Do You Qualify for the Homestead Exemption?

1. You must own your home on January 1.
2. You must occupy and use the home as your principal residence on January 1.
3. A residence may be owned by an individual through an interest in a qualifying beneficial trust and may be occupied by a trustor of a qualifying trust.
4. Your homestead can be a separate structure, condominium or a manufactured home located on leased land, as long as you own it. Your homestead can include up to 20 acres if the land is used and maintained as part of your yard.
5. If you have more than one house, you can only get a homestead exemption for your principal residence. If you temporarily move away from your home, you can still get an exemption if you don’t establish another principal residence and you intend to return. For instance, if you enter a nursing home but have the intent to eventually return to your home, your home still qualifies as your homestead.
6. Renting part of your home or using part of it for a business doesn’t disqualify the rest of your home for the exemption.However, you may not receive a homestead exemption on any part of the property that is rented out to others or used primarily for business purposes.
7. Neither you nor your spouse, if you are married, may claim a residence homestead exemption on any other residential property, no matter where that property may be located.
8. To illustrate, if you own a home in Montgomery County and a resort property on a lake in another county, you may only claim the homestead exemption on the one property which is your principal residence. Likewise, you and your spouse (if you are married) may only claim one homestead exemption.
9. It is a felony offense to falsely apply for a homestead exemption. Also properties which are found to be improperly receiving an exemption must be assessed for a five-year period. Back assessment can result in substantial liability for taxes and interest.

What Kinds of Homestead Exemptions are Available?

School Taxes - All Qualified Homeowners
If you qualify for the homestead exemption, you will receive at least a $15,000 homestead exemption from the value of your home for school district taxes. Another benefit of the general homestead exemption is, it automatically caps any increase in value for the next year to 10%.

County Taxes - All Qualified Homeowners
Montgomery County does not provide an optional homestead exemption.

Optional Exemptions - All Qualified Homeowners
Any taxing unit, including a school district, city, county or special district may offer an exemption for up to 20% of your home’s value. The amount of an optional exemption can’t be less than $5,000, no matter what the percentage is. For example, if your home is valued at $20,000 and your city offers a 20% optional exemption, your exemption is $5,000, even though 20% of $20,000 is just $4,000.

The governing body of each taxing unit decides whether it will offer the exemption and at what percentage. This percentage exemption is added to any other homestead exemption for which the applicant qualifies.