Pennsylvania · 2026
Pennsylvania property tax exemptions
✓ Verified August 2026 against official county pages — 2 sources linked below.
Exemptions lower the value your taxes are figured on — for most homeowners they're the easiest money on this page. Nearly every one has a filing date, though, and missing it usually costs you a year. The statewide programs and their deadlines are below; many counties and cities layer their own versions on top.
| Exemption | Deadline to file | What it's worth |
|---|---|---|
| Homestead / farmstead exclusion | Apply by March 1 with your county assessment office | Reduces the assessed value of every approved owner-occupied home by the same fixed amount before school (and sometimes local) tax is figured — the amount depends on your district's Act 1 allocation |
| Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) | Annual application with the PA Department of Revenue | A state rebate program for income-qualified homeowners and renters 65+, widows/widowers 50+, and people with disabilities |
| Disabled veteran exemption | Apply when eligible | Full exemption for wartime veterans with 100% service-connected disability who meet the program's need standard |
65 or older?
Start with the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) — A state rebate program for income-qualified homeowners and renters 65+, widows/widowers 50+, and people with disabilities. Deadline: Annual application with the PA Department of Revenue.
Comparing states? Every state's senior program is in the senior property tax exemptions by state table.
How to file
Homestead / farmstead exclusion: One application with the county assessment office covers the exclusion; approval carries forward.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR): File the PTRR application (paper or myPATH online) each year.
Disabled veteran exemption: Apply through the State Veterans' Commission via your County Veterans Affairs office.
Amounts and dates above are the statewide baseline — where counties or cities run their own versions, the local deadline and paperwork can differ. Confirm with your county assessor before relying on a date.
Exempted and still think the bill is high? The next lever is the value itself: how to appeal in Pennsylvania.
Common questions
- When is the Pennsylvania homestead exemption deadline?
- Apply by March 1 with your county assessment office. One application with the county assessment office covers the exclusion; approval carries forward.
- Does Pennsylvania have a senior property tax exemption?
- The senior-relevant program here is the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR). A state rebate program for income-qualified homeowners and renters 65+, widows/widowers 50+, and people with disabilities. Deadline: Annual application with the PA Department of Revenue.
- Do Pennsylvania exemptions apply automatically?
- Most don't — nearly every program starts with an application, and some must be renewed. Missing the filing window usually means waiting a year, so if you live in the home you own, check what you've claimed before anything else. Confirm details with your county assessor.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from an official page. Check them yourself:
- PA DCED — Property Tax Relief Through Homestead Exclusion — checked 2026-08-12
- PA Department of Education — Property Tax Relief (Act 1) — checked 2026-08-12