Do opportunity zones expire on December 31, 2026?

No. The opportunity zone tracts designated in 2018 remain designated through December 31, 2028. Existing investments are not affected, and the ten-year holding clock keeps running. What ends on December 31, 2026 is the ability to put new money into those original zones and the deferral of gains elected under the original rules.

Is my existing opportunity zone investment safe?

Yes. If you invested capital gains in a qualified opportunity fund under the original program, your investment remains in a designated tract through December 31, 2028, and your ten-year exclusion is still available. The IRS has confirmed that funds may continue treating those tracts as qualified zones for compliance testing purposes through 2047.

Can I invest new money in a 2018-designated opportunity zone in 2027 or 2028?

Generally, no. The new law requires property to be acquired after a tract's 'applicable start date,' which is the January 1 following its designation. Zones designated in 2018 have no applicable start date under the new law. IRS Notice 2026-40 states that property acquired in those original zones after December 31, 2026 generally cannot qualify, even though the tract remains designated until the end of 2028.

Are there exceptions that allow new capital into old opportunity zones after 2026?

There are narrow exceptions. A project with a written working-capital plan that was adopted and partially funded before year-end 2026 can continue to take capital, and ordinary replacement or modernization of property a business already owns can still qualify. These are limited exceptions, not a general path for new investment.

When does my deferred opportunity zone gain become taxable?

A capital gain deferred under the original opportunity zone rules becomes taxable on December 31, 2026. It cannot be re-deferred into a new opportunity fund; the original election stays in place. Because the tax may come due without any cash distribution from the fund, investors should calculate the federal liability and estimated payments with their tax advisor well before year-end.

When do the new Texas opportunity zones take effect?

Governor Abbott's office submitted Texas's opportunity zone nominations to the U.S. Treasury on August 3, 2026. After Treasury certifies the tracts, the new Texas map takes effect January 1, 2027 and runs for ten years, through 2036. The new program is permanent.

I have a capital gain now. Should I rush to invest before December 31, 2026?

Not necessarily. The better question is whether your capital belongs in the new opportunity zone map at all, and if so, whether your 180-day investment window can be timed to land after January 1, 2027. A gain realized in August calls for a different timing strategy than one realized in November, so the decision should be made with an advisor who understands both the old and new rules.

Texas Got 608 Opportunity Zones. Houston and Dallas Look Very Different Now.

Back in April, when the IRS released the list of Texas tracts that could qualify for Opportunity Zone 2.0, I closed my post with this line:

The map is being drawn right now. Make sure you’re on the right side of it.

Well… the map is drawn.

Human Authored by

Daniel Goodwin

On Nov. 5, the U.S. Treasury certified the new Opportunity Zones for every state. Texas came in at 608. Only California got more. The new zones take effect Jan. 1, 2027, and run through Dec. 31, 2036.

For many Texans, the answer just changed.

Same state, very different Opportunity Zone map

“The map is drawn. So which side are you on? For many Texans, the answer just changed.”

Texas Opportunity Zones 2.0 | Map of Nominations - Hasn't been updated to say "certified" by the Governor's Economic Development Office | Provident 1031

Houston had 99 zones inside city limits. This time the city nominated 48 tracts within its limits, plus 67 more in the surrounding area. Most of the new ones are in the north and east, in neighborhoods like Northside and Trinity/Houston Gardens. Most of the old downtown zones didn’t qualify again.
Dallas kept only four of its original zones.
Fort Worth renominated none of Tarrant County’s original zones.
Austin saw most of Travis County’s 21 original zones fall outside the new eligibility rules.
San Antonio nominated 34 of Bexar County’s 146 eligible tracts, mostly inside Loop 410.

“Texas redrew its map almost from scratch. It moved zones away from places that never attracted a project and toward metro neighborhoods where capital is more likely to show up.”

Why the new Texas Opportunity Zones matter if you own property

“Janelle’s warehouse didn’t change. The pool of buyers who care about it did.”

Is my property on the new map, the old map, or both? The official map is at cdfifund.gov/opportunity-zones. Search by address.
If I’m in an Opportunity Zone fund, are any of its Texas projects only on the old map? If so, they’re facing a year-end deadline.

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH DANIEL GOODWIN

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I’M ON A DEADLINE! – The 45-day clock is ticking. Get help identifying replacement options now.

DST Strategy – Complete your 1031 Exchange through a DST for passive ownership in institutional-grade real estate.

QOZ Opportunity – Defer or eliminate capital gains by reinvesting through a Qualified Opportunity Zone fund.

Energy Investment – Explore oil, gas, and mineral rights strategies designed for current income and significant tax advantages.

Marketplace Inquiry – Talk through a specific property you’re considering or get strategy guidance on a current offering.

Not Sure Yet – I’d like Daniel’s expert guidance on which path fits my situation.

The other side of the map

Qualified Opportunity Zones Houston: Northside | Provident 1031 - Daniel Goodwin

Not sure where your property or gain stands on the new map?

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH DANIEL GOODWIN

CONTACT FORM

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Step 1 of 3 – Step 1 of 3 – What Brings You Here Today?

Step 1 of 3 – What Brings You Here Today?

Select your service*

I’M ON A DEADLINE! – The 45-day clock is ticking. Get help identifying replacement options now.

DST Strategy – Complete your 1031 Exchange through a DST for passive ownership in institutional-grade real estate.

QOZ Opportunity – Defer or eliminate capital gains by reinvesting through a Qualified Opportunity Zone fund.

Energy Investment – Explore oil, gas, and mineral rights strategies designed for current income and significant tax advantages.

Marketplace Inquiry – Talk through a specific property you’re considering or get strategy guidance on a current offering.

Not Sure Yet – I’d like Daniel’s expert guidance on which path fits my situation.

Qualified Opportunity Zone Masterclass with Daniel Goodwin

The Opportunity Zones Advantage | The Definitive Guide To Building Tax-Free Wealth With QOZs | by Daniel Goodwin - Coming Soon where books are sold!

FAQs

How many Opportunity Zones did Texas get under Opportunity Zone 2.0?

Texas received 608. Treasury certified the designations on Nov. 5, 2026; they take effect Jan. 1, 2027, and run through Dec. 31, 2036. Only California, with 620, received more. Texas had 628 under the 2018 map.

Did Houston keep its original Opportunity Zones?

Mostly no. Houston had 99 zones inside city limits. For OZ 2.0, the city nominated 48 tracts inside city limits plus 67 in the surrounding area, concentrated in north and east Houston, including Northside and Trinity/Houston Gardens. Most original downtown-area zones were not renominated.

My property is in a 2018 Opportunity Zone but not on the new map. What happens?

The original designation remains through Dec. 31, 2028. But under IRS Notice 2026-40, property an Opportunity Zone fund or its business acquires after Dec. 31, 2026 in an old-map-only tract generally will not count as qualified Opportunity Zone business property. Narrow transition exceptions apply, so the pool of fund buyers for that property is likely to shrink after 2026.

What exceptions apply to old-map projects after 2026?

Two main paths under Notice 2026-40: property acquired under a written working capital safe harbor plan in place by Dec. 31, 2026, and property acquired in the ordinary course of business to replace or modernize existing property. Property bought for expansion in an old-map-only tract generally does not qualify.

How do I check whether my Texas property is in a new Opportunity Zone?

Search by address on the CDFI Fund’s Opportunity Zones map. Check the census tract number, not just the county or neighborhood, because the two maps differ block by block. A property can be on the new map, the old map, or both.

When can investors start putting capital gains into the new Texas zones?

The designations take effect Jan. 1, 2027. Eligible gains must generally be invested in a Qualified Opportunity Fund within 180 days of the sale. Investments made after Dec. 31, 2026 receive a rolling five-year deferral measured from the investment date.

What does the new designation mean for owners in Northside or Trinity/Houston Gardens?

Their land and buildings may attract Opportunity Zone fund sponsors looking for property they can begin working on in 2027. That doesn’t mean sell. It means knowing what the property is worth to that type of buyer before the first offer arrives.

Previous Opportunity

Texas Got 608 Opportunity Zones. Houston and Dallas Look Very Different Now.

Texas Got 608 Opportunity Zones. Houston and Dallas Look Very Different Now.

Same state, very different Opportunity Zone map

Why the new Texas Opportunity Zones matter if you own property

Step 1 of 3 – What Brings You Here Today?

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