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Iowa Property Tax Exemptions: Homestead, Senior and Veteran Relief

Iowa property tax relief: the homestead exemption, senior, veteran and disability exemptions, how and when to apply, and how to appeal your assessment, from official state sources.

Quick answers for Iowa

Homestead exemption
Beginning with assessment year 2026, Iowa's homestead tax credit (formerly equal to the taxes on $4,850 of value) is replaced by a homestead exemption of 10% of the homestead's taxable value, with a minimum of $5,500 and a maximum of $20,000 of taxable value; Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption; Homestead Tax Exemption form 54-028 (05/22/2026); Iowa Code § 425.1A
How to apply
File Form 54-028 (Homestead Tax Exemption) with your city or county assessor. Once allowed, the exemption continues in later years without refiling as long as you qualify; Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption; Form 54-028
Application deadline
The application must be filed or postmarked to the city or county assessor on or before July 1 of the year the exemption is first claimed; a claim filed after July 1 is treated as a claim for the following year. Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Exemption form 54-028 (05/22/2026)
Senior exemptions and freezes
Homeowners 65 or older on or before January 1 of the assessment year receive an additional homestead exemption of $6,500 of taxable value, which carries forward without refiling. Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption; Property Tax Credit Expanded

Last verified: 2026-10-27

The homestead exemption

Homestead exemptionBeginning with assessment year 2026, Iowa's homestead tax credit (formerly equal to the taxes on $4,850 of value) is replaced by a homestead exemption of 10% of the homestead's taxable value, with a minimum of $5,500 and a maximum of $20,000 of taxable value; from assessment year 2027 the maximum is adjusted for inflation. The change (Division 20 of 2026 Iowa Acts, SF 2472, signed May 18, 2026) first affects taxes paid in September 2027 and March 2028. The owner must declare Iowa residency for income tax purposes and occupy the home in good faith on July 1 and for at least six months of the year (or be in a nursing home, care facility or hospital with the home not rented, or on active military duty).
Form 54-028: https://revenue.iowa.gov/media/2359/download?inline
Source: Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption; Homestead Tax Exemption form 54-028 (05/22/2026); Iowa Code § 425.1A
How to applyFile Form 54-028 (Homestead Tax Exemption) with your city or county assessor. Once allowed, the exemption continues in later years without refiling as long as you qualify; people who had the homestead credit or exemption before July 1, 2026 automatically receive the new 10% exemption if still eligible. Notify the assessor in writing if you sell the property or stop using it as your homestead.
Form: https://revenue.iowa.gov/media/2359/download?inline
Source: Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption; Form 54-028
Application deadlineThe application must be filed or postmarked to the city or county assessor on or before July 1 of the year the exemption is first claimed; a claim filed after July 1 is treated as a claim for the following year. A claim filed by July 1, 2026 applies to assessment year 2026 (taxes payable September 2027 and March 2028).
Source: Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Exemption form 54-028 (05/22/2026)

Senior, veteran and disability relief

Senior exemptions and freezesHomeowners 65 or older on or before January 1 of the assessment year receive an additional homestead exemption of $6,500 of taxable value, which carries forward without refiling. Property Tax Credit for low-income seniors: since 2022, claimants 70 or older qualify if household income is under 250% of the federal poverty level, receiving the greater of the pre-SF 619 credit calculation or the difference between current-year taxes and the taxes in their first claim year; file Form 54-001 with the County Treasurer between January 1 and June 1 each year.
Credit: https://revenue.iowa.gov/taxes/tax-guidance/tax-credits-deductions-exemption/property-tax-credit-expanded
Source: Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption; Property Tax Credit Expanded
Veteran exemptionsDisabled Veteran Homestead Tax Credit: a credit equal to the entire tax levied on the homestead for a veteran (or former National Guard member meeting Iowa service requirements) with a permanent service-connected disability rating of 100%, or a permanent and total disability rating based on individual unemployability paid at the 100% rate, and for a surviving spouse or child receiving dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC). It continues for an unremarried surviving spouse and children who inherit the home. File Form 54-049 with the Homestead Tax Exemption form, a DD-214 and a VA benefits letter issued within 12 months, with the city or county assessor by July 1; no annual reapplication is needed. For applications on or after July 1, 2026, the credit is calculated on a homestead limited to one-half acre without appurtenances. A veteran claiming it may not claim the military service tax exemption in the same year.
Program page: https://revenue.iowa.gov/forms/application-disabled-veteran-homestead-tax-credit-54-049
Source: Iowa Department of Revenue, Disabled Veteran Homestead Property Tax Credit application and instructions, Form 54-049 (07/14/2026); Iowa Code § 425.1(2)(b)

Paying and appealing

When property taxes are dueProperty taxes are paid in two semiannual installments, in September and March. The first installment becomes delinquent if not paid before October 1 and the second if not paid before April 1 (moved to the second business day of the month when the last day of September or March falls on a weekend).
Source: Iowa Code § 445.37; Iowa Department of Revenue, Form 54-028
Appealing your assessmentA dissatisfied property owner may file a written protest with the local board of review, on forms prescribed by the Director of Revenue, from April 2 through April 30 of the assessment year (extended to May 1 to June 5 in declared disaster areas). Grounds are limited to inequity compared with similar property, assessment above the value allowed by law, the property not being assessable or being exempt or misclassified, an error, or fraud or misconduct. An oral hearing may be requested in writing when the protest is filed. The statute also refers to further appeals to the Property Assessment Appeal Board and district court.
Property Assessment Appeal Board: https://paab.iowa.gov (linked from the Department of Revenue's homestead page)
Source: Iowa Code § 441.37

Property Tax & Homestead Exemptions FAQ

What is the homestead exemption in Iowa?
Beginning with assessment year 2026, Iowa's homestead tax credit (formerly equal to the taxes on $4,850 of value) is replaced by a homestead exemption of 10% of the homestead's taxable value, with a minimum of $5,500 and a maximum of $20,000 of taxable value; from assessment year 2027 the maximum is adjusted for inflation. The change (Division 20 of 2026 Iowa Acts, SF 2472, signed May 18, 2026) first affects taxes paid in September 2027 and March 2028. The owner must declare Iowa residency for income tax purposes and occupy the home in good faith on July 1 and for at least six months of the year (or be in a nursing home, care facility or hospital with the home not rented, or on active military duty).
How do you apply for a homestead exemption in Iowa?
File Form 54-028 (Homestead Tax Exemption) with your city or county assessor. Once allowed, the exemption continues in later years without refiling as long as you qualify; people who had the homestead credit or exemption before July 1, 2026 automatically receive the new 10% exemption if still eligible. Notify the assessor in writing if you sell the property or stop using it as your homestead.
When is the deadline to apply for a homestead exemption in Iowa?
The application must be filed or postmarked to the city or county assessor on or before July 1 of the year the exemption is first claimed; a claim filed after July 1 is treated as a claim for the following year. A claim filed by July 1, 2026 applies to assessment year 2026 (taxes payable September 2027 and March 2028).
Do seniors get a property tax exemption in Iowa?
Homeowners 65 or older on or before January 1 of the assessment year receive an additional homestead exemption of $6,500 of taxable value, which carries forward without refiling. Property Tax Credit for low-income seniors: since 2022, claimants 70 or older qualify if household income is under 250% of the federal poverty level, receiving the greater of the pre-SF 619 credit calculation or the difference between current-year taxes and the taxes in their first claim year; file Form 54-001 with the County Treasurer between January 1 and June 1 each year.
Do disabled veterans pay property tax in Iowa?
Disabled Veteran Homestead Tax Credit: a credit equal to the entire tax levied on the homestead for a veteran (or former National Guard member meeting Iowa service requirements) with a permanent service-connected disability rating of 100%, or a permanent and total disability rating based on individual unemployability paid at the 100% rate, and for a surviving spouse or child receiving dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC). It continues for an unremarried surviving spouse and children who inherit the home. File Form 54-049 with the Homestead Tax Exemption form, a DD-214 and a VA benefits letter issued within 12 months, with the city or county assessor by July 1; no annual reapplication is needed. For applications on or after July 1, 2026, the credit is calculated on a homestead limited to one-half acre without appurtenances. A veteran claiming it may not claim the military service tax exemption in the same year.
How do you appeal a property tax assessment in Iowa?
A dissatisfied property owner may file a written protest with the local board of review, on forms prescribed by the Director of Revenue, from April 2 through April 30 of the assessment year (extended to May 1 to June 5 in declared disaster areas). Grounds are limited to inequity compared with similar property, assessment above the value allowed by law, the property not being assessable or being exempt or misclassified, an error, or fraud or misconduct. An oral hearing may be requested in writing when the protest is filed. The statute also refers to further appeals to the Property Assessment Appeal Board and district court.
When are property taxes due in Iowa?
Property taxes are paid in two semiannual installments, in September and March. The first installment becomes delinquent if not paid before October 1 and the second if not paid before April 1 (moved to the second business day of the month when the last day of September or March falls on a weekend).

Property Tax & Homestead Exemptions in other states

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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.