SERVICE

File for the homeowners' exemption

If you own and occupy your home as your principal place of residence, you may be eligible for property tax savings of approximately $80 annually.

What to know

New homeowners

New property owners will automatically receive an exemption application in the mail.

Deadline

The deadline to receive the full homeowners' exemption is February 15. 

What to do

Before filing for a homeowners' exemption

If you own and occupy your home as your principal place of residence, you may be eligible for an exemption of up to $7,000 off the property’s assessed value, resulting in a property tax savings of approximately $80 annually.

Eligibility: 

  • You must be a property owner, co-owner or a purchaser named in a contract of sale. You must occupy your home as your principal place of residence.
  • A dwelling does not qualify for the exemption if it's rented, vacant and unoccupied, or the vacation or secondary home of the claimant.

Deadline:

  • For the year in which you occupy the dwelling on lien date (January 1), the full exemption is available if you file by 5:00 p.m. on the following February 15.
  • If you file a claim between the following February 16 and 5:00 p.m. on December 10, 80% of the exemption is available.
  • If you have filed for a homeowners' exemption in previous years and have not moved, you do not need to file again. 

The homeowners’ exemption may be applied to a supplemental assessment.

We do not accept homeowners' exemption claim forms submitted by third parties.

Watch our informational video about the homeowners' exemption.

Ways to file

1. Send your homeowners' exemption claim form to us via email at assessor@sfgov.org; or

2. Drop off or mail your homeowner's exemption claim form to our office at San Francisco City Hall, Room 190.

After you submit your claim form

Every July, our office sends out a notice of assessed value to property owners in San Francisco.

Your annual notice of assessed value will show the homeowner's exemption amount deducted from your total assessed value. 

Special cases

Proposition 19

The homeowners' exemption is required when filing certain types of reassessment exclusions, such as the Proposition 19 base year value transfers and Proposition 19 intergenerational transfers.  

There are different deadlines associated with Proposition 19 reassessment exclusions. See our Proposition 19 page. 

Removing the homeowners' exemption

Drop Box

You can submit your completed claim form via our City Hall drop box 24/7. Follow the steps below:

  1. Download and complete the homeowners' exemption claim form.
  2. Deposit the form in the designated box on Grove Street outside City Hall.

We check the drop box weekdays at 8:00 am.

What to do if you move

You may simultaneously file the Request to Remove Homeowners’ Exemption Form for your old property and the Homeowners’ Exemption Claim Form for your new home.

Get help

Address

Main OfficeOffice of the Assessor-Recorder
City Hall, Room 190
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Franciso, CA 94102
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Email

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