Principal Residence Exemption


The Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption Program allows you to claim an exemption from some school operating taxes. For your homestead to be eligible, you must own and occupy your property as your principal residence and have filed a Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) Affidavit by June 1 for summer tax billing and a second deadline by November 1. Once filed and granted, it is valid for as long as you own and occupy the property as your principal residence.

Homestead is that portion of a dwelling that is subject to ad valorem (according to value) taxes and is owned and occupied as a principal residence by an owner. Homestead also includes all of an owner's unoccupied property classified as residential that is adjoining or contiguous to the dwelling subject to ad valorem taxes and that is owned and occupied as a principal residence by the owner.

Principal residence is the one place where a person has his or her true fixed and permanent home to which, whenever absent, he or she intends to return and that shall continue as a principal residence until another principal residence is established. Additional information and forms are available below.

Further information is available at the State of Michigan Treasury website which can be viewed by clicking What is a Principal Residence Exemption(PRE)?