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.
To qualify, you must be a property owner, co-owner, or purchaser named in a contract of sale. You must occupy your home as your principal place of residence as of January 1 of each year.
Certain properties, or portions of properties, are exempt from taxation under the California Constitution. The most common types are homeowner, disabled veterans, welfare, charitable, and institutional exemptions. Visit the Assessor's Exemption webpage for more information.
You must be a Michigan resident to claim this exemption. You may claim your Michigan home only if you own and occupy it as your principal residence.
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.
Eligibility Requirements: Homeowners must be age 55 or better (For married couples, only one spouse must be 55 or better to qualify.) Homeowners must have sold their former residence within 2 years of purchasing the replacement property. Both the former and replacement properties must be the owner's primary residence.
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.
The homestead exemption — the amount of home equity that can be shielded from creditors in a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 — is typically a minimum of $300,000 and a maximum of $699,426 as of January 1, 2024.
Maximum California homestead exemption adjusted for CPI (by year) YearMinimumMaximum 2023 $339,189.00 $678,378.01 2024 $349,712.99 $699,425.98 2025 $361,110.12 $722,220.23 2026 2 more rows •