Delaware 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 Delaware 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.
Delaware 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 Delaware Guide:
Delaware 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 Delaware 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
Delaware has no statewide homestead value exemption and no state property tax – property tax is county + school + municipal. Homeowner relief comes as the Senior School Property Tax Credit and the Disabled Veterans School Property Tax Credit (below), plus some county-level senior/disabled exemptions. NOTE: all three counties recently completed court-ordered reassessments (their first in decades), so many assessed values changed sharply.
How much / how it works: No statewide value exemption; relief is via the school-tax credits below and county programs. Confirm with your county assessment office.
Senior Relief (Age 65+)
Senior School Property Tax Credit – a state credit of 50% of regular (non-vocational) school property tax, up to $500, for owners 65+. NO income limit, but there is a domicile requirement: you must have been a Delaware resident for 10 consecutive years if you established domicile on/after January 1, 2018 (3 years for 2013-2017; grandfathered if before 2013). One-time application, due April 30. Prior-year taxes must be paid in
full to keep the credit.
How much / how it works: 50% of the school tax, up to $500. Local school boards may set the cap below $500. Confirm with your county / school district.
Veteran & Disabled-Veteran Relief
Disabled Veterans School Property Tax Credit (HB 214, effective 2022) – a credit of 100% of the non-vocational school district property tax for a veteran with a 100% service-connected permanent & total disability (or 100% individual unemployability) who has held Delaware domicile 3 years. Many counties also fully exempt the county/local school portion for these veterans. Apply with the county by April 30 (cannot combine with the senior credit).
How much / how it works: 100% of school district property tax (no $500 cap), plus county/local exemption in many counties – can zero out the bill. Confirm with your county.
Disability Relief
Totally disabled homeowners may qualify for county-level senior/disabled exemptions (each county sets its own rules and value limits); the state’s headline credits are age- and veteran-based. Check your specific county’s program.
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How much / how it works: County-specific (some counties give a partial exemption for low-value owner-occupied homes). Confirm with your county assessment office.
Not sure which Delaware breaks you qualify for?
How to Apply for Delaware Property Tax Exemptions
Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware property tax exemptions are available?
Delaware 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 Delaware?
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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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.
Delaware 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 Delaware on this page were verified from official Delaware 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.