With the rising cost of nearly everything, keeping more of your hard-earned dollars matters more than ever. If you or your spouse is 65 or older, the over 65 homestead exemption in Texas cuts what you owe the county. Start by claiming every property tax exemption available to you this season.
In Texas, real estate taxes are assessed and administered by local officials. The over 65 homestead exemption removes a fixed dollar amount from the value your school district can tax, so your annual bill drops.
At Ownwell, we file and manage these exemptions every day. In this guide, we cover:
Who qualifies and how much the exemption is worth in real dollars
How to apply, which form to use, and the deadlines that matter
How the school-tax freeze and tax deferrals protect you long term
Key Takeaways
The Texas over 65 homestead exemption removes an extra $60,000 from your school-taxable value on top of the general $140,000 exemption, up to $200,000 total.
It stacks with the general homestead exemption, so you keep both rather than choosing one.
Turning 65 also freezes your school-district taxes at a ceiling that can drop but never rise above your first qualifying year.
You apply once; there is no fee, and seniors can file up to two years late.
A surviving spouse 55 or older can keep the exemption and the frozen tax ceiling.
Eligibility Criteria for the Over 65 Homestead Exemption
The over 65 homestead exemption, set in Texas Tax Code Section 11.13, gives a partial tax break to homeowners 65 and older. It works by exempting a fixed dollar amount of your home's value from school-district taxes.
A 2025 constitutional amendment now requires school districts to provide a $140,000 general residence homestead exemption. For example, the owners of a house appraised at $300,000 pay school taxes on only $160,000 of that value under the general exemption.
The over-65 exemption stacks on top of the general homestead exemption, generating more savings. If you qualify, you get an additional $60,000 off your school-taxable value, for up to $200,000 removed in total.
How Much the Over 65 Exemption Saves You
Here is the math on a home appraised at $350,000. School-taxable value is what remains after your exemptions, and your annual school tax is that figure times the school tax rate:
School-Taxable Value × School Tax Rate = Annual School Tax
The rate below is an example only. We use an example school maintenance-and-operations (M&O) rate of $1.00 per $100 to keep the math simple, not an actual adopted rate.
For real local figures, see the median Texas effective property tax rate of 1.48% on our Texas trends page.
Line Item | Before (General Exemption Only) | After (General + Over 65) |
|---|---|---|
Appraised (market) value | $350,000 | $350,000 |
Exemption applied | $140,000 | $200,000 ($140,000 + $60,000) |
School-taxable value | $210,000 | $150,000 |
Example school M&O rate | $1.00 per $100 | $1.00 per $100 |
Annual school tax | $2,100 | $1,500 |
Annual savings | — | $600 |
In this illustration, the over 65 exemption alone trims about $600 a year off the school portion of the bill. Your actual savings depend on your county's adopted rates and any local options.
Skip the research, and let us check every exemption you qualify for. See which property tax exemptions you can claim.
Important Qualifications for Seniors
You are eligible for the additional $60,000 over 65 exemption when:
You or your spouse is 65 or older
Your home meets the definition of a residence homestead
You have an ownership interest in the property, and it is your primary residence
You do not claim an exemption on another residence homestead in or outside of Texas
Local Tax Exemptions
When you apply for and receive the homestead exemption over 65 in Texas, other local taxing units have the option of providing additional exemptions of no less than $3,000 of the total appraised value of your home. This will vary by county. We recommend contacting your local tax authority.
Surviving Spouses
A surviving spouse age 55 or older may be eligible to claim the over 65 homestead exemption if their deceased spouse was at least 65 and died in a year that they would have qualified. The home in question must be the surviving spouse's primary residence.
Homeowners Over 65 With Qualifying Disabilities
Property owners over 65 with a qualifying disability may claim an additional $60,000 in disabled exemptions in the same year as long as they aren't from the same taxing unit. However, this cannot be combined with the senior exemption — it's either or. Also, receiving disability benefits does not automatically qualify a property owner for tax relief.
Veterans in Texas may qualify for more relief, depending on their VA disability rating.
How to Apply for the Exemption
To receive this senior exemption, you must apply for it. After filing thousands of exemptions across Texas, we know the most common reason applications stall. It is a mismatch between the address on your ID and the property address.
Chief appraisers in each appraisal district decide whether a property qualifies. You file your exemption application with the appraisal district in the county where the property is located.
Necessary Documentation for Application
Gather your documents before you apply for the senior exemption:
Complete the Comptroller Form 50-114 Residence Homestead Exemption Application
Attach a copy of each owner's Texas driver's license or state-issued personal identification certificate
Fees and Deadlines for Application Submission
You become eligible in the year you turn 65. File your application by April 30 to have the exemption applied to that year's tax bill.
Miss that date and you are not out of luck. The exemption can be applied retroactively, and seniors may file a late application up to two years after the deadline passes. There is no fee to file.
If you have missed a year or two, we can file retroactively on your behalf so you recover the savings you were owed.
How the Over 65 School Tax Ceiling Works
Qualifying for the over 65 exemption does more than lower your taxable value. It also freezes your school-district taxes with a tax ceiling, one of the most valuable long-term protections in Texas.
The ceiling works like this: the school taxes you pay in the first year you qualify become your cap. In future years that amount can go down, but it can never rise above your first qualifying year, even if your home's value climbs.
The freeze applies to school-district taxes and to county or city taxes only if those units have adopted their own over-65 ceiling. It does not automatically cap every line on your bill.
If you buy a substantial improvement, such as an addition, the ceiling can be adjusted upward for that new construction. Routine market increases, however, stay capped.
Porting Your Ceiling When You Move
Your ceiling benefit can move with you to a new Texas home. Request a Tax Ceiling Certificate (Form 50-311) from your current appraisal district. It carries the percentage of tax savings from your old home to the new one, so you keep the value of the freeze.
Tax Deferrals and Payment Plans
If a tax bill is straining your budget, Texas gives homeowners 65 and older two more tools. Both help you stay in your home without the threat of foreclosure.
The first is a tax deferral under Texas Tax Code Section 33.06. Homeowners 65 and older can postpone collection of the property taxes on their homestead by filing a deferral affidavit with the county appraisal district.
A deferral postpones your taxes; it does not cancel them. Interest accrues at 5% a year, and the balance comes due once the owner no longer owns or occupies the home as a residence homestead, such as on a sale or the owner's death. While the deferral is active, a taxing unit cannot foreclose on those taxes.
The second tool is an installment plan under Texas Tax Code Section 31.031. Many homeowners 65 and older can pay homestead taxes in four equal installments instead of one lump sum. The first payment must be made on time.
Not sure which option fits your situation? Get a free property tax savings estimate before your next bill is due.
What Happens if You Move or Rent the Property?
If you reside in your home as of January 1, you can receive a Texas homestead exemption. In certain circumstances, a property owner may be able to claim an exemption for a home they moved into prior to January 1 if the previous owner did not also receive the same exemption for that tax year.
You can still apply for an exemption in Texas if you move temporarily from the residence and:
You don't establish another primary residence.
You intend to return to the property
You're away for less than two years.
Even if you rent out part of your home, the exemption still applies to the entire property if you use some portion for residential purposes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Property tax exemptions in Texas can be complicated, leading to common mistakes. Here are some things to know before filing:
1. Update Your State-Issued Identification
Before heading to your local appraisal district office, be sure that the address on your driver's license or personal identification certificate matches the address for which you're requesting an exemption. Residents who have recently moved will be turned away if their exemption application doesn't match their ID information.
2. Only Apply Once
You only need to apply for a Texas homestead exemption once unless:
You move to a new residence within the state
You are applying for additional exemptions like the over 65 or disabled person exemptions
Your appraisal district will request it once every five years to confirm your general homestead; the senior one is in perpetuity
3. Understand the Homestead Cap
Beginning during the second full year in which you own the same property, Texas implements a homestead cap. It limits assessed value increases to 10% per year, regardless of increases in market value. You cannot transfer the homestead cap of a property with new ownership.
It might be wise to delay any remodeling or upgrades during the first year of ownership since any new additions or improvements will be assessed at full market value.
How Ownwell Can Help
Exemption statutes are dense, and one wrong detail can cost you a year of savings. At Ownwell, we can help file your general and senior homestead exemptions, complete the paperwork, and manage the filing end to end. In Texas, we also retroactively file missed homestead exemptions up to two years back.
Our pricing keeps the risk on us. You pay nothing upfront, and our contingency-based property tax pricing means you only pay if you save. Ownwell customers save an average of $774 a year, and we maintain an 88% success rate on the properties we take on.
Beyond exemptions, we can protest your Texas property assessment and monitor your bill year after year.
Start your exemption filing with zero upfront cost. There are no fees unless we save you money, so there is no risk in checking. Claim your Texas property tax exemptions today.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Exemption Be Transferred to Another Property?
Yes. When you move from one home in Texas to another Texas residence, you may take your residence homestead exemption credit with you.
What if My Income Changes After Obtaining the Exemption?
Residence exemptions in Texas are not based on income. They are based on the assessed value of the property.
How Does the Exemption Affect Property Tax Calculations?
Qualifying homeowners in Texas receive a $140,000 property tax exemption. Homeowners over age 65 may be eligible for an additional $60,000 deduction through the over 65 homestead exemption and an additional $3,000 in some counties.
How Much Is the Over 65 Homestead Exemption Worth?
It adds a $60,000 school-district exemption on top of the general $140,000 exemption. Some counties add at least $3,000 more through a local option.
Do I Have to Reapply Every Year?
No. You apply once, unless you move, add another exemption, or your appraisal district asks you to reapply.
Can I Defer My Property Taxes at 65?
Yes. A deferral postpones payment and charges 5% annual interest, but it does not erase the tax. The balance comes due once you no longer own or live in the home as your homestead, such as on a sale or death.
Does the Over 65 Exemption Freeze All My Property Taxes?
No. It freezes your school-district taxes and any county or city taxes that adopt the ceiling. It does not automatically freeze every taxing unit on your bill.
