If you’re a homeowner in Ohio and you’ve heard whispers about a “new $450 property tax credit,” you’re not imagining things. In June 2026, Ohio lawmakers signed House Bill 479, a budget-correction bill that creates a one-time property tax credit for hundreds of thousands of homeowners already enrolled in the state’s Homestead Exemption program. On top of that, there’s a real deadline coming up fast for anyone who hasn’t applied yet.

This guide walks through exactly who qualifies for the Ohio Homestead Exemption in 2026, what the new HB 479 credit actually is, whether you need to do anything to claim it, and the October 2, 2026 cutoff you don’t want to miss.

1. What Is the Ohio Homestead Exemption?

The Ohio Homestead Exemption is a statewide property tax break available to three groups of homeowners:

• Senior citizens age 65 or older
• Homeowners who are permanently and totally disabled
• Surviving spouses of public-safety officers (police officers, firefighters, and similar first responders) killed in the line of duty

The exemption works by reducing the taxable market value of your home by an inflation-adjusted amount set each year. That reduction lowers the property value your local tax rate is applied to, which in turn lowers your annual property tax bill. The exact dollar figure is adjusted annually, so it’s worth confirming the current-year amount with your county auditor or on tax.ohio.gov when you apply.

There’s also an enhanced, larger exemption for disabled veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans. This enhanced version has no income test at all, which makes it more accessible than the standard exemption described below.

2. 2026 Income Limits — Do You Qualify?

The standard Homestead Exemption (for the senior and disabled categories) does come with an income limit. For 2026 real-property applications, which are based on your 2025 Ohio tax return, the limit on Ohio Adjusted Gross Income is $41,000, combined for the applicant and spouse.

Beyond the income test, you also need to meet these basic requirements:

• You must own the home and occupy it as your primary residence as of January 1 of the tax year
• The property cannot be owned by a corporation, partnership, or LLC — it has to be owned by you as an individual (or jointly with a spouse) to qualify

If your income is above $41,000, you won’t qualify for the standard senior/disabled exemption, but the disabled veteran and surviving-spouse-of-veteran version has no income limit at all, so it’s worth checking that category separately if it applies to you.

3. NEW for 2026 — The One-Time $450–$500 Property Tax Credit (HB 479)

Here’s the part that’s generating a lot of search traffic this year. House Bill 479, a budget-correction bill signed into law in June 2026, creates a one-time property tax credit of roughly $450 to $500 for Ohio homeowners who are already enrolled in the Homestead Exemption.

A few key facts about this credit:

• It’s funded by approximately $350 million in surplus state tax revenue
• It applies to the roughly 710,000 households already receiving the Homestead Exemption statewide
• Ohio lawmakers have been explicit that this is a one-time credit, not a permanent increase to the exemption — don’t assume it will automatically repeat next year

In other words, HB 479 doesn’t replace or change the underlying Homestead Exemption rules covered above. It’s a separate, extra credit layered on top of it for this budget cycle only.

4. Do You Need to Apply for the Credit, or Is It Automatic?

This is the question most homeowners actually want answered, and the answer depends entirely on whether you’re already enrolled in the Homestead Exemption.

Situation	Do you need to apply?	What happens
Already receiving the Homestead Exemption	No separate application needed	The $450–$500 credit is applied automatically to your property tax bill
Not yet enrolled (new applicant)	Yes — must file Form DTE 105A	Must apply by October 2, 2026 to be included in this one-time credit
Applied after October 2, 2026	Application still processed for future years	You may still qualify for the ongoing Homestead Exemption, but you will likely miss the one-time HB 479 credit

Current Homestead Exemption recipients don’t need to fill out any additional forms or contact their county auditor — the credit is expected to show up as a line-item reduction on property tax bills issued around early 2027. New applicants, on the other hand, have a narrow window: file by October 2, 2026 to be included.

5. How to Apply for the Homestead Exemption (Form DTE 105A)

If you’re not yet enrolled and think you qualify, here’s how to apply:

• Get Form DTE 105A from your county auditor’s office or download it from tax.ohio.gov
• File the completed form with your county auditor’s office — applications go to the county, not to the state directly
• The standard filing window runs from the first Monday in January through December 31 of the application year; late applications for the prior year are generally allowed through the first Monday in June
• Bring documentation of your age or disability status, plus your prior-year Ohio tax return for income verification

Given the October 2, 2026 deadline tied to the HB 479 credit, it’s worth applying as soon as possible rather than waiting until the standard year-end cutoff.

6. How Much Could You Actually Save?

The real savings for 2026 combine two separate pieces: the ongoing annual reduction from the base Homestead Exemption, and the one-time $450–$500 HB 479 credit layered on top.

Here’s a simplified example to show how the two pieces stack together (your actual numbers will vary by county and school district millage rates):

• Step 1 — Base exemption: The Homestead Exemption reduces your home’s taxable value by the inflation-adjusted exemption amount for the year. Multiplied by your local effective tax rate, that might work out to roughly $400–$600 in ongoing annual savings for a typical Ohio homeowner, depending on where you live.
• Step 2 — Add the one-time HB 479 credit: On top of that recurring reduction, eligible homeowners receive the one-time $450–$500 credit as a line-item deduction on the tax bill issued around early 2027.
• Step 3 — Total for this cycle: Combining both pieces, a homeowner already receiving the standard exemption could see roughly $850 to $1,100 in total property tax relief this cycle — the usual annual exemption savings plus the one-time bonus credit.

Keep in mind these are illustrative figures. Your exact dollar amount depends on your county’s tax rate, your school district’s millage, and your home’s assessed value, so check with your county auditor for the precise number that applies to your property.

7. Common Mistakes, FAQs & Where to Get Help

A few things trip up homeowners every year, and this year’s HB 479 credit adds a couple of new ones:

• Missing the October 2, 2026 deadline. This only affects new applicants who aren’t yet enrolled in the Homestead Exemption — but if that’s you, it’s the single most important date in this article.
• Assuming the $450–$500 credit is permanent. It isn’t. Lawmakers designed HB 479 as a one-time credit funded by a specific revenue surplus, so don’t build it into next year’s budget.
• Not re-verifying income when required. Some counties periodically ask Homestead recipients to re-certify income eligibility — don’t ignore those notices.
• Assuming the credit requires a new application if you’re already enrolled. It doesn’t — for current recipients, it’s automatic.

Where to get help: Your county auditor’s office is the first stop for application questions and processing status. For statewide questions about the Homestead Exemption or the HB 479 credit, you can also contact the Ohio Department of Taxation’s taxpayer services line.

For the official, up-to-date application details and eligibility rules, visit the Ohio Department of Taxation’s Homestead Exemption page linked below.

Bottom line: if you’re already receiving the Homestead Exemption, you likely don’t need to lift a finger to get the HB 479 credit — just watch for it on your next tax bill. If you’re not yet enrolled but think you qualify, don’t wait: file Form DTE 105A with your county auditor before October 2, 2026 to make sure you don’t miss this one-time credit.