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.
Obtain the claim form from the County Assessor's office where the property is located. Submit the completed form to the same office. Once the exemption has been granted, it remains effective until a change in eligibility occurs, such as selling or moving out of the home. Annual filing is not required.
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.
Declared Homestead. Currently, the California homestead exemption is automatic, meaning that a homestead declaration does not need to be filed with the county clerk. Under the new 2021 law, $300,000–$600,000 of a home's equity cannot be touched by judgment creditors.
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.
This exemption is available to a single homeowner age 65 or older, or a couple filing a joint petition, if either or both are age 65 or over. You may not double the exemption amount if you are married and filing jointly.