Search an Austin County Property, Verify the Parcel Map, Protect Agricultural Value, File a Protest, Pay Taxes and Trace the Recorded Deed
Austin County appraisal records cover homes, farms, ranches and businesses in Bellville, Sealy, Wallis, San Felipe, Industry, New Ulm, Cat Spring, Brazos Country and nearby rural communities.
This practical guide explains how to research a house, subdivision lot, pasture, hay meadow, cropland, orchard, beekeeping tract, wildlife property, manufactured home, mineral account or business asset without confusing Austin County with the City of Austin or Travis County.
Austin County Appraisal District handles values, exemptions, agricultural appraisal, GIS, protests and property-tax collection for participating entities. The County Tax Assessor-Collector mainly handles vehicle and title services. The County Clerk handles deeds, liens, easements, plats and recorded property documents.Start Here: Choose the Correct Austin County Action
Important Corrections and Upgrades for the Existing Austin County CAD Page
| Existing Page Issue | Current Practical Information | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Old TrueAutomation map link | Austin CAD now links the official BIS parcel map at gis.bisclient.com/austincad. | The old map route can be unavailable or outdated. |
| 2026 values treated like final certified values | The official search labels 2026 values preliminary and subject to change before certification. | A preliminary value is not yet a final tax bill. |
| Online protest shown as continuously available | The taxpayer portal currently says 2026 online protests are closed and directs users to file in person, by mail or by email when a valid filing right remains. | Users should not wait for an unavailable online button. |
| Portal limitations not explained | Austin CAD states that portal registration and online appeals are limited to homestead property. | Business, land or other accounts may require a paper, email or office filing. |
| Tax payment routed partly to the County Tax Office | Austin CAD collects property taxes for participating county, city, school and special-purpose entities. The County Tax Office primarily handles vehicles and titles. | Property-tax payments should go to the collector shown on the statement. |
| Only basic search fields explained | Advanced search includes abstract, subdivision, mobile-home park, condo, Owner ID, Geographic ID, neighborhood, agent and business-name fields. | Rural, mobile-home, business and estate searches often fail without advanced fields. |
| Agricultural guidance is generic | Austin CAD adopted detailed 2026 local standards covering animal units, stocking rates, pasture, cropland, orchards, wildlife and beekeeping. | Open land or token livestock does not automatically qualify. |
| Business rendition assumed to be available online | Austin CAD announced that its online business-personal-property rendition option is unavailable; owners should print the form or request it by email. | A business should not miss the filing deadline waiting for the online form. |
| Mailing date treated as the drop-off date | Austin CAD warns that the USPS machine postmark may reflect regional processing rather than the day mail was placed in a mailbox. | Deadline-sensitive documents should be mailed early or delivered with proof. |
| County Clerk search treated as complete for every year | The free AVA search lists records for 1824-1907 and 1983-present. Contact the Clerk about documents outside those online ranges. | A missing online result does not prove that no deed or lien exists. |
Which Austin County Office Handles Your Task?
Choose Your Austin County Property Task
How to Search Austin County CAD Property Records
Use esearch.austincad.org. No paid property-record service is required.
Choose an older year only when comparing value, ownership, exemption or appraisal history.
The number on an appraisal notice, property card or tax statement normally gives the cleanest result.
If the full name fails, search only the surname, first name, trust, estate or one distinctive business word.
Start with the street number and main street name. Remove the city, direction, road suffix and punctuation when no result appears.
The database can separate real property, business personal property, mineral, automobile and mobile-home accounts.
Try abstract, subdivision, Geographic ID, neighborhood, condo or other legal-description information.
A manufactured home may be appraised separately from the land beneath it.
The operating business name can differ from the legal owner or building owner.
A farm, ranch, business, mineral owner or family estate can include several appraisal accounts.
Confirm the abstract, subdivision, lot, tract, acreage, Geographic ID and map location.
Print the property card or save it as a PDF before requesting a correction, applying for an exemption or preparing a protest.
What to Try When the Austin CAD Search Returns No Result
| Search Problem | Better Method | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Full owner name fails | Search only the surname or first name. | The database may use initials, spouses or ownership suffixes differently. |
| Recent buyer is missing | Search the seller or former owner. | Deed recording and appraisal ownership updates do not always occur together. |
| Trust or estate is missing | Search the trustee, decedent, estate and previous owner separately. | Different records can use different ownership wording. |
| Rural tract has no normal address | Use the abstract, Geographic ID, legal description, Property ID or GIS. | Many farms and ranches are indexed by survey information rather than a street address. |
| Only one family parcel appears | Repeat the owner search and compare every Property ID. | One operation may contain multiple separately assessed tracts. |
| Manufactured home is missing | Choose Mobile Home and search the home owner, land owner and park. | The home and land can have different accounts and owners. |
| Business account is missing | Search the legal owner and Doing Business As name. | The storefront name may not match the rendition owner. |
| Mineral account is missing | Select Mineral and search owner, operator, lease or prior owner. | Mineral ownership does not automatically follow the surface estate. |
How to Read an Austin County CAD Property Record
| Record Field | What It Means | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Property ID | The appraisal account identifier. | Use the exact number on calls, forms, protests and tax searches. |
| Owner ID | An identifier connecting the owner to appraisal records. | One Owner ID may be associated with multiple properties. |
| Geographic ID | A geographic parcel-reference number. | Useful for rural property and GIS matching. |
| Situs address | The physical property location when available. | Do not confuse it with the owner’s mailing address. |
| Legal description | Abstract, survey, subdivision, lot, block or tract information. | Compare it with the deed and survey before legal use. |
| Acreage | The acreage used in the appraisal record. | CAD acreage is not a legal boundary determination. |
| Market value | The district’s January 1 estimate of market value. | Compare land, improvements and agricultural market value separately. |
| Agricultural value loss | The difference created by productivity appraisal. | A large difference can create rollback-tax exposure after a change of use. |
| HS cap loss | Value excluded by the residence-homestead appraisal limitation. | The market value can rise faster than the limited appraised value. |
| CB cap loss | Value excluded by the temporary non-homestead circuit-breaker limitation. | Eligibility depends on property type and value threshold. |
| Taxing jurisdictions | Entities authorized to tax the property. | Confirm county, city, school, ESD, hospital, MUD and PID entities when applicable. |
| Deed history | A helpful appraisal-maintenance history. | Verify actual recorded documents through the County Clerk. |
How to Use the Austin County Interactive GIS Map
Copy the Property ID, Geographic ID, abstract, subdivision, legal description and acreage.
Use Austin CAD Interactive Map, not the old TrueAutomation link.
Use Bellville, Sealy, Wallis, San Felipe, Industry, New Ulm, Cat Spring, Brazos Country or the known rural road as the starting area.
This is especially useful when a rural tract has an incomplete situs address.
Compare similar land class, acreage, improvement type and location rather than relying only on aerial appearance.
Use recorded documents and a current survey for exact boundary, access and easement conclusions.
Use FEMA, county or city development resources, septic information and an insurer before building or purchasing.
- General parcel orientation
- Road and waterway context
- Nearby appraisal accounts
- Subdivision and rural tract research
- Locating property without a complete address
- Exact legal boundaries
- Guaranteed legal access
- Encroachments
- Mineral ownership
- Final flood or development eligibility
2026 Market Value, Appraised Value and Taxable Value
| 2026 Rule | Practical Meaning |
|---|---|
| Preliminary value | The current Austin CAD search warns that 2026 values can change before certification. |
| Residence-homestead limitation | Generally limits annual appraised-value growth to 10% plus qualifying new improvements after the limitation becomes effective. |
| School homestead exemption | A qualifying residence homestead receives a $140,000 school-district exemption under current Texas law. |
| Age-65 or disabled school exemption | Qualifying owners receive an additional $60,000 school-district exemption. |
| Non-homestead circuit breaker | Certain non-homestead real property valued at $5,320,000 or less may receive a 20% annual appraised-value limitation. |
| Agricultural cap rate | Texas appraisal districts use a 10.00% capitalization rate for agricultural or open-space land in 2026. |
| Timber cap rate | Texas appraisal districts use a 7.77% capitalization rate for timberland in 2026. |
| Business-personal-property exemption | Income-producing tangible personal property totaling $125,000 or less in a taxing unit may be exempt in that unit. |
Austin County Homestead and Related Exemptions
Confirm the owner, Property ID, situs address, legal description and current exemptions.
Use the official application rather than paying a private company to file a free homestead exemption.
Austin CAD requires a driver’s-license copy or other information required by the Texas Property Tax Code.
Inherited property, trusts, address differences, partial ownership and manufactured homes can require an affidavit or supporting documents.
Documents can be mailed, delivered, emailed to Austin CAD or filed through an available online service.
Austin CAD currently advises that agricultural and homestead applications can take approximately four to six weeks.
Submitting an application does not itself prove that the exemption was granted.
Austin County Agricultural Appraisal: Livestock, Pasture, Hay, Crops and Orchards
Local Animal-Unit and Stocking Standards
| Local Standard | Austin CAD 2026 Guideline |
|---|---|
| Typical livestock operation | At least five animal units for a majority of the calendar year. |
| Rotational grazing | A minimum grazing period of approximately 90-120 days. |
| Improved or managed pasture | Approximately one animal unit per four acres. |
| Native open pasture | Approximately one animal unit per six acres. |
| Woodland grazing | Approximately one animal unit per ten acres. |
| Animal-unit examples | One cow and calf equals one unit; six sheep or six goats equal one unit; one horse equals approximately one and one-half units. |
Typical Local Acreage Guidelines
| Land Category | Typical Acreage | Important Qualification Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Orchard | 5 acres | Requires commercial production, water, pruning, pest control and harvest activity. |
| Irrigated cropland | 100 acres | Requires a real irrigation and crop-production operation. |
| Dry cropland | 50 acres | Requires planting, tillage, fertilization, weed control and harvest. |
| Improved pastureland | 10 acres | The acreage alone is not enough; grazing must still meet the animal-unit and management standards. |
| Native pastureland | 30-50 acres | The required acreage varies with woodland density, forage and carrying capacity. |
| Hay meadow | Case-specific | At least 70% of the property should be baled; improved grass normally requires three cuttings and native grass two cuttings in an average year. |
Identify ownership, acreage, physical land class and use of each tract.
Collect leases, invoices, livestock records, sales receipts, crop records, photographs and prior-owner evidence.
Separate homesite, pasture, cropland, hay, orchard, wildlife, beekeeping and nonproductive acreage.
Prepare evidence of fencing, stock water, weed control, fertilizer, planting, grazing, harvesting and marketing.
The 2026 local guidelines identify April 30 as the ordinary 1-d-1 application deadline.
An incomplete application can be denied. Keep a copy of every document and delivery confirmation.
An agricultural valuation does not automatically transfer permanently after a change in ownership.
Austin County Wildlife Management and Beekeeping Appraisal
Wildlife Management Requirements
| Requirement | Local Practical Meaning |
|---|---|
| Prior qualification | The land should have received qualifying agricultural appraisal in the year before wildlife management began. |
| Five-year plan | Submit a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wildlife-management plan covering the specific tract. |
| Three practices | Implement at least three of the seven statutory wildlife-management activities. |
| Standard individual tract | The local guidelines use 16.6 acres as the normal minimum for a newly reduced tract. |
| Wildlife association | A qualifying Wildlife Management Property Association member generally needs at least 11 acres and must perform individual practices. |
| Ongoing verification | The district may request reports every two to three years and an onsite inspection approximately every three years. |
- Choose a target indigenous wildlife population.
- Prepare parcel maps and measurable five-year goals.
- Document habitat control, erosion control or predator control.
- Document supplemental water, food or shelter when used.
- Keep census counts, photographs, receipts and annual activity logs.
- Submit every requested report or inspection response by the deadline.
Beekeeping Screening Standards
| Beekeeping Requirement | Austin CAD Guideline |
|---|---|
| Acreage range | No fewer than five acres and no more than 20 acres. |
| Typical hive count | Approximately six to 12 mainframe hives, depending on acreage and operation. |
| Purpose | Pollination or production of honey, wax, bees or another marketable product. |
| Hive condition | Hives must be maintained and contain living bee colonies. |
| History | Beekeeping can be used to establish qualifying agricultural-use history. |
Business Personal Property, Manufactured Homes and Mineral Accounts
Separate inventory, furniture, computers, machinery, tools, vehicles, leased assets and property at other locations.
Keep invoices and evidence for property that was sold, retired, damaged or moved.
Austin CAD publishes economic-life categories for computers, office equipment, vehicles, machinery, industrial equipment, towers and other assets.
Income-producing tangible personal property with a total taxable value of $125,000 or less in a taxing unit may be exempt in that unit.
Save the completed form, asset schedules, email confirmation, postmark or stamped office copy.
How to Protest a 2026 Austin County Appraisal
Mark the Property ID, proposed value, exemption status, agricultural classification, notice date and deadline.
Possible grounds include excessive market value, unequal appraisal, incorrect improvements, wrong acreage, denied exemption or denied agricultural appraisal.
Use the taxpayer portal when open and eligible, or submit the Notice of Protest in person, by mail or by email.
Keep the portal confirmation, sent email, certified-mail receipt, USPS postmark or stamped office copy.
Ask for comparable sales, schedules, photographs, measurements and other evidence the district plans to present.
Use recent sales, condition photographs, repair estimates, measurements, surveys, closing documents, leases or agricultural-production records.
Write the district’s value, your requested value or correction and the evidence supporting that request.
Present the strongest evidence first and ask for any proposed agreement in writing.
Organize evidence by protest reason and follow the district’s hearing procedures, including telephone-hearing rules when applicable.
Arbitration, SOAH or district-court deadlines depend on the property and dispute.
Possible Post-Deadline Questions
| Possible Remedy | When It May Apply |
|---|---|
| Later notice deadline | A notice was mailed later and the notice-based filing period remains open. |
| Failure to receive required notice | A required CAD or ARB notice was not received and statutory tax-payment conditions are satisfied. |
| Late homestead filing | The owner qualified for a residence-homestead exemption but missed the ordinary application period. |
| Late agricultural application | The application is filed before ARB approval of the records and the owner accepts the statutory 10% penalty when approved. |
| Appraisal-roll correction | The account contains a qualifying ownership, clerical or sufficiently large appraisal error. |
How to Search and Pay Austin County Property Taxes
Confirm the owner, account type and legal description before opening the tax search.
Search by account number, owner, mailing address, Owner ID, property address, appraisal-district number, statement number or legal description.
The portal separates Real, Business Personal Property, Mineral, Commercial and Other accounts.
Paying the newest statement does not automatically clear an older delinquent year.
Compare the tax account with the appraisal record before assuming the entire property is paid.
Do not submit the payment until the correct Property ID, tax year, entities and final charge are displayed.
Keep the account number, tax year, payment date, amount and confirmation number.
Return to the account after processing and confirm that the intended balance was reduced or cleared.
Entities Austin CAD Currently Lists as Collected
| Category | Participating Entities |
|---|---|
| County and roads | Austin County, Farm/Market Road and Special Road & Bridge. |
| Cities and towns | Bellville, Sealy, Wallis, Brazos Country and San Felipe. |
| School districts | Bellville ISD, Brazos ISD and Sealy ISD. |
| Special entities | Austin County ESD #1, ESD #2, ESD #3, Bellville Hospital District and PID 1. |
Delinquent-Tax Percentage Guide
| Payment Month | Standard Penalty and Interest Percentage |
|---|---|
| February | 7% |
| March | 9% |
| April | 11% |
| May | 13% |
| June | 15% |
| July | 18%, before additional attorney charges when applicable |
How to Search Austin County Deeds, Liens, Easements and Plats
Save the current owner, prior owner, Property ID, abstract, subdivision, acreage and legal description.
Use Austin County AVA for the online record ranges listed by the Clerk.
The County Clerk lists AVA records for January 1, 1824-December 31, 1907 and January 1, 1983-present.
A document dated between 1908 and 1982 may require staff assistance or another record-search system.
Include spouses, trusts, estates, businesses, heirs and previous owners.
Look for deeds, deeds of trust, releases, liens, easements, restrictions, plats, mineral deeds, leases and assignments.
A matching name is not enough when an owner has several Austin County tracts or mineral interests.
A current deed may refer to an older plat, restriction, easement, mineral reservation or deed of trust.
Ask whether a plain or certified copy is required for a lender, court, probate matter or legal transaction.
Currently Posted Official Public Records Fees
| Service | Posted Fee |
|---|---|
| Record a real-property document | $25 for the first page plus $4 for each additional page. |
| Additional indexed name after the first five | $0.25 per name. |
| Hard-copy or emailed copy | $1 per page. |
| Certification | $5 per document, plus applicable copy charges. |
| Full-size plat copy | $10. |
| Record a plat | $121 for the first page plus $50 for each additional page. |
Austin County Buyer and Landowner Due-Diligence Checklist
- Match every Property ID to the purchase contract
- Compare appraisal acreage with the deed and survey
- Review land and improvement characteristics
- Confirm homestead and other exemptions
- Check agricultural or wildlife status
- Search every open tax year
- Confirm every expected taxing unit
- Search deeds, liens and releases
- Review restrictions and easements
- Confirm legal road access
- Check floodplain and drainage conditions
- Verify septic and development requirements
- Review mineral reservations and leases
- Obtain a survey and title commitment
2026 Austin County Property Calendar
Austin County Property Office Contacts
| Office | Contact | Handles |
|---|---|---|
| Austin County Appraisal District and Tax Office |
Greg Cook, Chief Appraiser 906 E. Amelia Street Bellville, TX 77418 979-865-9124 austincad@gmail.com Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. |
Property search, appraisal, GIS, exemptions, agriculture, wildlife, renditions, protests, tax statements, payments and receipts. |
| Austin County Tax Assessor-Collector |
Kim Rinn 804 E. Wendt Street Bellville, TX 77418 979-865-8633 krinn@austincounty.com Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. |
Vehicle registration, motor-vehicle titles, boat registration and related services. |
| Austin County Clerk |
Diane Day 265 N. Chesley St., Suite 7 Bellville, TX 77418 979-227-3144 countyc@austincounty.com Mon-Thu, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Fri, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00-4:30 p.m. |
Deeds, liens, easements, plats, mineral documents, e-recording, copies and certifications. |
Map to Austin County Appraisal District
Austin County CAD Property Search FAQs
What is the official Austin County CAD property search?
The official free search is esearch.austincad.org. It supports owner, address, Property ID, abstract, subdivision, Geographic ID, mobile-home park and advanced searches.
Is Austin County CAD the same as Travis CAD?
No. Austin County CAD serves Bellville, Sealy, Wallis, San Felipe and other Austin County communities. Travis CAD serves the Austin and Travis County area.
What are Austin CAD’s phone number, address and hours?
Call 979-865-9124. The office is at 906 E. Amelia Street, Bellville, TX 77418 and is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Are Austin CAD’s 2026 values final?
No. The official property search states that 2026 values are preliminary and subject to change before certification.
Where do I pay Austin County property taxes?
Use tax.austincad.org/search or contact the Austin CAD Tax Office at 979-865-9124. The County Tax Assessor-Collector directs property-tax payments to Austin CAD.
Can I still file an Austin CAD protest online?
The taxpayer portal currently says online protests are closed. Contact Austin CAD immediately about filing in person, by mail or by email when a valid deadline or late remedy remains.
What are Austin County’s basic livestock standards for agricultural appraisal?
The 2026 local guidelines generally call for at least five animal units for most of the calendar year, with stocking based on pasture type and management.
What are Austin County’s beekeeping requirements?
The local guideline covers five to 20 acres and typically requires six to 12 living mainframe hives used for pollination or commercial bee-product production.
Where can I search Austin County deeds and liens?
Use the County Clerk’s free AVA search for its listed online record periods, or contact the Clerk at 979-227-3144 for records outside those ranges.
Is the Austin CAD GIS map a legal survey?
No. Use the GIS map for general parcel research and a licensed surveyor, recorded deeds and title research for exact boundaries, access and legal ownership.
Independent Editorial Notice
County-CAD.us is an independent informational website. It is not affiliated with Austin County Appraisal District, Austin County, the Appraisal Review Board, any taxing unit or the State of Texas.
Property values, deadlines, exemptions, local agricultural standards, fees, office hours, collector assignments and online systems can change. Confirm time-sensitive information directly with the responsible official office before filing, paying or relying on a record for a legal transaction.
Editorial verification: July 21, 2026.
Estimate Taxes, Exemptions, Escrow, Protest Savings and Next Steps
This sitewide tool helps homeowners, buyers, sellers and investors understand property tax numbers before they check the official county appraisal district or tax office. It runs in your browser, does not collect personal data and gives practical next steps after each calculation.
What are you trying to do today?
Choose your main goal. The tool will guide you to the right calculation or next step.
Use Tax, Exemption and Protest tabs to understand your appraisal notice and possible savings.
Use Buyer Budget and Monthly Escrow before relying only on a mortgage payment estimate.
Property Tax Estimate Calculator
Estimate annual tax using property value, assessment ratio, exemptions and local tax rate.
Homestead and Exemption Savings
Estimate how much a homestead, senior, disabled, veteran or local exemption may reduce annual tax.
Monthly Escrow / Ownership Cost
Estimate monthly property tax, insurance, HOA and reserve cushion. Useful for buyers and homeowners comparing affordability.
Property Tax Protest Savings
Estimate possible savings if your appraised value is reduced after a protest, evidence review or correction.
Appraised Value Growth / Cap Impact
Estimate how a value increase or appraisal cap may affect taxable value. Rules vary by state, county and exemption status.
Home Buyer Monthly Budget Estimate
Estimate a more realistic monthly ownership cost by adding mortgage, property tax, insurance and HOA.
Find Official County CAD and Tax Resources
Enter county and state to create safe search links. This avoids guessing official URLs and helps users find the correct county appraisal district, property search, tax payment and exemption pages.
Why this tool helps your site
It gives visitors an interactive reason to stay on the page, calculate their own numbers and move from general reading to practical action.
Best placement
- Below county CAD articles
- Before FAQ section on long posts
- Inside sidebar or after first major section on desktop
Estimate disclaimer
Values are educational estimates. Visitors should confirm final values, exemptions, tax rates, payment status and deadlines with official county resources.