Principal Residence Exemption

DEPARTMENT MEMBERS

Barb Cheek
ASSESSOR
Phone Extension 13

Linda Copeland
LEVEL II - ASSESSING ASSISTANT
Phone Extension 22

Principal Residence Exemption (P.R.E.) affidavits should be filed with this office. To qualify for the exemption of up to 18 mills of school taxes, you must own and occupy your home by May 1 of the year in which you are applying; you may claim only one exemption in the State of Michigan; you may not be claiming a similar exemption in another state; income tax returns should be filed from this address; you should be registered to vote at the location you are claiming as your residence; this should be the location that you use for your drivers license and mailing address; (Michigan law requires that the same address be used for voter registration and driver license purposes.) These are some of the criteria that the State of Michigan looks at when granting/or denying exemptions. It is the job of the Assessor to review all affidavits for their validity. You may download forms online at www.michigan.gov/treasury.

More Information Regarding the Principal Residence Exemption

Principal Residence Exemption
(formerly known as the Homestead Exemption)

A Principal Residence Exemption may reduce the school portion of property taxes by 18 mills.

Do you qualify for an exemption?

In order to claim a Principal Residence Exemption on your property, you must own and occupy the property as your principal residence by May 1. The following conditions would be true if you own and occupy your property:

Owning:

You hold legal title to the property or you are currently buying it

Occupying:

	This is your principal residence
	This address appears on your driver's license, your voter's registration card, and your income tax return
	This home is not being used (temporarily or permanently) as a vacation home, rental property or vacant property waiting to be sold
	Your mailing address is the same as the property address that you are claiming your exemption for

You can not claim a similar exemption in another state and/or elsewhere in the State of Michigan. * Exception ** See Conditional Rescission of a Principal Residence Exemption

Also, if any portion of your home is rented or used for business purposes, then your exemption may be adjusted according to the percentage that is actually occupied as your principal residence.

Call your local assessor’s office to determine if you are eligible for the exemption or for more information.

*Conditional Rescission of a Principal Residence Exemption (Effective April 8, 2008)

This exemption enables a person who has established a new principal residence to retain a Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) on property previously exempt as the owner’s principal residence. The conditional rescission allows an owner to receive a PRE on the previous principal residence for up to three years if that property is not occupied, is for sale, is not leased, and is not used for any business or commercial purpose.

Click here to learn more about the Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption.

Click here for Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption FAQ’s concerning the Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption.

Click here to obtain a Homeowner's Principal Residence Exemption form.

Click here to obtain a Conditional Rescission of a Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) form.

Click here for Conditional Rescission of a Principal Residence Exemption FAQ’s concerning the Conditional Principal Residence Exemption.

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You can contact the Assessing Department via email at the following address:

assessing@lctberrien.org