Frequently Asked Questions about the Homestead Exemption
Who Qualifies?
To qualify, applicants must own, occupy and use the dwelling as their primary residence and apply before December 31. Although there are no income or age restrictions to qualify for the Homestead Exemption, taxpayers can qualify for an exemption on only one home.The statute governing qualifications for the Homestead Exemption is 63-602G.
The exemption will be extended to all newly constructed and occupied residential structures, including new manufactured housing, if the owner applies for and meets the requirements for such exemption within thirty (30) days of notification of appraisal by the assessor, according toStatute 63-317.
How does one apply?
You must complete an application for a Homestead Exemption. You can get an application byemailing usor calling our office at(208) 287-7200.A Homestead Exemption application can also be filled out online.
The online application requires your parcel number; to locate this information use ourProperty Parcel Search by Addresslink. Your Idaho driver’s license is used to validate your identity in lieu of a signature, if you do not have an Idaho Driver’s License you must print and sign the application and scan and email, fax or mail your application to the assessor’s office. Digital signatures cannot be accepted.
If you file online a receipt will automatically be sent upon submission of your application. All other delivery methods have receipts available upon request. ***** RECEIPTS ARE NOT PROOF THAT YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN APPROVED.
What happens after my application is approved?
When the application is approved, the exemption is permanent as long as one owns and occupies the property. If the property is sold, the new owner must file an application with the assessor’s office.
Notices of approval are not sent to homeowners; to verify that your exemption has been processed please review your annual assessment notice. If you believe there is an error pertaining to your exemption contact our office at(208) 287-7200.
What is the application deadline?
The statutory deadline for filing an application for Homestead Exemption is December 31st of that current year**. Applications received after April 15th*, on properties without an existing homestead exemption in the current assessment year, that are not newly constructed and occupied, shall have their exemption value pro-rated on a quarterly basis. (January 1- April 15*: 100%, April 16 – June 30: 75% , July 1- September 30: 50%, October 1 – December 31: 25%)
*If April 15 is a weekend or a certain holiday recognized by the internal revenue service, such claims shall be considered timely filed if filed on the next business day, quarterly proration dates for the end of the first quarter and commencement of the second quarter shall be adjusted accordingly.
**Homestead Exemptions need only to be applied for once unless there are changes to owner’s primary residency, property ownership changes, or ownership updates such as adding or removing owners from a property, or properties being transferred into trusts.
What else do I need to know about the Homestead Exemption?
Many taxpayers wait until the last minute to apply for these exemptions. Others fail to qualify because they misunderstand the law’s guidelines and deadlines.
Applying now provides assurance that all supporting documentation was obtained in time. We encourage taxpayers to request receipts for verification that their application was received timely.
