Tax Office

Who do I make my check payable to?
Please make checks payable to: Aldine ISD

Is there a drop box payment location for after tax office hours?
Yes. Located at the Resource Center on the northeast corner of the building. Please do not leave cash. Identify your payment with your account number, property address or name on the account

Where do I mail payments?
Mail payments with coupon/bottom portion of tax statement to:

P.O.Box203989
Houston, TX 77216-3989

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The coupon/bottom portion of tax statement MUST be included with your payment to avoid a delay of posting payment.

Can I pay my taxes by credit card or echeck?
Yes. Payments can be made by phone or online. Please note that if you choose to pay by credit card or echeck aconvenience fee will be charged. Aldine ISD receives no portion of this fee.

Please see our “Payment Options”link.

What if my mortgage company is supposed to pay my taxes?
A bill will be sent to both the property owner and the mortgage company if they requested it before we print and mail the bills. If you are not sure if your mortgage compnany received a bill, write your mortgage loan number on the bill and forward it to their escrow department. Any mortgage company can print a tax bill from this website.

Can I pay my taxes by phone?
Yes, you may pay via phone with a credit card or check. Please note that aconvenience feewill be charged. Aldine ISD receives not portion of this fee.

Please see our “Payment Options” link.

How do you determine the appraised value of my property?
The Aldine ISD Tax Office does not appraise property. This is done by HCAD. Contact HCAD for dispute resolution at 713.957.7800. HCAD is the only authority to charge the appraised value of properties within the Aldine ISD boundaries.

Can I set up an installment agreement to pay delinquent taxes?
Yes, if you qualify. An installment agreement may be set up to pay off delinquent years due. Contact our office at 281.985.6455 for additional information. 

You canview our installment agreement policy in the “Forms”link

Why do I have to pay taxes if I do not have children in school?
The Texas Property Tax Code requires school taxes to be assessed to everyone who owns property within the district’s boundaries. Property taxes are based on the value of your property. Property values are determined by HCAD.

What are exemptions? What are the types of exemptions?
Exemptions reduce the taxable value of your property. This lowers you tax amount. Some of these exemptions are: 

Residence Homestead – $25,000 – available for all home owners on their residence as long as they lived there on January 1st of the tax year.

Over65 – $20,000- Can be taken in addition to the Residence Homestead Exemption. Homeowners over the age of 65 may also arrange for a Tax Affidavit Deferral. You may choose to defer the collection of taxes if you own and occupy your residence and taxes are delinquent; however, a tax lien remains on the property and interest of 8% a year continues to accrue. 

Disabled Homestead – $20,000 – Can be taken in addition to the Residence Homestead Exemption; available to those who qualify according to specific guidelines. If you qualify for disability benefits under the Federal Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Program administered by the Social Security Administration, you will qualify for Disabled Homestead Exemptions.

If you qualify for both the Over-65 Exemption and the Disability Exemption, you must choose one. You cannot receive both.

Disabled Veteran/Survivor – You must be a Texas resident to receive this exemption. You also must have documents from either the Veteran’s Administration/ the appropriate branch of the armed forces showing the percentage of your service-related disability. Your disability rating must be at least 10 percent. This exemption ranges from $5,000 to $12,000 depending on the extent of the disability. This exemption can be taken on any property in Texas; it is not limited to the homestead property. However, you may pick only one property to receive the exemption. This exemption is in addition to your disability exemption.

Contact HCAD with any questions 713.957.7800

How do I get a Homestead, Over-65, or Disability exemption?
Call HCAD at 713.957.7800. They are the only authority to grant exemptions for all properties within the Aldine ISD boundaries. Also, you may obtain the necessary forms to file for these exemptions at the HCAD website.

I was told that when you turn 65 you do not have to pay school taxes, is this true?
No. When you turn 65 you get an additionalexemption that helps to lowerthe amount of tax that you pay and freezes the tax amount you pay, but it does not eliminate the tax. The county may offer a larger Over 65 exemption amount. In some cases if the exemption amount is greater than the property value there may not be a tax for that office.

Over-65 homeowners are also eligible to pay their current taxes in four equal installments. The first installment is due by January 31. The remaining three installments are due by March 31, May 31, and July 31. Payments not received by the due date will accrue penalties and interest.

I have elected to use the Over 65 or Disabled Persons Payment Option, but my mortgage company sent me a letter that I have unpaid taxes, what is going on?
Texas school districts offer taxpayers Over 65 / Disabled an option of paying their taxes in four installments. Some mortgage companies outside of Texas may not realize that many of our Over 65 / Disabled Persons use this payment option. This office does not contact any mortgage company regarding unpaid taxes. The mortgage company may have looked on-line and saw there was a balance still due on the account and assumed the taxes were unpaid. There was a letter mailed to you outlining the payment plan. Send the mortgage company a copy of this letter. This should be sufficient documentation of your payment schedule. They can visit our website to verify that you have a declining balance and that payments have been made.

I am disabled or over 65 and not able to pay my taxes. Is my property subject to be sold by the Aldine ISD Tax Office to pay for delinquent taxes?
Yes, unless you qualify your homestead for a Tax Deferral. However, your tax liability is only postponed and not canceled. Your delinquent taxes will continue to accrue at the rate of 8% per year once the deferral is granted. If a lawsuit has already been filed to collect delinquent taxes, you will need to file a Tax Deferral Affidavit. Contact HCAD to file for the tax deferral at 713.812.5800.

I want to transfer my Over 65 Exemption from another house in Texas to one in your school district, what should I do?
Begin by applying for the Over 65 Homestead Exemption with the county appraisal district you will be living. Ask them at what location(s) you need to submit your original “Tax Ceiling Transfer Certificate”. You can get this certificate from the county appraisal district you are moving from.

When are tax bills mailed and when are payments due?
Tax bills are usually mailed by Thanksgiving. All taxes are due upon receipt. Any payments made before January 31 are without penalty and interest. Taxes become delinquent on February 1.

What if I mail my taxes and they get there after the due date?
This officehonors the postmarks of the US Postal Service. We are required to collect the amount due on the date of the postmark. If your check is dated January 31, but your postmark is dated February 12, we are required to collect the amount for February. May we suggest that you mail your payment in advance to ensure proper postmarks?See our “Payment Options” section for additional payment information.

My tax bill does not show my exemption(s), what should I do?
Contact HCAD to get the exemption added to the property. You can only qualify for a homestead exemption if you own and live in your home on January 1 of that tax year. If you move in any time after that date you will not qualify until next January. Taxes are always dueupon receipt and become delinquent February 1.We will never suggest that a property owner wait for an exemption to pay the taxes. You do not want any savings from the exemption to be used towards penalty and interest due to late payment. When we are notified of the exemption you will get a refund if the tax has already been paid.If not paid will get a bill on the unpaid tax with the exemption and any penalty and interest if applicable.

I did not receive a tax bill in the mail. Why do I have to pay penalty and interest?
As a property owner, you are responsible for making sure that the taxes are paid on time. The statements are mailed and taxes are due at the same time each year. You do not need a statement to make payment; just write your account number on your check with the correct amount.

Texas PropertyTax Code Sec 31.01 states that failure to receive a bill does not change the due date nor waive the penalty and interest. It is the property owner’s responsibility to know when taxes are due.

How do I get the name and address changed on my property?
The only authority to change ownership records and mailing addresses (this includes miss-spellings) isHCAD, not the tax office. Contact HCAD 713.957.7800.

This is not my property or I no longer own the property, what should I do?
The tax office can not change any ownership records. The current owner of the property (owner’s agent) is responsible for making sure the ownership and mailing information is recorded with HCAD shortly after acquiring the property. If you are concerned that this may not have been done you can contact the HCAD yourself 713.957.7800.

What happens if I do not pay my taxes?
Legal action will be taken against you to collect on taxes due. That action may result in the sale of your property. If you owe delinquent taxes you should contact this office immediately at 281.985.6455.

I am the new owner and did not own this property the entire year. Why am I responsible for the entire year’s taxes?
At closing, the property taxes should have been disclosed to you on your closing statement. Check your closing statement as to the disposition of funds due you for the previous owner’s portion of the tax. This disclosure serves as notification of the property tax obligation, making the new property owner aware and responsible for the entire tax bill. The school district does not prorate taxes. Any proration of taxes should have taken place at closing.

Why am I getting a delinquent tax bill on a property I just purchased?
The tax laws require that tax office’s mail delinquent tax bills to the current owner of the real estate. Because a tax lien exists against that parcel, it is in the current owner’s best interest to have knowledge of that lien. In the State of Texas the taxes follow the property. You should check with your title company as to the disposition of unpaid taxes due at the time of your closing. There may have been funds allocated at closing to settle these taxes.

I received a bill for personal property taxes, but I do not own any real estate; I just lease it for my business. Why am I receiving a bill on property I do not own? Shouldn’t the property owner be paying this?
All businesses are taxed on their personal property, such as furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, inventory, and vehicles. Most likely, the bill you received is for business personal property and not for the real estate itself. The real estate is taxed separately and the tax statement is sent to the property owner.

I received a tax bill, but I am just renting the property for my business?
All businesses are taxed on their personal property, such as furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, inventory and vehicles used to generate income. Most likely, the tax bill that you received is for your business personal property and not for the real estate itself. The real estate is taxed separately and the tax bill sent to the property owner. Questions about personal property should be directed to HCAD 713.957.7800.

I closed my business. Why am I receiving a tax bill?
You will be liable for taxes on the personal property that you owned on January 1. You are not relieved of the taxes because you no longer own the property. It is important that you contact HCAD if you have changed locations/no longer own the business. If you do not contact them, your account may remain on the tax roll and can be assessed taxes in the future.

I was charged a Late Rendition, what is this?
Chapter 22, Texas Tax Code, requires owners of business personal property to file a rendition describing the property with the chief appraiser by April 15 of each year and also prescribes the penalty for failure to comply. The rendition penalty is a penalty created by the Texas Legislature on those businesses failing to file their business personal property rendition, also filing their rendition late, to their County Appraisal District. The rendition penalty is generally equal to 10% of the amount of property taxes ultimately imposed on the property.

How do I get this Late Rendition Penalty removed?
You must contact HCAD. The tax office does not have any authority over this matter.

If I do not pay the Late Rendition Penalty, what happens?
You will be subject to civil action for collection in the courts.

How do I get a tax certificate and is there a fee?
You can get a tax certificate from our office for a fee of $10.00 (cash). Tax certificates need to be requested in writing. The wait time for a tax certificate is usually7-10 business days per certificate. You will be called when the tax certificate is ready to be printed. We do not prepare tax certificates in advance. Our system requires a payment source before we can generate a tax certificate. Once wereceive the fee we will prepare the certificate. The wait time for a tax certificate is usually5-10minutes per certificate. Please allow additional wait time during December and January.