Property tax relief for seniors in Colorado

The senior property tax exemption

When the state budget allows, this takes 50% of the first $200,000 of your home's value off the tax rolls. The state budget for 2026-27 includes money for it.

Who qualifies

• You are 65 or older on January 1 of the year you apply. For tax year 2026, that means you were born on or before January 1, 1961.
• You or your spouse own the home.
• You have owned it and lived in it as your main home for at least 10 years in a row before January 1. For 2026, that means since January 1, 2016 or earlier.
• Only the applicant must be 65. A younger spouse can still be covered.
• A person or married couple can have only one exemption. If you apply for more than one, you lose all of them for that year.

Exceptions to the "living there" rule

You can still qualify if you could not live in the home because:

• You were in a hospital, nursing home or assisted living facility, and only your spouse or a dependent lived in the home (or it stood empty), and you meant to come back.
• The home was destroyed in a natural disaster.
• The government took the home by eminent domain.

Surviving spouses

If your spouse qualified before they died and you have not remarried, you may be able to keep the exemption. Other family members, such as a child or sibling, cannot.

How to apply

1. Get the application from your county assessor or the Division of Property Taxation website.
2. Use the short form if no exceptions apply to you. Use the long form if you are a surviving spouse, need an exception to the 10-year rule, or your home is held in a trust or LLC.
3. Return it to your county assessor between January 1 and July 15. If you are denied, you keep full appeal rights only if you applied by July 15. Applications turned in between July 15 and August 15 have no appeal rights.

You do not have to apply every year. But you must file a new application within 60 days if who owns the home, who lives there, or your main home changes. You cannot get the exemption for past years.

Senior primary residence classification (2025 and 2026 only)

If you got the senior exemption in 2020 or later but lost it, for example because you moved, this gives similar relief on your new main home. You must own and live in the new home as of January 1, 2026. Apply to your county assessor by March 15. This program covers tax years 2025 and 2026 only.

Property Tax/Rent/Heat (PTC) rebate

This is a yearly payment from the Colorado Department of Revenue. It helps with property tax, rent, or heating bills, so renters can get it too.

Who qualifies (2025 rebate, applied for in 2026)

• You lived in Colorado all of 2025.
• On December 31, 2025, you were 65 or older, or a surviving spouse 58 or older. If you divorced before your spouse died, you do not count as a surviving spouse.
• You paid property tax, rent, or heat during the year.
• No one claimed you as a dependent.

The amount depends on your income and what you paid.

How to apply

• Fill out form DR 0104PTC. Mail it to the Colorado Department of Revenue, Denver, CO 80261-0005, or bring it to a Taxpayer Service Center.
• The address on your form must match your driver license or Colorado ID. Use form DR 2285 to update it, or your rebate may be held up.
• If someone with power of attorney files for you, send form DR 0145.
• Filing in January or early February gets you paid fastest, and the rebate may come in parts. The last day to file for 2025 is December 31, 2027.
• Questions: 303-238-7378.

Under 65 with a disability? Starting with tax year 2025, you claim the new Disability Assistance Credit on a Colorado income tax return instead. If you are both 65 and disabled, you can claim only one of the two.

Property tax deferral loan

If you are 65 or older, the State Treasurer can lend you the money to pay your property tax. The loan is recorded as a lien on your home.

Who qualifies

• You are 65 or older by December 31, 2026.
• You own and live in the home. Mobile homes count. You can rent out a room and still qualify. If you live elsewhere because of poor health, you may still qualify.
• All past property taxes are paid.
• All mortgages and liens add up to 75% or less of the home's value.
• You do not have a reverse mortgage.

Cost and repayment

Interest is 4.24% a year for the tax year from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. The rate is reset each year. You must repay when you die, sell or transfer the home, move out for a reason other than poor health, rent out the home, or take out a reverse mortgage.

How to apply

Get the application from your county treasurer and return it between January 1 and April 1. You must apply again each year. Bring your latest mortgage statement and your home's value from your tax bill. Starting in 2027, counties will charge a fee to record the application. Questions: State Treasurer at 303-866-5327 or [email protected].

Common mistakes

• Missing the July 15 senior exemption deadline and losing appeal rights.
• Not filing a new exemption form within 60 days after a change.
• Thinking renters cannot get help. The PTC rebate covers rent and heat too.
• Filing the PTC rebate with an old address.

Free help

• Division of Property Taxation: 303-864-7777 or [email protected].
• Aging and Disability Resources for Colorado (ADRC): 1-844-265-2372 for free help finding local services.

See all benefits in Colorado.

Phone numbers: Free help lines for Colorado agencies

Check what you may qualify for