How to protest property taxes in Dallas County

DCAD says uFile is the only way for an owner to file a protest electronically. For 2026 the system opened April 15 for residential and commercial property and May 12 for business personal property.

DCAD's protest guide lists these steps in the order the screens appear.

• Step 1: on the uFile Online Protest System page, enter the PIN and the security code, then select Login.
• Step 2: on the Notice of Protest page, select a reason for the protest; the page also offers a copy of the ARB hearing procedures and a request to expedite the hearing date.
• Step 3: on the Owner Protest Documentation page, upload documentation (.PDF, .JPG, .XLS or .XLSX, up to 8 MB per file and 15 MB in total, with at most 20 files) and enter an opinion of value, which DCAD marks as recommended.
• Step 4: on the File Protest page, check the contact information and click File Protest; an automated confirmation should follow, and DCAD says to contact the appraisal district if it does not.

DCAD says the owner gets a confirmation within one business day, and an owner who sees none should check the email spam or junk folder before contacting DCAD. An owner who files on uFile should not also file a written or duplicate protest for the same account number.

DCAD's protest guide asks the owner to identify the property by address or account number and to state the nature of the protest, such as market value. The guide adds that attaching applicable documentation is helpful.

DCAD's protest guide says an owner may protest if any of these is true.

• The proposed value of the property is too high.
• The property is valued unequally compared with other property in the appraisal district.
• The chief appraiser denied an exemption.
• The chief appraiser denied agricultural appraisal for a farm or ranch.
• The chief appraiser wrongly decided that the owner took land out of agricultural use.
• The appraisal records show an incorrect owner.
• The property is being taxed by the wrong taxing units.
• The appraisal district or the ARB took another action that affects the property.

DCAD's informal review sheet says an owner must first file a protest and provide evidence of a value position before appraisal staff will conduct an informal review. The protest guide adds that an owner who uses uFile, uploads documentation and gives an opinion of market value has that material reviewed by appraisal staff and gets an email response before the ARB hearing.