Maine Homestead Exemption: $25,000, Plus an Income-Based Property Tax Fairness Credit

Updated August 2026

Maine's Homestead Exemption is a flat, universal $25,000 reduction. A separate, larger benefit, the refundable Property Tax Fairness Credit, is available on top for income-qualified homeowners.

Every Maine homeowner who's owned their homestead for 12 months can claim the flat exemption with no age or income test. Homeowners with more modest incomes can additionally claim a refundable credit on their state income tax return, worth up to $2,500 for those 65 and older.

Maine's Property Tax Relief Programs

Homestead Exemption

What it does: Exempts $25,000 of just value from the home’s assessed value (adjusted by your municipality’s certified assessment ratio).

Who qualifies: Owned a Maine homestead for the preceding 12 months and it is your permanent residence as of April 1. No age or income test.

Deadline and form: April 1 (one-time filing, no annual refiling required) (Homestead Exemption Application, filed with your municipal assessor). Citation: 36 M.R.S. §§ 651-684.

Property Tax Fairness Credit

What it does: Refundable income tax credit, maximum $2,000 for filers under 65, $2,500 for filers 65+.

Who qualifies: Income-tested; 2025 limits are roughly $63,750 (single, under 65) up to about $101,250-$102,500 depending on filing status and age.

Deadline and form: Filed with your annual state income tax return (Form 1040ME with Schedule PTFC/STFC). Citation: 36 M.R.S. § 5219-KK.

An exemption or credit lowers your bill only after the assessed value is set. If that value is too high to begin with, you are overpaying on everything above it regardless of which relief programs you claim. Nobody checks the underlying value unless you do.

See what your county has your home on record at

The value your relief programs subtract from, pulled free in seconds. No account needed.

✓ All 50 states✓ Instant results✓ $49 flat fee

How to Apply

Contact your county assessor's (or, where noted above, your state revenue department's) office for the current application form
Gather proof of ownership, occupancy, and, for income-tested programs, your prior-year income documentation
File before the deadline listed above, most jurisdictions do not accept late applications for that tax year
Confirm the relief shows up on your next assessment notice or tax bill

The Bottom Line

The $25,000 exemption is small in dollar terms but genuinely automatic and permanent once filed. The Property Tax Fairness Credit is where the bigger, income-tested savings are, and it's refundable, meaning you get it even if you owe no state income tax.

Note: Program names, dollar figures, and income limits above are current as of August 2026 and are set or adjusted by the state legislature or department of revenue, not by AppealDesk. Some figures adjust annually, confirm the current-year number with your county or state before applying. AppealDesk helps homeowners identify available relief programs and appeal overassessments.

Most homeowners stack these programs on top of whatever value the assessor assigned and never question the value itself. It came from a mass-appraisal model, not an individual review of your home. It is worth checking once.

Check the value under your exemption

Enter your address to pull your county record free. If it looks too high, your $49 packet gives you everything to challenge it.