California property tax exemptions can lower your bill — there are breaks for owner-occupants, seniors, veterans, and homeowners with disabilities, and many people who qualify never claim them. That is money left on the table every year. Below are the California property tax exemptions that exist, who qualifies, and how to apply. Amounts and income limits change over time and some are set locally, so treat each figure as a
starting point and confirm the current number with your local assessor.
California Property Tax at a Glance
| Homestead & Primary-Residence Relief | Available — see below |
| Senior Relief (Age 65+) | Available — see below |
| Veteran & Disabled-Veteran Relief | Available — see below |
| Disability Relief | Available — see below |
Verified from official state and county sources.
In This California Guide:
California Property Tax Exemptions & Relief
An exemption lowers the value your tax is figured on (or, in some states, gives you a credit or caps how fast your value can rise) — so the same tax rate produces a smaller bill. Here is each of the California property tax exemptions available to homeowners.
Relief does not look the same everywhere. Some states knock a flat dollar amount off your home’s value; others give a credit on the tax itself, cap how much your assessed value can rise each year, or freeze the bill for qualifying seniors. A few offer an income-based rebate instead of a value exemption. The point is the same — a lower bill for people who qualify — but the
form differs, so read each program below for how it actually works rather than assuming it is a simple dollar discount.
Homestead & Primary-Residence Relief
Homeowners’ Exemption: $7,000 off the assessed value of an owner-occupied primary residence (about $70/year in savings – modest). File once with the county assessor by February 15; it auto-continues. The bigger structural break is Proposition 13: your assessed value is set at the purchase price and can rise no more than 2% per year until the home is sold.
How much / how it works: $7,000 off assessed value. Confirm with your county assessor.
Senior Relief (Age 65+)
California has no dollar senior exemption, but Proposition 19 lets homeowners 55+ (also severely disabled or disaster victims) transfer their low Prop 13 base-year value to a replacement home anywhere in California, up to three times – so a long-time owner can move without a big tax jump. There is also a State Controller Property Tax Postponement program for low-income seniors (62+).
How much / how it works: Prop 19 base-value transfer (portability), not a dollar exemption. Confirm with your county assessor.
Veteran & Disabled-Veteran Relief
Disabled Veterans’ Exemption (Rev. & Tax. Code 205.5): exempts roughly $180,000 (basic) up to about $271,000 (low-income) of assessed value (2026, indexed) for a veteran who is 100% service-connected disabled, blind, or has lost limbs (and unmarried surviving spouses). It’s far larger than the Homeowners’ Exemption – you take one or the other. File with the county assessor.
How much / how it works: ~$180,000 (basic) to ~$271,000 (low-income) of assessed value (2026). Confirm with your county assessor.
Disability Relief
California’s disability property relief runs through the Disabled Veterans’ Exemption above and the Prop 19 base-value transfer for severely & permanently disabled homeowners (move without losing your low Prop 13 base). There is no separate general disability exemption.
How much / how it works: Disabled-veteran exemption; or Prop 19 base-value transfer for the severely disabled. Confirm with your county assessor.
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Not sure which California breaks you qualify for?
How to Apply for California Property Tax Exemptions
California property tax exemptions are almost never automatic — you have to file for them, usually with your local assessor, and usually by a set date each year. Apply once for most breaks and they carry forward, but a few (like some senior or income-based programs) must be renewed. If you just bought your home, or just turned 65, or your disability or veteran status changed, that is the moment
to file.
Even one missed exemption can cost hundreds of dollars a year, so it is worth ten minutes to check.
Don’t want to appeal your California taxes yourself? A property tax appeal service can file everything for you and usually only charges if it wins — typically a share of what it saves you. It is one option; you can also appeal on your own for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What California property tax exemptions are available?
California has relief for owner-occupants (homestead), seniors 65+, veterans and disabled veterans, and homeowners with disabilities. The details, amounts, and income limits are covered above — and each is worth checking, because they can stack.
Who qualifies for a homestead exemption in California?
Generally an owner who lives in the home as their primary residence. Exact rules — and whether the state uses a dollar exemption, a credit, or an assessment cap — are described in the homestead section above.
How do I apply for California property tax exemptions?
File the application with your local assessor, usually by a set date each year. Most exemptions carry forward once approved; some must be renewed. Confirm the current form and deadline with your assessor.
Can I claim more than one of the California property tax exemptions?
Often yes — for example a homestead break plus a senior or veteran break — though some programs interact. The sections above note where that applies; your assessor can confirm what stacks.
California Property Tax Sources & Data
- Tax Foundation — Property Taxes by State & County: taxfoundation.org
- U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey): census.gov/acs
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (property tax data): lincolninst.edu
Exemption details for California on this page were verified from official California state and county sources and last
checked in July 2026. Amounts, income limits, and deadlines change and many are set locally — confirm the current
figures and forms with your local assessor before you rely on them.
More Property Tax Guides
- Property Tax Rates by State
- Property Tax by County
- Are You Overpaying? Over-Assessment Checker
- Property Tax Exemption Finder
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Know Property Tax is an independent educational resource. It is not a government agency, not a county assessor, and not a tax-appeal service. Property tax rates, bills, exemptions, and deadlines change over time and vary by county and property. Confirm anything that affects your taxes with your county assessor or a licensed professional before you act.