REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION Attach a copy of each property owner's driver's license or state-issued personal identification certificate. The address listed on the driver's license or state-issued personal identification certificate must correspond to the property address for which the exemption is requested.
The home must have been the principal place of residence of the owner on the lien date, January 1st. To claim the exemption, the homeowner must make a one-time filing with the county assessor where the property is located.
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.