If a taxpayer owns multiple homes, only the principal place of residence, where the person is registered to vote and the person’s place of residence for income tax purposes, is eligible.

If an owner sells its house, the homestead exemption will remain with the home for the current tax year. If the homestead recipient purchases a new house, they must refile to obtain exemption the following year. Remember, to be eligible, you must own and occupy the property you are seeking the homestead exemption for, on January 1st of that calendar year.

The application filing period is from January 1st through December 31st. Applications that are not received in the Cuyahoga County Homestead Exemption Office prior to December 31st cannot be approved for that tax year.

If you were eligible for the homestead exemption in the prior year but did not apply you can file a late application for that prior year. Please contact the office for details.

Those homeowners who already receive the homestead exemption do not need to reapply every year. However, if your circumstances change you must notify the office.

A continuing homestead exemption application is sent each year to homeowners who received the reduction for the preceding tax year. Please return the form only if there have been changes in eligibility status, e.g. you no longer own the home, no longer occupy it as your primary place of residence, or if your disability status has changed.

If you believe that your application has been improperly denied or that the reduction is less than that to which you are entitled, you may file Complaint Form DTE 106B, with the County Board of Revision, at BORInfo@cuyahogacounty.us.