You must occupy the dwelling as your principal residence as of January 1 of each year to qualify for the Homeowners' Exemption for that year.
1. Senior Citizen Homeowners' Property Tax Exemption. The Senior Citizen Homeowners' Property Tax Exemption is available to homeowners who are at least 65 years old and meet certain income requirements.
The most common real property exemption is the homestead exemption. Application for these exemptions must be made by March 1st of the year for which you apply. The initial application must be made in person or online at the Property Appraiser's office.
The California Constitution provides a $7,000 reduction in the taxable value for a qualifying owner-occupied home. The home must have been the principal place of residence of the owner on the lien date, January 1st.
What is the Homeowners' Exemption? The California Constitution provides for the exemption of $7,000 (maximum) in assessed value from the property tax assessment of any property owned and occupied as the owner's principal place of residence. The exemption reduces the annual property tax bill for a qualified homeowner.
To claim the exemption, the homeowner must make a one-time filing with the county assessor where the property is located. The claim form, BOE-266, Claim for Homeowners' Property Tax Exemption, is available from the county assessor.