Franklin County Property Tax Exemptions
Reduce your taxable value and lower your annual bill. Discover eligibility rules, 2026 deadlines, and filing steps for homestead, senior, and veteran exemptions.
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Franklin County Building Department
Property tax exemption filing support
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Property tax exemptions are the most effective way to permanently lower your annual bill. By removing part of your home's value from taxation, you pay less even if local rates increase. Below are the primary exemptions available to Franklin County residents.
Find Your Franklin County Exemptions
Answer these short questions to see which property tax relief programs you qualify for.
Your Exemption Analysis Results
Based on your answers, here is what you should check:
You may not qualify for standard exemptions.
Make sure you own the home and it is your primary residence. Investigate agricultural or local options with the assessor.
Required Documentation to File:
Homestead Exemption
Primary Residence Protection
The Homestead Exemption is the most common property tax relief in Franklin County. It removes a portion of your home's value from taxation for school and county purposes.
Eligibility
Must own and occupy the property as your primary residence on January 1st of the tax year.
Benefit
Typically reduces taxable value by $25,000–$40,000 depending on state law and taxing unit.
Renewal
Usually automatic once granted, unless you move or the title changes.
Exemption Savings Estimator
Estimate how much money you can save on your tax bill using the county's average rate of 1.52%.
Select Exemptions to Apply:
Your actual savings depend on overlapping taxing units (city, school, county) and specific local exemption caps.
Senior Citizen Exemption
Ages 65 and Older
Homeowners in Franklin County who are 65 or older qualify for additional exemptions and, in many states, a tax freeze on school district taxes.
- Age Requirement: Must turn 65 during the tax year. Some states allow prospective filing before your birthday.
- Proof Needed: Birth certificate or state-issued ID required for first-time filing.
- Tax Freeze: In many states, the school district tax portion of your bill is frozen at the value it was when you turned 65.
Veteran Exemptions
Disabled Veterans & Surviving Spouses
Franklin County offers substantial relief to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
100% Disability Rating
Veterans with a 100% permanent and total disability rating often qualify for a complete property tax exemption on their primary residence.
Partial disabilities (10%–90%) qualify for tiered exemptions that reduce assessed value by specific dollar amounts.
Disability Exemption
Persons with Qualifying Disabilities
Homeowners under 65 who are disabled as defined by Social Security Act may qualify for the same over-65 exemption amount, including a school tax freeze.
💡 Tip
You can qualify for either the over-65 or the disability exemption, but not both simultaneously on school district taxes. Apply for whichever provides the greater benefit.
Vermont State-Level Property Tax Relief Programs
Statutory Relief & Exemptions
Agricultural and Farm Buildings Program
Preferential treatment: Property is valued according to its current use, which is the 5-year-average production return per acre that the land would command if it were to remain in agricultural use, which is then capitalized at different discount rates determined annually by the Current Use Advisory Board (CUAB). Farm buildings are eligible for an exemption so long as they are actively used for agricultural purposes (including dwellings used for farm employee housing) are owned by a qualified farmer for at least 3 years. The Commissioner of Taxes may exempt a farmer for one year at a time due to personal hardship caused by personal or family disability or death; economic disaster such as loss of farm buildings, equipment, or livestock due to fire or disease; or natural disaster. The agricultural land and farm buildings continue to be taxed on the basis of a current use value appraisal.. Penalty: A Land Use Change Tax (LUCT) is levied if the land was withdrawn from the program or developed (i.e. any building, road, or other structure was constructed on the land; any mining, excavation, or landfill activity occurred on the land; the land was subdivided into parcels less than 25 acres each; or the farm building violated the water quality requirements). The LUCT is imposed at a rate of 10% of the full fair market value of the parcel and is paid to the Commissioner of Taxes who remits the lesser of one-half the tax paid or $2,000 to the municipality. Three-quarters of the remaining tax are sent to the Education Fund and the remaining quarter to the General Fund. Once the land is enrolled in the current use program, the state records a notice of contingent lien that runs with the land. If the land is developed, a lien is created in the amount of the LUCT due. The lien is released once the LUCT has been paid, abated, or the land is exempt from the levy of the LUCT. Effective 2019, the Department of Taxes no longer subordinates the state's lien in favor of a mortgage.. Sources imported from Lincoln Institute agricultural treatment dataset.
Eligible land uses: Agricultural/Farmland, Other Land Uses. Eligibility: Plot/Land Size, Income Production, Prior Year's Land Use, Multi-Year Commitment, Other Eligibility Requirements. Plot criteria: If the land is not owned by or leased to a qualified farmer, then it must consist of at least 25 contiguous acres devoted to agricultural use or meet certain income requirements.. Income criteria: The landowner is a qualified farmer if they make at least one-half of their annual gross income from farming. Agricultural land qualifies for preferential treatment if: (1) it is owned by a qualified farmer and is part of the overall farm unit; (2) it is leased and used by a qualified farmer as part of their farming operation for at least 3 years; or (3) it has produced an annual gross income from the sale of farm crops in 1 of the 2 or 3 of the 5 preceding calendar years. The annual gross income from farm crops must be at least $2,000.00 for parcels of up to 25 acres, and $75.00 per acre for each acre over 25 for a total income of at least $5,000.00. Exceptions for these income requirements are made for orchards with fruit-producing trees, bushes, or vines that are not yet of bearing age.
Local Option Contract with Land Owners for Fixed Value
Preferential treatment: Under contract with the landowner, a municipality may fix the value of the property, rate of taxes, annual payment, or percentage of the annual tax.. Penalty: . Sources imported from Lincoln Institute agricultural treatment dataset.
Eligible land uses: Agricultural/Farmland, Conservation/Open Space, Forest Land/Timber Production, Other Land Uses. Eligibility: Multi-Year Commitment, Other Eligibility Requirements. Plot criteria: None. Income criteria: None
Vermont Homestead Exemption
Filing Document Checklist Generator
Select the programs you are filing for to create a custom list of supporting documents.
Your Filing Checklist:
Application Checklist
Prepare these documents before contacting the Franklin County Assessor. Missing documents are the #1 cause of application delays.
Completed Application Form
Download from the county appraisal district website.
State Driver's License or ID
Address on ID must exactly match the property address.
Address mismatch is the #1 reason applications are rejected
Proof of Age (if 65+ or disability)
Birth certificate, Social Security award letter, or medical certification.
VA Disability Letter (if veteran)
Official letter from the VA showing disability percentage.
Deed or Title
Proof you own and occupy the property as your primary residence.
Exemption FAQs
Deadlines generally fall between March 1 and April 30. Check with the official Franklin County assessor's portal for the exact 2026 local date.
In most cases once a general homestead exemption is granted in Franklin County it automatically renews. You must notify the chief appraiser if your entitlement changes — for example if you move or rent out the home.
Yes. Many homeowners qualify for multiple exemptions simultaneously — for example homestead + senior + veteran. Each further reduces your taxable value. Apply for all you qualify for.
Applications must be filed with the Franklin County Assessor or Appraisal District — NOT the tax collector's office. The assessor's portal link is in the sidebar.
Texas Exemption Filing Window
Filing year is . Late homestead filings in Texas may be accepted up to 2 years after the delinquency date.
Filing Office
File with the Franklin County Assessor or Appraisal District — not the tax collector.
Office Location
Main Office
Vermont
💡 Stacking Exemptions
Many homeowners qualify for multiple exemptions. A homestead ($25,000–$40,000) plus a senior exemption ($10,000+) can reduce your taxable value by $35,000–$50,000+, saving hundreds of dollars annually.