Dallas City Council approves higher tax exemption for seniors and disabled homeowners

Dallas, Texas – The Dallas City Council has officially approved a significant boost in property tax relief for senior and disabled residents. Beginning in the 2025 tax year, the city’s property tax exemption for homeowners who are 65 years or older or certified as disabled will rise from $153,400 to $175,000.

“We are proud to support our older and disabled residents with this increase,” said Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert. “This exemption helps Dallas homeowners stay in their homes as they age.”

This expanded exemption applies to a homeowner’s primary residence (homestead) and reduces the taxable value of the property by $175,000 when calculating only the City of Dallas portion of the tax bill. In practical terms, when paired with the 20% homestead exemption already in place, this means that homeowners with a market value of $218,750 or less will pay no City of Dallas property taxes at all.

Who Can Qualify

To benefit from the increased exemption, residents must meet several requirements. Eligibility for the Over-65 or Disabled Person Exemption under Texas law includes:

• Ownership and occupancy of the property as a primary residence

• Being 65 years or older or certified as disabled by Social Security standards

• Only one exemption (either Over-65 or Disabled) can be claimed per household

• A surviving spouse may retain the exemption if they are at least 55 years old at the time of their spouse’s death and the spouse had previously qualified for the Over-65 exemption

Homeowners who already have this exemption do not need to reapply, but all new applicants must submit through their local appraisal district, depending on the location of their property within the City of Dallas.

Where to Apply

The City of Dallas spans multiple counties. Residents can apply through the respective county appraisal district:

• Dallas County: www.dallascad.org

• Collin County: www.collincad.org

• Denton County: www.dentoncad.com

For those seeking more details on property taxes or city budget information, resources are available through the city’s Financial Transparency platform.

With this increase in the exemption amount, the City of Dallas continues its efforts to protect vulnerable homeowners from rising property taxes and housing instability, offering both relief and dignity to long-time residents.