SB 1801 Compliance for Texas Appraisal Districts: A Smarter Path Forward

How CADs can stay compliant, minimize confusion, and automate homestead exemption audits

What Is SB 1801?

Texas Senate Bill 1801 was passed to strengthen property tax accuracy by requiring:

• Homestead exemption audits at least once every five years

• Appraisal districts to create systems that meet Method and Assistance Program (MAP) compliance standards

The intent is taxpayer fairness — but implementation has led to confusion, reapplication overload, and pressure on already stretched appraisal districts.

4 Emerging Challenges SB 1801 Creates for Texas CADs

1. Reapplication Overload

What changed: SB 1801 requires homestead exemptions to be periodically reverified. Without specific statewide guidance, many CADs took a blanket approach — mailing reapplication letters to all homeowners.

Result:Tens of thousands of unnecessary submissions now flood offices, even from eligible residents who didn't need to reapply.

2. Manual Review Bottlenecks

What changed: SB 1801’s audit and MAP system requirements increase the frequency and volume of verification work.

Result: Most exemption checks are still done manually. Staff are buried in time-consuming data entry, document review, and compliance paperwork.

3. Taxpayer Confusion

What changed: The legislation mandates stricter oversight but lacks clear resident-facing communication standards or public outreach support.

Result: Homeowners are confused by exemption notices. Many contact the office unnecessarily, increasing phone traffic, paperwork, and public frustration.

4. Inconsistent Compliance Across CADs

What changed: SB 1801 leaves each of Texas’s 253 CADs responsible for developing their own MAP-compliant processes and workflows.

Result: Uneven execution, duplicated effort, and resource strain — especially for smaller or underfunded appraisal districts trying to "build their own process" under pressure.

Why the 5-Year Audit Cycle Isn’t Enough

Even with regular audits, exemption records can become outdated almost immediately after completion.

That’s because eligibility can change at any time due to a wide range of common life events — including, but not limited to:

• Moves or address changes

• Marriages, divorces, or changes in marital status

• Death of a homeowner

• Changes in ownership or occupancy status

These changes often occur between audit cycles, and without a system to detect them in real time, appraisal districts risk relying on inaccurate data — leading to improper exemptions, compliance risk, and public mistrust.

How Smart Texas CADs Are Staying Ahead of SB 1801

Forward-thinking appraisal districts are treating SB 1801 as a catalyst to modernize exemption workflows.

Instead of expanding staff or relying on outdated systems and traditional point-in-time  auditing methods, they’re implementing automation-ready tools that:

• Improve data accuracy in real time

• Reduce unnecessary reapplications

• Lighten the clerical burden

• Simplify path to MAP compliance.

The Only Platform Built to Solve SB 1801’s Challenges — End to End

SB 1801 didn’t just create more rules — it exposed how outdated, manual, and disconnected most exemption workflows really are. While some vendors offer one-time audit services or throw “big data” at the problem, these point-in-time solutions don’t fix the root issues created by SB 1801.

TrueRoll is the only platform purpose-built for homestead exemption compliance — not bolted onto another system or repurposed from another industry. It was designed specifically to address the unique, evolving needs of Central Appraisal Districts.

Here’s how Texas CADs are using TrueRoll to solve each of the emerging SB 1801 challenges — not just temporarily patch them.

Proactive Monitoring: Continuous Compliance, Not Point-in-Time Snapshots

Unlike traditional audits that reflect a single moment in time, Proactive Monitoring keeps your exemption data up to date year-round.

How it works: Continuously compares your tax roll with 1,000+ verified data sources — including driver’s license, property records, voter registrations, and more.

Solves These SB 1801 Challenges:

• Reapplication Overload: Only flags residents with actual eligibility changes — reducing blanket mailings by up to 90%

• Manual Review Bottlenecks: Replaces clerical lookups with real-time, automated alerts

• Taxpayer Confusion: Prevents over-communication with residents who don’t need to reapply

• Post-Audit Gaps: Eliminates reliance on static audits by identifying changes as they happen

Why it’s different: Other vendors offer stale “data dumps” or generic triggers that often aren’t legally relevant. TrueRoll only surfaces exemption-impacting changes using curated, authoritative data designed for local tax governance.

Application Vetter: Automate What Shouldn't Be Manual

SB 1801 compliance means validating new exemption requests more closely — and more often. But doing that manually is no longer sustainable.

How it works: Automatically processes incoming homestead applications — whether digital or paper — using customizable business rules.

Solves These SB 1801 Challenges:

• Manual Review Bottlenecks: Automatically flags incomplete or ineligible applications before they ever reach staff

• Compliance Uncertainty: Ensures every application is held to consistent, audit-ready standards

• Staff Capacity Strain: Reduces clerical burden by up to 60%, freeing up time for higher-value service

Why it’s different: Most other tools simply digitize documents — they don’t validate them. Application Vetter adds a layer of real-time intelligence that supports true eligibility verification, not just workflow management.

Purpose-Built for Homestead. Proven in Texas.

TrueRoll isn’t a bolt-on product or one-size-fits-all platform. It was designed for one job: simplifying homestead administration through automation, accuracy, and audit-readiness.

That’s why over 50 counties in Texas — including Williamson, Austin, Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, and Williamson — rely on TrueRoll to:

• Maintain accurate rolls between audits

• Eliminate mass reapplications

• Empower smaller teams to do more

• Navigate MAP requirements with confidence

SB 1801 Is a Challenge — But Also an Opportunity

If you're navigating new audit and compliance demands, you're not alone. The right technology can simplify SB 1801 implementation and deliver long-term value to your office and taxpayers.

Learn more about SB 1801

Request SB 1801 Compliance Info →

See how your district can modernize exemption management today. Contact Us (Link to  Book Demo Page)

FAQs About SB 1801 and Homestead Exemptions in Texas

Q: What does SB 1801 require for homestead exemptions in Texas? A: SB 1801 mandates that every Texas CAD audit its homestead exemptions at least once every five years and develop its own system for MAP compliance.

Q: What is MAP compliance for Texas appraisal districts? A: The Method and Assistance Program (MAP) is a state oversight program. SB 1801 requires each CAD to develop its own system that meets MAP guidelines for exemption verification.

Q: Do all homeowners need to reapply for their exemptions under SB 1801? A: No. Many CADs have mistakenly requested reapplications from all homeowners, causing confusion. A smarter approach is to target only those flagged for potential ineligibility.