Appraisal Review Board (ARB) Hearings
The Galveston CAD Appraisal Review Board (ARB) is an independent group of citizens authorized to resolve disputes between taxpayers and the appraisal district. The ARB sits in panels of three to hear testimony and review evidence to determine property owner protests that were not resolved during the informal process.
What Happens During an ARB Hearing:
Both a property owner and a representative from the appraisal district will present their evidence and take questions from a panel of ARB members.
Following this presentation, the panel will make a decision regarding the protest. Hearings typically last 15 to 20 minutes. Approximately three to four weeks after the hearing, the property owner will receive a Notice of Final Order via certified mail.
The ARB hearing process will begin in the month of May every year. Property owners will be allowed to participate in their hearings in several ways:
By phone/videoconference:
Property owners MUST submit the” Property Owner’s Affidavit of Evidence” 24 hours prior to the scheduled hearing. You will be allowed to present your case via a telephone/videoconference hearing. Instructions are available for property owners that wish to take advantage of remote screen sharing during a telephone hearing.
By affidavit:
Property owners will be allowed to submit their evidence and arguments by written affidavit.
In person:
If requested, property owners will be allowed to attend an in-person hearing at GCAD’s office.
Important Information
Property owners will be required to adhere to safety protocols while inside the facilities.
The Galveston CAD ARB will contact property owners with information on their scheduled hearing date and time at least 15 days before their scheduled hearing.
That notification will also contain information on how to attend a phone hearing, submit an affidavit, or request an in-person hearing.
Property owners who cannot make the date/time of their hearing before the Appraisal Review Board may request that their hearing be rescheduled.
Property owners who wish to appeal the decision of the ARB may do so in binding arbitration or District Court.