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SB00447 • 2026

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION.

Housing Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Planning and Development Committee
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
House Calendar Number 500
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the exemption applies from passage but is only applicable to assessment years starting October 1, 2027; no specific dollar savings can be calculated without knowing local tax rates.

Homestead Property Tax Exemption Act

This law creates a property tax break of up to $50,000 for people who live in their own single-family home, condo, or unit in a common interest community.

What This Bill Does

  • Reduces the taxable value of owner-occupied homes by fifty thousand dollars.
  • Requires owners to file an application with local assessors by November 1 each year.
  • Mandates that applicants declare they have no other primary residence and do not claim this break for more than one home.
  • Defines eligible properties as single-family dwellings, condominiums, or units in common interest communities.
  • Removes an older section of the state law regarding property tax exemptions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners who live in their own single-family homes, condos, or similar housing units.
  • People for whom a home is held in trust and who use it as their primary residence.
  • Local municipal assessors who must receive applications on forms created by the state.

Terms To Know

Assessed value
The dollar amount assigned to a property for tax purposes before any exemptions are applied.
Primary residence
The main home where an owner lives, as opposed to a vacation or rental property.
Common interest community
A type of housing arrangement like condominiums where owners share certain areas and responsibilities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exemption only applies to assessment years starting on or after October 1, 2027.
  • Owners who miss the November 1 filing deadline lose their right to claim this break for that year.
  • The law does not specify how much money will be saved in actual tax dollars because it depends on local tax rates.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House

  2. 2026-04-23 Connecticut General Assembly

    House Calendar Number 500

  3. 2026-04-22 Connecticut General Assembly

    Senate Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A 4535

  4. 2026-04-22 Connecticut General Assembly

    Senate Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A

  5. 2026-04-14 FIN

    Joint Favorable

  6. 2026-04-14 LCO

    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office

  7. 2026-04-14 LCO

    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office

  8. 2026-04-14 Connecticut General Assembly

    No New File by Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding

  9. 2026-04-14 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate

  10. 2026-04-08 Connecticut General Assembly

    Immediate Transmittal to Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding

  11. 2026-03-30 LCO

    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office

  12. 2026-03-30 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate

  13. 2026-03-30 Connecticut General Assembly

    Senate Calendar Number 186

  14. 2026-03-30 LCO

    File Number 231

  15. 2026-03-23 LCO

    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/30/26 12:00 PM

  16. 2026-03-16 LCO

    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office

  17. 2026-03-13 PD

    Joint Favorable Substitute

  18. 2026-03-06 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 03/11

  19. 2026-03-05 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Planning and Development

Official Summary Text

To establish a property tax exemption of fifty thousand dollars of the assessed value of owner-occupied single-family dwellings.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
LCO 1 of 2

General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 447
February Session, 2026

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX
EXEMPTION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 12-81 of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes 1
is amended by adding subdivision (85) as follows (Effective from passage 2
and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2027): 3
(NEW) (85) (A) Any dwelling declared to be the primary residence of 4
(i) the owner or owners of such dwelling, or (ii) any person or persons 5
for whom such dwelling is held in trust, in accordance with the 6
provisions of subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, to the amount of fifty 7
thousand dollars of the assessed value of such dwelling. 8
(B) Any owner or owners of a dwelling, or person or persons for 9
whom such dwelling is held in trust, claiming the exemption provided 10
in this subdivision for any assessment year shall, on or before the first 11
day of November in such assessment year, file with the assessor or 12
board of assessors in the municipality in which such dwelling is located 13
an application claiming such exemption. Such application shall be made 14
in the manner prescribed and on a form prepared for such purpose by 15
the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, and shall include, 16
but not be limited to, a declaration that (i) such dwelling is the primary 17
residence of the applicant or applicants, (ii) the applicant or applicants 18
Substitute Bill No. 447

LCO 2 of 2

have no other primary residence, and (iii) the applicant or applicants 19
have not claimed the exemption provided in this subdivision for more 20
than one such dwelling in the same assessment year, and any 21
documentation the secretary deems necessary to verify such 22
declaration. The secretary shall make such application available to the 23
public on the Internet web site of the Office of Policy and Management. 24
Failure to file such application in the manner and form provided by the 25
secretary within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the 26
right to such exemption for such assessment year. 27
(C) As used in this subdivision, "dwelling" means a single -family 28
dwelling, condominium, as defined in section 47 -68a, or unit in a 29
common interest community, as defined in section 47-202. 30
Sec. 2. Section 12-81oo of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes 31
is repealed. (Effective October 1, 2027) 32
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 from passage and
applicable to assessment
years commencing on or
after October 1, 2027
12-81(85)
Sec. 2 October 1, 2027 Repealer section

PD Joint Favorable Subst.
FIN Joint Favorable