Kentucky Homestead Exemption: $49,100 for 2025-2026 and How to Apply

Kentucky's homestead exemption is not for every homeowner. Under Section 170 of the Kentucky Constitution and KRS 132.810, it reduces the assessed value of the home of an owner who is 65 or older or classified as totally disabled, by up to $49,100 for the 2025 and 2026 tax periods. You apply to the property valuation administrator (PVA) in your county on Department of Revenue Form 62A350, by December 31 of the year you seek the exemption, and you must own, occupy and maintain the home as of January 1 of that tax year. Homeowners under 65 who are not totally disabled have no statewide homestead exemption. For other states, see our guide to homestead exemptions by state.

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Kentucky's property-tax homestead exemption for owners 65 or older and totally disabled owners (Ky. Const. sec. 170; KRS 132.810; KRS 132.990), 2026 legislative proposals and the November 3, 2026 ballot as they bear on homestead relief, and the creditor homestead in KRS 427.060. It does not cover other Kentucky property tax exemptions, tax rates, business property, or the law of other states.

Does Kentucky have a homestead exemption?

Yes, but only for older and disabled homeowners. Section 170 of the Kentucky Constitution grants the exemption for "real property maintained as the permanent residence of the owner, who is sixty-five years of age or older, or is classified as totally disabled under a program authorized or administered by an agency of the United States government or by any retirement system either within or without the Commonwealth of Kentucky, provided the property owner received disability payments pursuant to such disability classification ..." KRS 132.810 carries it out: "Every person filing an application for exemption under the homestead exemption provision must be sixty-five (65) years of age or older during the year for which application is made or must have been classified as totally disabled under a program authorized or administered by an agency of the United States government or by any retirement system either within or without the Commonwealth of Kentucky on January 1 of the year in which application is made."

A homeowner under 65 who is not totally disabled gets no statewide homestead exemption in Kentucky. The research behind this article reviewed Section 170 and the section titles of KRS chapter 132 and found no other homestead exemption for owner-occupants.

How much is the Kentucky homestead exemption?

For the 2025 and 2026 tax periods, the exemption is up to $49,100 of assessed value. The Kentucky Department of Revenue announced: "The Kentucky Department of Revenue (DOR) has set the maximum homestead exemption at $49,100 for the 2025 and 2026 tax periods."

The amount changes every two years. Section 170 names $6,500, but KRS 132.810 provides: "The sixty-five hundred dollars ($6,500) exemption provided in Section 170 of the Constitution of Kentucky shall be construed to mean sixty-five hundred dollars ($6,500) in terms of the purchasing power of the dollar in 1972." The Department of Revenue recalculates the figure every two years if the cost of living index has changed by 1 percent or more.

The Department of Revenue's homestead exemption historical data page lists "2025-2026 $49,100" as its latest entry. This article does not estimate a dollar saving, because the amount depends on the tax rates where you live.

Which taxes it reduces. KRS 132.810 states that the exemption "shall apply to the assessment and taxation of property under the homestead exemption provision for state, county, city, or special district purposes." It reduces the assessed value of the residence and contiguous real property, and it does not apply to assessments for special benefits.

Who is eligible

You must meet the age or disability test and own and live in the home. The Department of Revenue's homestead exemption page summarizes: "In Kentucky, homeowners who are least 65 years of age or who have been classified as totally disabled and meet other requirements are eligible to receive a homestead exemption." The conditions in KRS 132.810 and the Department of Revenue materials are:

• Age. You must be 65 or older during the year you apply. If only one spouse is 65, the age test is met.
• Total disability. Alternatively, you must be classified as totally disabled on January 1 under a federal program or by any retirement system, in or outside Kentucky, receive disability payments under that classification, and keep the classification for the entire taxation period.
• Ownership and residence. You must own the property and maintain it as your personal residence, and own, occupy and maintain it as of January 1 of the tax year.
• Forms of ownership. Title may be legal or equitable, held as tenants by the entirety, jointly, as a condominium, or through stock or membership in a housing entity.
• Type of home. A mobile home, a qualifying recreational vehicle or a manufactured house can count as a residential unit.
• One per home. KRS 132.810 states: "Only one (1) exemption per residential unit shall be allowed even though the resident may be sixty-five (65) years of age and also totally disabled." Spouses who both qualify still receive one exemption.

Disabled veterans. Section 170 of the constitution, which lists Kentucky's property tax exemptions, has no separate exemption for disabled veterans' homes, and House Bill 877 of 2026, which proposed one, stalled in committee (see below). A veteran classified as totally disabled under a federal program can claim the homestead exemption under the disability test, and a service-connected totally disabled veteran documents the disability once and does not re-file each year.

How and when to apply

You apply to the PVA, not to the state. KRS 132.810 requires that "each person claiming the exemption shall file an application with the property valuation administrator of the county in which the applicant resides, on forms prescribed by the department."

Form. The form is Department of Revenue Form 62A350, titled "APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION UNDER THE HOMESTEAD/DISABILITY AMENDMENT." To prove age, bring a birth certificate, driver's license, passport or another document the PVA accepts.

Deadline. The form states: "This application-affidavit must be submitted by December 31st of the year in which exemption is sought to the property valuation administrator of the county in which the residential unit is located." You must also own, occupy and maintain the home as of January 1 of that tax year. January 1 is the ownership date, not the filing deadline.

If you already paid the bill. Late approval within the year still counts. KRS 132.810 provides: "Any person making application and qualifying for the homestead exemption after property tax bills have been paid shall be entitled to a refund of the property taxes applicable to the value of the homestead exemption."

Filing options vary by county. The Jefferson County PVA accepts applications online or by mail. This article did not verify online filing in other counties; ask your PVA.

Do you have to reapply each year?

It depends on how you qualified.

• By age. KRS 132.810 does not require age-based applicants to re-file each year. The Jefferson County PVA says re-application is not required once you are approved; this article did not check other counties' practice.
• By disability, under 65. These applicants must re-file each year, with one exception. Service-connected totally disabled veterans and people found totally and permanently disabled under Social Security Administration rules, Kentucky Retirement Systems rules or any other provision of the Kentucky Revised Statutes "shall document the disability at the time of application for the homestead exemption and shall not be required to apply for the homestead exemption on an annual basis."

Moving, changes and penalties

The exemption does not follow you to a new home. The Jefferson County PVA advises: "If you move, it is your responsibility to notify the PVA Office and reapply for the exemption on your new residence." KRS 132.810 also requires title transfers to be reported to the PVA, and disabled homeowners must report a change in their disability classification.

Failing to report can be costly. KRS 132.990(4) provides: "Any person who willfully falsifies application for exemption or who fails to notify the property valuation administrator of any changes in qualifying requirements under the provision of KRS 132.810 shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500)." For disability-based exemptions, Form 62A350 also warns that failing to report a change in disability status or benefits "could result in supplemental bills being issued for the amount of the exemption received for up to a period of five years."

Assessment limits and 2026 proposals

Kentucky's constitution does not cap how much an individual home's assessed value can rise from year to year. Section 172 provides: "All property, not exempted from taxation by this Constitution, shall be assessed for taxation at its fair cash value, estimated at the price it would bring at a fair voluntary sale." (Section 172B separately allows the General Assembly to let county and city governments declare assessment moratoriums of up to five years for qualifying property being repaired, rehabilitated or restored.) If you disagree with your assessment, contact your PVA.

Two 2026 proposals would have added relief for older homeowners, and neither is law:

• Senate Bill 51 (2026 Regular Session) proposed a constitutional exemption for increases in valuation for owners 65 or older. The legislative record shows it passed the Senate 37-0 on January 22, 2026, and its last action was "03/06/26: to Appropriations & Revenue (H)."
• House Bill 877 (2026 Regular Session) proposed amending Section 170 to exempt property owned by seniors 65 or older and by former members of the armed forces, including the National Guard, who are 100 percent service-connected combat-related disabled (and their surviving spouses). Its last action was March 11, 2026, when it went to committee.

No homestead or property tax amendment is on the November 3, 2026 ballot. The Secretary of State's 2026 constitutional amendments page lists one amendment, Senate Bill 10, which would bar a Governor from granting pardons or commuting sentences from 60 days before the general election at which the Governor is elected until the Governor is sworn in for that term.

Kentucky's creditor homestead: KRS 427.060

Kentucky also uses the word "homestead" for a separate law that protects a small part of a home's value from creditors. It has nothing to do with property taxes, and the $49,100 tax figure never applies to it.

Amount. KRS 427.060 exempts "an individual debtor's aggregate interest, not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) in value, in real or personal property that such debtor or a dependent of such debtor uses as a permanent residence in this state," or in a burial plot. The cap is a dollar value only, with no acreage limit, and the statute text contains no inflation adjustment. Under KRS 427.100, the protection continues after the debtor's death for the benefit of the surviving spouse and children.

What it does not protect against. The exemption does not stop a sale "to foreclose a mortgage given by the owner of a homestead or for purchase money due thereon," and KRS 427.060 adds: "This exemption shall not apply if the debt or liability existed prior to the purchase of the property or the erection of the improvements thereon." With a $5,000 cap and these exceptions, the creditor homestead reduces exposure only modestly; it does not make a home safe from creditors.

No recorded declaration; waivers must be recorded. KRS 427.060 does not require a recorded homestead declaration. A waiver is another matter: under KRS 427.100, "No mortgage, release or waiver of an exemption granted by KRS 427.060 shall be valid unless it is in writing, subscribed by the defendant and his spouse, and acknowledged and recorded in the same manner as conveyances of real estate."

Bankruptcy. Kentucky lets bankruptcy filers choose the federal exemptions. KRS 427.170 provides that "an individual debtor domiciled in this state is authorized to exempt from property of said debtor's bankruptcy estate the property specified under 11 U.S.C. sec. 522(d)." For how that choice works, see Kentucky bankruptcy laws. To look up your property's assessment or deed, see Kentucky property records.

When a homeowner dies

Kentucky has a separate allowance in probate. Under KRS 391.030, "Personal property or money on hand or in a bank or other depository to the amount of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) shall be exempt from distribution and sale" and is set apart for the surviving spouse, or the children if there is no spouse. For the rest of the process, see Kentucky probate laws.

Related

• Homestead exemptions by state
• Kentucky bankruptcy laws
• Kentucky probate laws
• Kentucky property records

This article is general legal information about Kentucky law (Ky. Const. secs. 170 and 172; KRS 132.810, 132.990, 427.060, 427.100, 427.170 and 391.030; and Department of Revenue homestead exemption materials), verified as of October 7, 2026. It is not tax or legal advice. For your situation, contact your county property valuation administrator, the Kentucky Department of Revenue, or a lawyer licensed in Kentucky.

Last updated: October 8, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the homestead exemption in Kentucky?

For the 2025 and 2026 tax periods, the Kentucky Department of Revenue set the maximum at $49,100 of assessed value. It applies only to homeowners 65 or older or classified as totally disabled (KRS 132.810).

When is the deadline to file for homestead exemption in Kentucky?

Form 62A350 must reach your county PVA by December 31 of the year you seek the exemption. You must own, occupy and maintain the home as of January 1 of that tax year.

Do I have to reapply for homestead exemption every year in Kentucky?

Not if your exemption is based on age; KRS 132.810 does not require age-based applicants to re-file. Disabled applicants under 65 re-file each year, except service-connected totally disabled veterans and people found totally and permanently disabled under Social Security rules, Kentucky Retirement Systems rules or another provision of the Kentucky Revised Statutes.

Who is eligible for the homestead exemption in Kentucky?

Owners who are 65 or older during the year of application, or who are classified as totally disabled on January 1 under a federal program or by any retirement system, in or outside Kentucky, and receive disability payments, and who own and live in the home as their residence. Only one exemption is allowed per home.

Is the Kentucky homestead exemption automatic at 65?

No. You must file Form 62A350 with your county PVA by December 31 of the year you seek it. If you are approved after paying that year's tax bill, KRS 132.810 entitles you to a refund of the property taxes applicable to the value of the exemption.

What happens to my Kentucky homestead exemption if I move?

It does not transfer. The Jefferson County PVA says you must notify the PVA and reapply on your new residence, and KRS 132.990(4) allows a fine of up to $500 for failing to report changes in qualifying requirements.

Does the Kentucky homestead exemption protect my house from creditors?

The tax exemption does not. A separate law, KRS 427.060, protects only up to $5,000 of a residence from many creditors, and it does not apply against a mortgage, purchase-money debt, or a debt that existed before the property was bought.