Form 11 13 – Fill Out and Use This PDF

More Information:

Tax Exemptions, Limitations, and Qualification Dates

•General Residence Homestead Exemptions: You may only apply for residence homestead exemptions on one property in a tax year. A homestead exemption may include up to 20 acres of land that you actually use in the residential use (occupancy) of your home. Arbitrary factors that are unrelated to that use, such as acreage limits, matching legal descriptions, and contiguous parcels, may not be considered in determining if the land qualifies. To qualify for a homestead exemption, you must own and reside in your home on January 1 of the tax year. If you temporarily move away from your home, you still can qualify for an exemption if you don’t establish another principal residence and you intend to return in a period of less than two (2) years. Homeowners in military service outside the U.S. or in a facility providing services related to health, infirmity, or aging may exceed the two-year period.

•Over-65 or Disability Exemptions: You may receive an over-65 or disability homestead exemption immediately upon qualification for the exemption. If you have not provided your birth date on this application, you must apply before the first anniversary of your qualification date to receive the exemption in that tax year. For example, if you turn 65 or are disabled on June 1 of the current year, you have until May 31 of the next year to apply for the current tax year’s over-65 or disability exemption. This special provision only applies to an over-65 or disability exemption and not to other exemptions for which you may apply.

Disability Exemptions. You are entitled to the exemption if you meet the Social Security Administration's tests for disability. In simplest terms:

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.

To verify your eligibility, attach a copy of your disability determination letter from Social Security (or other recognized retirement system), or have your physician complete and mail us the HCAD form titled

Physician's Statement Verifying Eligibility for Disability Homestead Exemption.

•Tax Limitations: The over-65 or disability exemption for school taxes includes a school tax limitation, or ceiling. Other types of taxing units – county, city, or junior college – have the option to grant a tax limitation on homesteads of homeowners who are disabled or 65 years of age or older.

•100% Disabled Veterans: Certain disabled veterans are eligible for 100% exemptions for their residence homesteads. 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. If you qualify for this exemption after Jan. 1 of the tax year you may receive the exemption for the portion of the year for which you qualify.

•Surviving Spouse Extensions: Age 65 or older – You qualify for an extension of this exemption if (1) you are 55 years of age or older on the date your spouse died and (2) your deceased spouse was receiving the over-65 exemption on this residence homestead or would have applied and qualified for the exemption in the year of the spouse’s death. Disabled: You will not qualify for a disability exemption claimed by your deceased spouse.

You are not entitled to continue the school tax limitation; however, you will be entitled to continue the local option county, city or junior college limitation. 100% Disabled Veteran. You qualify for an extension of this exemption if, at the time of the veteran's death, you were married and this property was your residence. If you re-marry, the exemption ends.

•Filing Deadlines: File this application between January 1 and April

30.You may file a late homestead exemption application if you file it no later than one year after the date taxes become delinquent. See the previous over-65 or disability exemptions section for more on late filing.

•Re-filing: If the chief appraiser grants the exemptions, you do not need to reapply annually. You must reapply, however, if the chief appraiser requires you to do so by sending you a new application asking you to reapply. You must notify the chief appraiser in writing if and when your right to any exemption ends or your qualifications change. You must reapply if you qualify for additional exemptions based on age or disability in the future. If, however, your application information indicates that your age is 65 or older, or the appraisal district has access to other information that proves you qualify, you need not re-file for the over-65 exemption. To ensure the earliest possible qualification without reapplication, the oldest spouse should complete the application for a married couple.

Instructions: How to Complete the Application

Step 1: Owner’s Name and Address.

A.Print your name clearly under Owner's Name.

B.Print your current mailing address.

C.Write your Texas driver's license number or Texas state-issued ID card number in the box. IMPORTANT - Attach a copy of your driver's license or state ID card. THIS IS REQUIRED.

D.IMPORTANT - Attach a copy of your vehicle registration receipt. THIS IS REQUIRED.

Note: The address on your driver's license or state ID card and the address on your vehicle registration receipt must match the physical location of your residence. Copies of both documents are now REQUIRED for a homestead exemption.

E.If you do not own a motor vehicle, you must complete the affidavit on Page 4, sign it before a Notary Public, and provide a copy of a utility bill for this property showing that it is in your name.

F.Complete all information requested on the right side, Step 1.

Step 2: Describe the property.

Enter the information requested. Enter the number of acres used for residential purposes. If you are applying for a residential homestead exemption for a manufactured home, you must complete page 3.

Step 3: Check exemptions that apply to you.

Complete by checking the boxes that apply. If you check the disability exemption, attach documents verifying your disability. If a surviving spouse, enter all information requested.

Step 4: Answer if applies.

Step 5: Check if late.

If you were eligible for an exemption last year, check the box in Step 5 for late filing for the prior tax year.

Step 6: Sign and date the application.

You must sign and date this application. Making false statements on your exemption application is a criminal offense.

Harris County Appraisal District P. O. Box 922012

Houston, Texas 77292-2012 (713) 957-7800

Information for a Residential Homestead for a Manufactured Home

Account Number:

Tax Year:

IMPORTANT:

Please complete this information in addition to Steps 1-6 on Page 1.

Give the make, model, and identification number of your home:

Make:			Model:
HUD #					Year:
Serial #					Size:

*NEWHS128*