 13 in November 2025.7State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 11.13 – Residence Homestead On a $1,000,000 home, the $140,000 school exemption alone saves roughly $1,301 a year at the current Carroll ISD rate.
Over-65 and Disability
Homeowners who are 65 or older, or who qualify as disabled, receive additional exemptions on top of the general homestead. For school taxes, the state mandates an extra $60,000 off your appraised value, which stacks with the $140,000 general homestead exemption.7State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 11.13 – Residence Homestead Carroll ISD’s page listed this exemption at $10,000 before the November 2025 vote, with a note that it would rise to $60,000 upon voter approval.1Carroll Independent School District. Tax Rate Information The City of Southlake and other local entities may offer their own additional over-65 and disability exemptions; check with the Tarrant Appraisal District for the exact amounts currently adopted by each entity.
The School Tax Ceiling
Once you turn 65 or qualify as disabled and have your homestead exemption in place, your Carroll ISD tax bill is frozen at that year’s amount. If your property value climbs later, your school taxes stay the same. If values drop, your bill can go down, but it will never exceed the ceiling established in the first year you qualified. The ceiling transfers to a surviving spouse who is at least 55 years old. Other taxing entities, such as the city or county, may adopt their own tax ceilings, but only school districts are required to provide one.
The 10% Appraisal Cap
Even without an over-65 exemption, Texas law limits how fast your home’s appraised value can rise. Under Tax Code Section 23.23, the appraisal district cannot increase a residence homestead’s appraised value by more than 10% per year, plus the value of any new construction or improvements.8State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 23.23 The cap kicks in automatically once your homestead exemption is on file and you’ve owned the property for at least one full tax year.
The cap matters most in years when values jump sharply. If your market value rises 25% in a single year, the appraisal district can only raise your appraised value by 10% over last year’s figure. The difference between market value and capped value doesn’t disappear. The appraisal district will keep raising your value by up to 10% a year until the capped value catches up to market value.9Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Valuing Property If you haven’t filed for your homestead exemption, you’re missing this protection along with every other exemption described above.
Protesting Your Appraisal
If the Tarrant Appraisal District’s value for your home looks too high, you have the right to challenge it. The deadline to file a notice of protest is May 15 for most residential property. You don’t need a lawyer or a tax consultant, though professional firms do handle protests for fees that typically run 25% to 50% of whatever tax savings they achieve.
The process starts with an informal meeting, usually by phone or video, where you present evidence to an appraiser. Good evidence includes recent comparable sales in your neighborhood, photos of property damage or deferred maintenance, and independent appraisals. If the appraiser agrees your value is too high, they’ll offer a reduced number and the protest ends. If you can’t reach an agreement, the case moves to the Appraisal Review Board, a panel of independent citizens who hear both sides and issue a binding determination. If you disagree with the ARB’s decision, you can appeal further to district court or binding arbitration, though most residential protests resolve at the informal or ARB stage.
Protesting is free and worth doing whenever your appraised value jumps significantly. Even a modest reduction saves you money across all five taxing entities year after year, because the 10% cap uses the prior year’s appraised value as its baseline.
When Payment Is Due
The Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector mails bills in October. Payment is due upon receipt, but no penalty applies as long as you pay by January 31.10Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Paying Your Taxes On February 1, unpaid taxes become delinquent and a 6% penalty plus 1% interest is added immediately, with another 1% penalty and 1% interest each month after that. By July 1, the balance jumps to a flat 12% penalty, and the account can be referred to a collections attorney who can add an additional 20% in legal fees.11State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 33.01 – Penalties and Interest
Texas law allows taxing entities to offer a split-payment option, with half due by November 30 and the balance by June 30, with no penalty.12Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Payment Options Not every entity adopts it, so check with the Tarrant County Tax Office before assuming it applies to your account. Homeowners with an over-65, disability, or disabled veteran exemption can also pay in four equal quarterly installments, with the first due by January 31, avoiding penalty and interest as long as each payment arrives on time.