AN ACT relating to taxation; revising the deadline to apply and the exemption amount for the property tax exemption for long-term homeowners; providing a method to claim the property tax exemption in subsequent years; establishing a limitation on the long-term homeowner tax exemption; amending definitions; repealing the sunset date of the property tax exemption; and providing for an effective date.
ElectionsTaxes
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Revenue
Last action
2026-03-07
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2026
Plain English Breakdown
The official summary and bill text do not provide specific details on how many homeowners will be affected by the new $3 million limit.
Changes to Long-term Homeowner Tax Exemption
This law changes when and how long-term homeowners can apply for a tax exemption, sets limits on the amount of property value that qualifies for the exemption, and stops the exemption from ending in the future.
What This Bill Does
Changes the deadline to apply for the homeowner tax exemption to March 1 each year.
Limits the exemption to only cover the first $3 million of a home's fair market value.
Allows homeowners who move within Wyoming to keep their exemption if they meet certain conditions.
Requires homeowners to confirm their eligibility with the assessor’s office every year by March 1 to maintain the exemption.
Prevents homeowners from getting both this long-term homeowner tax exemption and another similar exemption.
Who It Names or Affects
Homeowners who have lived in Wyoming for at least 25 years and are over 65 years old.
Terms To Know
Primary residence
A home where someone lives most of the year, usually more than eight months.
Fair market value
The price at which a property would sell in an open and competitive real estate market.
Limits and Unknowns
It is unclear how many homeowners will be affected by the new $3 million limit on the exemption.
This law does not specify what happens if someone misses the March 1 deadline to apply for or confirm their exemption.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT
HB0045JC001 (TO ENGROSSED COPY)
Delete the following Senate amendments:
HB0045S3001/AE
HB0045S3002/AE
Further amend the ENGROSSED COPY as follows:
Page 1-line 4 After "years;" insert "establishing a
limitation on the long-term homeowner tax
exemption;".
JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT
HB0045JC001 (TO ENGROSSED COPY)
Delete the following Senate amendments:
HB0045S3001/AE
HB0045S3002/AE
Further amend the ENGROSSED COPY as follows:
Page 1-line 4 After "years;" insert "establishing a
limitation on the long-term homeowner tax
exemption;".
Page 1-line 11 Delete "a new subparagraph (D)" and
insert "new subparagraphs (D) and (E)".
Page 4-after line 11 Insert:
"(E) If the secretary of state certifies to
the department of revenue that the voters have approved an
initiative implementing a homeowner's property tax exemption
and the exemption is enacted into law, an owner who qualifies
and applies for an exemption under this paragraph shall not
qualify for the exemption under the initiative.".
6
7 Page 1-line 9 Delete "39-11-105(a)(xlv)(B)" and insert "39-
8 11-105(a)(xlv)(A) and (B), (C)(II)".
9
10 Page 2-after line 3 Insert:
11
12 "(A) For residential real property used as a
13 primary residence, if the owner or their spouse is sixty-five (65)
14 years of age or older and the owner or their spouse has paid
15 residential property tax in Wyoming for twenty-five (25) years or
16 more on any residential property, the amount of the exemption shall
17 be fifty percent (50%) of the assessed value fair market value of
18 the residential real property, provided that the exemption shall
19 only apply to the first three million dollars ($3,000,000.00) of
20 the fair market value of the residential real property;".
Plain English: 1
HB0045S3001 (TO ENGROSSED COPY)
(CORRECTED COPY)
1 Page 1-line 3 After "homeowners;" insert "placing a
2 limitation on the long-term homeowner tax
3 exemption;".
1
HB0045S3001 (TO ENGROSSED COPY)
(CORRECTED COPY)
1 Page 1-line 3 After "homeowners;" insert "placing a
2 limitation on the long-term homeowner tax
3 exemption;".
4
5 Page 1-line 11 After "(D)" insert "and (xlvi) by creating a
6 new subparagraph (D)".
7
8 Page 4-after line 11 Insert:
9
10 "(xlvi) A portion of a single family residential
11 structure and the associated improved land as a homeowner tax
12 exemption as provided in this paragraph.
The following shall apply
13 to this exemption:
14
15 (D) If the secretary of state certifies to the
16 department of revenue that the voters have approved an initiative
17 implementing a homeowner's property tax exemption and the
18 exemption is enacted into law, an owner who qualifies for an
19 exemption under this paragraph and the initiative shall only apply
20 for one (1) of those exemptions.".
Plain English: 1
HB0045S3002 (TO ENGROSSED COPY)
1 Page 1-line 4 After "years;" insert "putting a limitation
2 on the long-term homeowner tax exemption;".
1
HB0045S3002 (TO ENGROSSED COPY)
1 Page 1-line 4 After "years;" insert "putting a limitation
2 on the long-term homeowner tax exemption;".
3
4 Page 1-line 11 Delete "a new subparagraph (D)" and insert
5 "new subparagraphs (D) and (E)".
6
7 Page 4-after line 11 Insert:
8
9 "(E) If the secretary of state certifies to the
10 department of revenue that the voters have approved an initiative
11 implementing a homeowner's property tax exemption and the
12 exemption is enacted into law, an owner who qualifies for an
13 exemption under this paragraph and the initiative shall only apply
14 for one (1) of those exemptions.".
MCKEOWN
15
Bill History
2026-03-07LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 83
2026-03-07Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0023
2026-03-06Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0023
2026-03-05House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0023
2026-03-05LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0023
2026-03-03Senate
S Appointed JCC01 Members
2026-03-02House
H Appointed JCC01 Members
2026-03-02House
H Concur:Failed 2-55-4-0-1
2026-03-02House
H Received for Concurrence
2026-03-02Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 23-0-0-0-8
2026-02-27Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2026-02-26Senate
S COW:Passed
2026-02-23Senate
S Placed on General File
2026-02-23Senate
S03 - Revenue:Recommend Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0
2026-02-16Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S03 - Revenue
2026-02-16Senate
S Received for Introduction
2026-02-13House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 56-4-1-0-1
2026-02-12House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2026-02-11House
H COW:Passed
2026-02-10House
H Placed on General File
2026-02-10House
H03 - Revenue:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-0-0-0-2
2026-02-09House
H Introduced and Referred to H03 - Revenue 60-1-0-0-1
2026-01-22House
H Received for Introduction
2026-01-15LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Official Summary Text
Bill Summary - 26LSO-0099
Bill No.:
HB0045
Effective:
7/1/2026
LSO No.:
26LSO-0099
Enrolled Act No.:
HEA No. 0023
Chapter No.:
83
Prime Sponsor:
Joint Revenue Interim Committee
Catch Title:
Long-term homeowner tax exemption-revisions.
Has Report:
No
Subject:
Long-term homeowner tax exemption revisions.
Summary/Major Elements:
This bill revises the application deadline for the property tax exemption for long-term homeowners to March 1 each year.
The bill also specifies that the exemption is applicable only to the first three million dollars ($3,000,000.00) of the property's fair market value.
Establishes a method for claimants to maintain their exemption in subsequent years by confirming eligibility with the assessor's office by March 1 of each year.
The bill allows an exemption qualification when there are transitions between residences within the state.
The bill specifies that if the homeowner's property tax exemption initiative is enacted, claimants cannot qualify for both the initiative and the long-term homeowner exemption.
The bill repeals the sunset date for the long-term homeowner property tax exemption.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.
While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
26LSO-0099
ORIGINAL House
ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0045
ENROLLED ACT NO. 23,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session
AN ACT relating to taxation; revising the deadline to apply and the exemption amount for the property tax exemption for long-term homeowners; providing a method to claim the property tax exemption in subsequent years; establishing a limitation on the long-term homeowner tax exemption; amending definitions; repealing the sunset date of the property tax exemption; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
W.S. 39
‑
11
‑
105(a)(xlv)(A), (B), (C)(II) and by creating new subparagraphs (D) and (E) is amended to read:
39
‑
11
‑
105.
Exemptions.
(a)
The following property is exempt from property taxation:
(xlv)
A portion of property used as a primary residence by long
‑
term homeowners as provided in this paragraph. The following shall apply to this exemption:
(A)
For residential real property used as a primary residence, if the owner or their spouse is sixty
‑
five (65) years of age or older and the owner or their spouse has paid residential property tax in Wyoming for twenty
‑
five (25) years or more on any residential property, the amount of the exemption shall be fifty percent (50%) of the
assessed value
fair market value of the residential real property, provided that the exemption shall only apply to the first three million dollars ($3,000,000.00) of the fair market value
of the residential real property;
(B)
Except as provided by subdivision (C)(II) of this paragraph, n
ot more than one (1) exemption under this paragraph shall apply to the same property in any year and no owner shall claim more than one (1) exemption under this paragraph in any year including property that houses more than one (1) family. To claim an exemption under this paragraph the owner of the residential real property shall submit a claim to the county assessor not later than
the fourth Monday in May
March 1
each year on forms provided by the department of revenue demonstrating that the person is the owner of the property, that the person or the person's spouse is sixty
‑
five (65) years of age or older and has paid residential property tax in Wyoming for twenty
‑
five (25) years or more on any residential property and that the property is the person's primary residence. A surviving spouse of a person who qualified under this paragraph and who would not otherwise qualify under this paragraph shall continue to qualify for the exemption under this paragraph. False claims are punishable as provided by W.S. 6
‑
5
‑
303;
(C)
As used in this paragraph:
(II)
"Primary residence" means residential real property
in Wyoming
where the person claiming the exemption actually resides for not less than eight (8) months of the year
. If a primary residence is sold and another property is purchased within the state of Wyoming, the months residing in both owner
‑
occupied residences shall apply to the requirements of this exemption
;
(D)
After filing a sworn claim pursuant to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, in subsequent years the claimant shall remain qualified for the tax exemption provided by this paragraph if the claimant contacts the assessor's office by telephone, mail or other communication method on or before March 1 and confirms that the claimant continues to meet the requirements set forth in this paragraph;
(E)
If the secretary of state certifies to the department of revenue that the voters have approved an initiative implementing a homeowner's property tax exemption and the exemption is enacted into law, an owner who qualifies and applies for an exemption under this paragraph shall not qualify for the exemption under the initiative.
Section 2
.
2024 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 106, Section 2 is repealed.
Section 3
.
This act is effective July 1, 2026
.
(END)
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate
Governor
TIME APPROVED: _________
DATE APPROVED: _________
I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.
Chief Clerk
1