Homestead Exemption Changes in the Law

Did you know that you are entitled to a break on your tax bill if you claim a homestead exemption? The general residence homestead exemption is granted by both Harris County and by WCID#89, making your overall tax liability much less. To claim a general residence homestead exemption, you must live in the house on the property being taxed. You can also claim homestead exemptions from taxes if you are over 65 years old and if you have certain types of disabilities. If you are a surviving spouse of someone who was receiving or qualified for the over-65 exemption at death, you may be entitled to receive the exemption if you were 55 years of age or older on the date of your spouse's death.

For a disability exemption: 1) You must have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment; 2) The impairment must prevent you from engaging in any substantial gainful activity; and 3) The impairment must be expected to last for at least 12 continuous months or to result in death. Alternatively, you will qualify if you are 55 or older and blind and cannot engage in your previous work because of your blindness.

Certain disabled veterans are eligible for 100% exemptions for their residence homesteads from Harris County. Current documentation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must be submitted to prove that the veteran receives full VA compensation and is either rated at 100% disabled or has a determination of unemployability from the VA.

Click here to download an application (maybe you moved, or turned 65, or became disabled) you also need to submit:
(1) A copy of your valid Texas driver’s license (or official Texas ID card if you don’t drive)
(2) A copy of your vehicle registration receipt (or a sworn, notarized affidavit that can be found at HCAD.org if you don’t own a car; if you do this, you also have to provide a copy of your current utility bill). To obtain a vehicle registration receipt, take $2 to an office of the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and have your license plate or VIN number handy. If you last registered your car at a different address than your current address, just ask the tax clerk to print the receipt showing your current address.

*Note: The addresses on all of this paperwork must match the address on which you’re trying to claim the homestead exemption. This is the step intended to prevent fraud. In the past, some crafty hucksters were able to avoid detection by toying with how they listed their addresses and names. John Doe might also show up as John H. Doe, J.H. Doe, J. Henry Doe or Henry Doe to skip his full tax bill on multiple properties.

People can get their driver’s license updated by visiting the Department of Public Safety online here and paying an $11 fee for a new card.