Colorado Senior Property Tax Relief for Homeowners 65+

A Colorado homeowner who is 65 or older and has lived in the home for 10 straight years can knock up to $100,000 off the value their property tax is figured on.1 There's no income test for that break. This guide to Colorado senior property tax relief covers that exemption, the new rule that lets you carry it to a new home, the program that lets you defer taxes, and a rebate for low-income seniors.

None of these are automatic. You claim the exemption with your county assessor, and the deadline is July 15.

In This Guide

• Key Takeaways
• The Senior Property Tax Exemption
• New: Carrying the Exemption to a New Home
• The Property Tax Deferral Program
• The Low-Income PTC Rebate
• At a Glance
• How to Apply for the Exemption
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Next Steps

Colorado Senior Property Tax Relief: The Homestead Exemption

This is the big one. Colorado calls it the Senior Property Tax Exemption, and you'll also hear it called the senior homestead exemption.

Here's what it does. Half of the first $200,000 of your home's actual value is exempted from property tax.1 That's up to $100,000 of value removed before your tax is calculated. The state reimburses your local governments for the revenue they lose, so your schools and county don't take the hit.

You qualify if you meet all three rules:

• You're at least 65 years old on January 1 of the year you apply.1
• You own the home and it's your primary residence.
• You've owned and lived in it for at least 10 consecutive years.1

There is no income limit.1 A senior with a high pension qualifies on the same terms as one living on Social Security alone, as long as the age and residence rules are met.

A simple way to picture it: a home with an actual value of $400,000 gets $100,000 of that value exempted, leaving $300,000 to be taxed. A home worth $150,000 gets half of that value, $75,000, exempted.1 The 10-year and primary-residence rules are what most seniors trip over, not the math.

The exemption is administered by the Colorado Division of Property Taxation, but you apply through your county assessor. Once it's approved, it carries forward year to year. You don't reapply as long as you keep the same home and keep living in it.

New: Carrying the Exemption to a New Home

The 10-year rule used to punish seniors who moved. Sell the home you'd lived in for decades, buy a smaller place, and you'd lose the exemption and have to start the 10-year clock over.

That changed. Colorado voters passed HCR24-1001 in 2024, which added a "Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification."1 It adds portability to the exemption.

Here's the rule. If you previously qualified for the senior exemption (as of January 1, 2020 or later) but moved and lost it, you can claim the same 50 percent of the first $200,000 reduction on your new primary residence.1 You don't have to re-meet the 10-year requirement on the new home.

This matters for a common situation: a senior who downsizes after a spouse dies, or who moves closer to family or to a single-level home that's easier to manage. Before this change, that move cost them the exemption for a decade. Now the break follows them.

If you sold a home where you had the exemption and bought a new primary residence in Colorado, ask your county assessor about the Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification when you apply. It's a different track from the standard exemption.

The Property Tax Deferral Program

The exemption lowers your bill. The deferral lets you put off paying it.

Colorado runs a Property Tax Deferral Program that lets homeowners who are 65 and older, and active-duty military, postpone their property taxes.1 The state pays the taxes for you, and the amount becomes a loan.

A few mechanics to understand:

• It's a simple-interest state loan, secured by a lien on your home.1 You repay it later, usually when you sell the home or it passes to heirs.
• Beginning in 2026, your county treasurer disseminates, reviews, and records the applications, taking that over from the state.1 The program itself is still set in state law.

Note one recent change. Colorado had a separate "tax-growth" deferral track that let any homeowner defer the part of a tax increase above a growth cap. State law has eliminated that category, and it is no longer available to new applicants.1 The 65-and-older and active-duty deferral described here is the one that remains.

A deferral is a postponement, not forgiveness. Interest accrues, and the lien stays on the home until the loan is repaid. For a senior who is house-rich but cash-poor, it's a way to stay put without selling, the kind of homeowner deciding whether to sell or rent the home for care. Check the current interest rate and terms with your county treasurer before you commit, since the rate is set by the state and can change.

The Low-Income PTC Rebate

The first three tools are about your home's value and your taxes. This one is a cash rebate, and it's aimed squarely at low income.

Colorado's Property Tax/Rent/Heat (PTC) Rebate is run through the Department of Revenue.1 It gives qualifying seniors money back to help with property tax, rent, and heating costs.

You may qualify if you're a senior 65 or older, or a surviving spouse 58 or older, with very low income.1 For 2025, total income has to fall under $19,094 for a single filer or $25,788 for a married couple, and the rebate runs up to about $1,178.1 Those limits sit well below typical retirement income, so this one reaches a narrow group.

Because the dollar amount and the income cutoffs change each year, treat the figures here as a guide, not gospel. Check the current numbers on the Department of Revenue's PTC page before you apply or rule yourself out. Renters can qualify too, which makes the PTC different from the other three tools, all of which require owning a home.

Colorado Senior Property Tax Relief at a Glance

How to Apply for the Exemption

The Senior Property Tax Exemption runs through your county assessor, not the state and not your tax collector. The assessor decides exemptions; the treasurer just sends the bill.

A few points worth knowing:

• You file the exemption once. It carries forward as long as you keep the home as your primary residence.1
• July 15 is the deadline.1 Miss it and you generally wait for the next year. Don't sit on it.
• The deferral and the PTC rebate are separate applications through different agencies. The assessor only handles the exemption.

If property taxes are one piece of a bigger question about affording care, our guide to paying for senior care walks through Medicaid, VA benefits, and private-pay options alongside home equity.

Next Steps

Start with the exemption. It costs nothing to claim and the July 15 deadline is firm.

• Call your county assessor and ask for the senior exemption application.
• File by July 15 with proof of age and 10 years in the home.1
• If you moved, ask specifically about the Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification.
• Look at the deferral or the PTC rebate if your bill is still more than you can manage.

If borrowing against the home is on the table, weigh it against the deferral. A reverse mortgage for senior care and the deferral both tap home equity, but they work very differently and carry different costs.

Learn More

Find personalized help lowering or deferring your Colorado property taxes at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.