How to Look Up Land Values on Matagorda CAD (MCAD)
Short answer: Matagorda County land is appraised by the Matagorda County Appraisal District (MCAD) in Bay City. Search it at esearch.matagorda-cad.org by name, address or Property ID, or use the interactive map; MCAD sells a plat copy for $4.50. MCAD does not send tax bills or collect payments: the Matagorda County Tax Assessor-Collector does. Its FAQ explains the 20% circuit breaker limit for 2026, which covers qualifying real property valued at $5,320,000 or less but not land under ag, timber or other special appraisal, ends when the property sells and expires December 31, 2026. Protest by May 15 or 30 days after the notice date, by mail, in person or in the online portal, where the online protest is your informal meeting.
Land in Matagorda County, from farm and ranch land around Bay City to bay-front lots near Palacios and Sargent, is valued by the Matagorda County Appraisal District, which calls itself MCAD. (Montgomery County's district uses the same letters; this guide is about Matagorda.) Its records are free to search, and its FAQ answers more land questions than most. Below: finding a tract, getting a plat, how the 2026 circuit breaker works and who it leaves out, who sends the bill, and how a protest runs.
Find the tract
MCAD's property search is at esearch.matagorda-cad.org; the home page sums it up as "search property by name, address, or property ID". Tabs cover By Owner, By Address and By ID, and the Advanced Search adds abstract, subdivision, neighborhood, Geographic ID and tax year. The help page's tips:
- Owner names go last name first. If the full name fails, try the less common name alone.
- Addresses: start with the full address, then just the street name without the street type.
- Property ID, printed on your notice and tax bill, is the quickest way in.
- Results can be saved as a CSV file or emailed.
For acreage without an address, the Interactive Map linked from the home page is usually faster. If your tract links to the wrong account on the map, MCAD's FAQ says to call 979-244-2031 or email the office and ask for the GIS/Mapping Clerk.
Two more tools are useful for land. MCAD's FAQ says you can request a plat of your property by calling or visiting the office at 2225 Avenue G in Bay City, at $4.50 per plat. And the Tax Roll and GIS Downloads page offers certified roll exports, owner exports and GIS files by year, for anyone who wants to work with the raw data.
Read the record
Check the owner, mailing address, legal description, acreage and value. The search's disclaimer says acreage and legal descriptions are for appraisal district use only and should be verified before you use them in legal documents; the deed or a survey is what counts in a sale. MCAD's home page also asks owners to report address and ownership changes as soon as possible to avoid mail problems, and its FAQ points to a change of address form on the website or at the office.
MCAD's FAQ explains how it values property: an appraiser uses comparable sales, income or cost data and accepted appraisal techniques. Values move when an area is reappraised, when records are corrected, for equalization, or when sales show the old value was off. All of it is tied to January 1 under Tax Code Section 23.01. A buyer will pay for the actual tract, with its drainage, road and flood zone, which is why a tax value and a sale price differ. Our article on appraisal value versus sale price explains more.
Coastal land deserves an extra step. Much of the county is low and near the Gulf, so look up the flood zone before you set a price; our flood zone guide shows how.
The 20% circuit breaker, and who it skips
MCAD's FAQ explains the circuit breaker in plain English. In short:
- It limits the yearly increase in appraised value to 20% for qualifying real property, unless new improvements were added.
- For tax year 2026 it covers qualifying property valued at $5,320,000 or less.
- It does not apply to homesteads already under the 10% cap, or to land receiving special appraisal: ag land, timberland, recreational, park and scenic land, public access airport property and restricted-use timberland.
- You must own the property for a full calendar year before it applies. No application is needed; the district applies it automatically.
- It is removed when the property sells, and the tax base goes to market value until the new owner qualifies.
- It applies to the 2024, 2025 and 2026 tax years and expires December 31, 2026; the FAQ says there are currently no plans to extend it.
The FAQ's example: last year's appraised value was $100,000, this year's market value is $125,000, so the taxes are based on $120,000. For a land seller, the takeaway is that a buyer's future tax bill may be higher than yours if your value has been held down by the cap.
Ag and timber land
Much of Matagorda County is farmed or grazed, and land under an agricultural valuation is taxed on what it produces instead of market value. That is also why it sits outside the circuit breaker. When the use changes, Tax Code Section 23.55 adds a tax for each of the three years before the change, plus interest. Decide in the contract who pays; our article on rollback taxes on ag land covers the choices.
Who sends the bill
MCAD's home page puts it in capital letters: the appraisal district does not send out tax bills or collect tax payments. Bills come from, and payments go to, the Matagorda County Tax Assessor-Collector at the county tax office, 1801 7th St. in Bay City. The home page says a payment made out to the appraisal district will not be processed; it is taken to the tax office so they can contact you about a corrected check. The FAQ gives the tax office's number, 979-789-5100, for bill and payment questions and for tax foreclosure sale property.
The property search may show some tax history and an estimated amount, but the FAQ underlines "estimated". Before you sell, get the real balance from the tax office. Our guide on looking up the taxes owed walks through it.
How a protest runs at MCAD
The FAQ says to notify MCAD of your intent to protest by May 15 or 30 days from the date of the Notice of Appraised Value. If no notice was generated, you can still file by May 15. Notices only go out if you rendered property, the value rose at least $1,000, or ownership changed; they are also posted on each account in the property search.
- On paper: mail or hand-deliver a written protest to 2225 Avenue G. A simple letter naming the owner, the property and what you disagree with is enough.
- Online: file and manage it in the Taxpayer Portal at portal.matagorda-cad.org. The FAQ stresses that the online protest is your informal meeting. Accept the online offer and the protest closes with no ARB hearing; do not settle and it goes straight to a formal hearing with no second informal meeting.
- At the hearing: appear in person, by phone, by video or by notarized affidavit. For phone or video, tell MCAD in writing at least 5 days before the hearing and send your evidence by sworn affidavit.
One portal detail matters: registered portal users get their notices as uploads to the portal instead of by mail or email, and MCAD says it is your job to link your properties to electronic communications. If you expect a document and do not see it, call the office.
For evidence, bring sales of similar land, photos of drainage or access problems and a survey if the acreage is wrong. Our guide on protesting a land value has a checklist.
How we use it
For a Matagorda County tract we start with the MCAD account and, when it helps, a $4.50 plat. We note whether the land has an ag valuation and whether a capped value will reset at sale, then get the tax office balance, the flood zone and nearby sales. See how we buy in the county on our Matagorda County page. Land up the coast too? Our Brazoria (BCAD) guide covers the county to the east, and our Fort Bend (FBCAD) guide covers another nearby district.
Common questions
- Where do I look up Matagorda County property values?
- On esearch.matagorda-cad.org, the Matagorda County Appraisal District's property search, by name, address or Property ID, or with the advanced search fields. MCAD's home page also links an interactive map and a Tax Roll and GIS Downloads page.
- Can I get a plat of my Matagorda County land?
- Yes. MCAD's FAQ says to call or come into the office at 2225 Avenue G in Bay City to request a copy of your property's plat, at $4.50 per plat.
- Does the 20% circuit breaker cap apply to ag land?
- No. MCAD's FAQ says the circuit breaker limits increases to 20% a year for qualifying real property, but excludes homesteads already under the 10% cap and land receiving special appraisal, such as ag land and timberland. For 2026 it covers property valued at $5,320,000 or less, is removed when the property sells, and expires December 31, 2026.
- Who sends Matagorda County tax bills?
- The Matagorda County Tax Assessor-Collector at the county tax office, 1801 7th St. in Bay City. MCAD's home page says the appraisal district does not send tax bills or collect payments, and its FAQ gives the tax office number, 979-789-5100, for bills, payment status and tax sale property.
- How does an online protest work at MCAD?
- MCAD's FAQ says a protest filed in its online portal is your informal meeting with the appraisal staff. If you accept an online settlement offer, the protest closes with no ARB hearing. If you do not settle, there is no second informal meeting and the protest goes to a formal ARB hearing.
Sources
- MCAD home page
- MCAD property search
- MCAD property search: Help
- MCAD FAQs (updated October 2026)
- MCAD: Tax Information
- MCAD: Tax Roll and GIS Downloads
- Texas Tax Code Section 23.01: market value as of January 1
- Texas Tax Code Section 23.55: change of use of land
- Texas Tax Code Section 41.44: protest deadline
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