Colorado property tax relief • 2026 rules, deadlines & savings
Colorado Homestead Exemption: Who Qualifies, How It Works & What You Can Save
The term Colorado homestead exemption can mean two very different things. For property taxes, Colorado provides a homestead-style exemption to qualifying seniors, qualifying veterans with disabilities, certain surviving spouses and qualifying Gold Star spouses. It is not a statewide property-tax exemption automatically available to every homeowner.
For an approved property-tax exemption, Colorado generally exempts 50% of the first $200,000 of the home’s actual value. That means the maximum reduction in actual value subject to taxation is normally $100,000. Your dollar tax savings depend on the property’s assessment calculation and the taxing districts’ levies.
Start here
Colorado Homestead Exemption Quick Facts
A Colorado homeowner does not receive a $100,000 tax credit. The exemption removes up to $100,000 of actual property value from the property-tax calculation. The resulting tax reduction is much smaller and depends on the property’s tax calculation.
Critical distinction
Colorado Has Two Very Different “Homestead Exemptions”
Search results for “Colorado homestead exemption” often mix together two laws that solve completely different problems. Understanding which one you need prevents a major research error.
Senior / Veteran Property Tax Exemption
Reduces the taxable value of an eligible primary residence for property-tax purposes.
- Qualifying seniors
- Qualifying veterans with disabilities
- Certain surviving spouses
- Qualifying Gold Star spouses
50% of the first $200,000 of actual value is exempt.
C.R.S. Title 38 Homestead Protection
Protects a qualifying amount of home equity from certain execution or attachment proceedings involving debts, contracts or civil obligations.
- Generally $250,000
- Up to $350,000 in qualifying elderly/disability situations
- Different eligibility rules
- Not a property-tax discount
Do not use the property-tax rules to answer a bankruptcy or creditor-protection question. Bankruptcy exemption treatment can depend on federal bankruptcy law, Colorado exemption law, timing, ownership and other facts.
Current as of August 23, 2026
Can You Still Apply for the 2026 Colorado Homestead Exemption?
2026 late deadline was August 17, 2026.
2026 late deadline was August 3, 2026.
2026 late deadline was July 15, 2026.
Do not simply reuse a 2026 deadline table. Colorado enacted SB26-046, which changes certain exemption filing deadlines beginning in 2027, and SB26-116 ends the temporary Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification after tax year 2026.
Application calendar
Colorado Homestead Exemption Deadlines for 2026
The deadline depends on which property-tax relief program you are using. The 2026 calendar is especially confusing because some statutory deadlines fell on weekends.
| Program | Regular deadline | Late deadline | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Property Tax Exemption | July 15, 2026 | August 17, 2026* | Closed |
| Veteran with a Disability | July 1, 2026 | August 3, 2026* | Closed |
| Gold Star Spouse | July 1, 2026 | August 3, 2026* | Closed |
| Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification | March 16, 2026* | July 15, 2026 | Closed / program ends after 2026 |
*March 15, August 1 and August 15 fell on weekends in 2026. Colorado’s filing rule generally moves a deadline falling on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday to the next working day.
Colorado’s exemption procedures limit appeal rights for applicants who file during an authorized late-filing period. Do not intentionally wait for the late deadline when you can file on time.
Regular senior exemption
Who Qualifies for the Colorado Senior Homestead Exemption?
For tax year 2026, Colorado’s Division of Property Taxation summarizes the basic senior test using three main facts: age, ownership and continuous primary-residence occupancy.
For 2026, the applicant must have been born on or before January 1, 1961.
For the straightforward 2026 qualification route, ownership generally must date to January 1, 2016 or earlier.
The property must generally have been the applicant’s primary residence continuously through the qualifying period.
A first-time exemption is not automatically added simply because a homeowner turns 65.
Colorado DPT says only the applicant must meet the age requirement. A younger spouse does not automatically prevent the eligible older homeowner from applying.
If your ownership or occupancy history was interrupted by a qualifying estate-planning transfer, confinement to a hospital/nursing home/assisted living facility, eminent domain or destruction of a previous residence by natural disaster, do not assume you are disqualified. The Senior Long Form is designed to collect facts for these situations.
Choose the right senior form
Colorado Senior Homestead Short Form vs. Long Form
Colorado uses more than one senior application. Choosing the wrong form can create avoidable delays when your ownership or occupancy does not fit the standard pattern.
Senior Short Form
Usually appropriate when the applicant directly meets the standard age, ownership and 10-year occupancy requirements without needing a statutory exception.
- Applicant is age 65+
- Standard ownership structure
- 10 consecutive years ownership
- 10 consecutive years primary occupancy
Senior Long Form
DPT says the Long Form is required for certain ownership, surviving-spouse and occupancy situations.
- Surviving spouse of a qualifying senior
- Estate-planning trust
- Estate-planning LLC or other legal entity
- Hospital / nursing-home / assisted-living confinement
- Eminent-domain situation
- Prior residence destroyed by natural disaster
Colorado’s senior Long Form specifically accommodates property held through a life estate. Do not assume a nonstandard title arrangement automatically fails without checking the Long Form rules.
Veteran with a disability
Colorado Veteran Homestead Exemption Requirements
The veteran property-tax exemption uses a different eligibility test from the senior exemption. There is no 65-year age requirement and no 10-year ownership test.
The veteran must have served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Colorado’s published requirements include an honorable discharge.
The veteran generally needs a service-connected disability rated by VA as 100% permanent through qualifying disability retirement benefits or qualifying individual unemployability status.
The applicant or spouse must satisfy the program’s ownership requirement as of January 1 of the application year.
The applicant must occupy the property as the primary residence as of January 1 of the application year.
The application requires a recent disability award letter or the applicable supporting federal documentation.
Colorado voters approved Amendment G in 2024, extending the exemption to qualifying veterans who have been granted Total Disability Individual Unemployability status by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
DPT instructs applicants to provide updated disability or unemployability documentation to the county assessor within 60 days when the relevant VA status changes after application.
Survivor eligibility
Surviving Spouse and Gold Star Spouse Rules
Surviving Spouse of a Veteran With a Disability
Colorado provides a separate application for a surviving spouse of a veteran with a disability who had previously qualified for and received the exemption before death.
The surviving spouse must satisfy the applicable owner-occupier and primary-residence requirements.
Gold Star Spouse
A qualifying Gold Star spouse can include the surviving spouse of a U.S. Armed Forces service member who died in the line of duty or a veteran whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease.
Federal Gold Star status/documentation and Colorado ownership and primary-residence requirements apply.
Colorado DPT maintains separate forms for a qualifying veteran, a surviving spouse of a previously qualified veteran with a disability, and a Gold Star spouse.
2025–2026 temporary relief
Colorado Senior Homestead Exemption After Moving
The normal senior exemption generally requires 10 years of ownership and occupancy at the qualifying residence. That creates a problem when a senior who already earned the exemption sells the home and moves.
Colorado temporarily addressed that problem with the Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification.
SB26-116 became law in 2026 and ends the Qualified Senior Primary Residence real-property classification for property tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.
Some older online material refers to HCR25-1001, a proposal that would have referred broader senior-exemption portability to voters. That resolution was postponed indefinitely in February 2025 and did not become law. Do not treat it as an enacted portability rule.
Benefit calculation
How Much Does the Colorado Homestead Exemption Reduce Taxable Value?
For the ordinary senior and veteran-related property-tax exemption, Colorado exempts 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value.
50% × the lesser of (home actual value or $200,000)
Maximum exempt actual value
$100,000
50% × $150,000 = $75,000 exempt. The property is taxed on the remaining value after the applicable property-tax calculation.
The exemption reaches its maximum at $100,000, so $400,000 remains before the ordinary assessment calculation.
Estimate your benefit
Colorado Homestead Exemption Savings Calculator
Colorado property taxes involve assessment rates and multiple local mill levies, so there is no single statewide dollar savings figure. This calculator uses an effective property-tax rate supplied by you rather than guessing a statewide rate.
Approximation only. “Effective rate” means estimated ad valorem property tax divided by actual property value, expressed as a percentage. Actual Colorado tax calculations involve assessment rules, taxing districts, mill levies and other adjustments. Special assessments or charges may not be reduced by the exemption.
When savings appear
When Will a Colorado Homestead Exemption Show on the Tax Bill?
Colorado property taxes are generally paid one year in arrears. That timing frequently causes homeowners to think an approved exemption is missing.
The county assessor determines whether the property qualifies for tax year 2026.
The exemption reduction should appear on the tax bill for the 2026 property tax year.
The homeowner sees the financial effect when paying the tax associated with the 2026 assessment.
First check which property-tax year the bill covers. DPT specifically explains that approval during 2026 affects the 2026 tax bill received and paid in 2027—not the 2025 bill being paid during calendar year 2026.
Application workflow
How to Apply for a Colorado Homestead Property Tax Exemption
The steps below explain the process so eligible homeowners can prepare for the next available application cycle. Always use the form and deadline published for the tax year in which you are applying.
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1
Identify the correct program
Determine whether you are applying as a qualifying senior, veteran with a disability, surviving spouse, Gold Star spouse or—only for tax year 2026—the temporary senior-primary-residence classification.
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2
Find your county assessor
Property-tax exemption applications are filed with the assessor in the Colorado county where the property is located.
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3
Find the parcel or schedule number
DPT says this number can usually be found through the county assessor’s property search, on an assessment notice or on the property-tax bill.
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4
Select the correct application
Seniors may need the Short or Long Form. Veteran, veteran-surviving- spouse and Gold Star spouse applications are separate forms.
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5
Complete ownership and primary-residence information
Use the actual ownership structure. Do not omit a trust, LLC, life estate, spouse or other fact simply because it makes the application more complicated.
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6
Attach required supporting documents
This is particularly important for veteran disability documentation, surviving-spouse status and senior Long Form exceptions.
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7
Submit to the county assessor
Do not mail the application to the Colorado Division of Property Taxation simply because DPT created the form.
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8
Keep evidence showing timely filing
Keep a copy, mailing record, timestamp, county confirmation or in-person receipt. Colorado forms commonly recommend obtaining proof that the assessor received the application.
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9
Confirm approval with the assessor
The county assessor—not DPT’s statewide front desk—is the best source for the status of a specific property’s application.
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10
Check the following year’s tax bill
Confirm the exemption appears when the tax bill for the approved property-tax year is issued.
DPT’s Forms Index contains senior, veteran with a disability, surviving-spouse, Gold Star and other official property-tax forms.
The correct filing office matters
File With the County Assessor — Not Colorado DPT
The Division of Property Taxation creates statewide forms, guidance and administrative standards, but individual senior and veteran exemption applications are submitted to the county assessor where the property is located.
Do not rely only on a postal city name; some mailing addresses cross jurisdictional assumptions.
Search for Senior Exemption, Veteran Exemption or Property Tax Exemption.
Do not submit an old PDF merely because it still appears in a search engine.
Counties may accept mail, in-person filing or other methods specified by the assessor.
Applications sent to DPT instead of the county assessor can be delayed or create processing problems. Use the state office for statewide program questions, not as the default application destination.
Ownership details
Trusts, LLCs, Life Estates and Multi-Unit Property
May still qualify
DPT says a senior whose home is held through an estate-planning trust may still qualify. Seniors use the Long Form to disclose trust details.
May still qualify
A transfer to an LLC or other legal entity solely for estate-planning purposes does not necessarily destroy eligibility.
Recognized by application forms
Colorado’s Long Form expressly allows applicants to identify property ownership held in a life estate.
Only the occupied unit qualifies
If an owner occupies one unit of a multi-unit residential property, the exemption applies only to the qualifying primary-residence unit.
One primary residence
Colorado’s program does not allow a married couple to multiply exemptions across multiple homes.
No stacking on the same property
A property does not receive multiple senior/veteran exemptions merely because more than one owner is separately eligible.
Residency test
What Counts as a Primary Residence in Colorado?
For the homestead property-tax programs, the home must be the applicant’s qualifying primary residence. A person cannot simply select whichever property produces the greatest exemption.
Ownership alone is not enough. The tax exemption is tied to a qualifying owner-occupied primary residence.
Keeping the exemption
Do You Need to Reapply Every Year?
Normally, no. Colorado DPT says an approved applicant is not required to submit a new application every year while the qualifying circumstances remain unchanged.
The existing exemption generally continues.
Updated information must be provided to the assessor.
Moving or changing primary residency can affect qualification.
DPT includes changes to primary residents among events requiring updated information.
DPT instructs homeowners to submit an updated application to the county assessor within 60 days when ownership, occupancy, primary-residence information or relevant residents change.
10-year rule exceptions
Situations Where a Senior May Still Qualify Despite an Occupancy Disruption
Colorado’s Long Form recognizes several limited situations where the ordinary 10-year ownership or occupancy facts require special treatment.
A qualifying senior, spouse or surviving spouse may have special treatment when confinement interrupts physical occupancy and the statutory conditions are satisfied.
The Long Form addresses a prior primary residence taken in an eminent-domain proceeding or sold under qualifying threat of condemnation.
Special rules can apply when the former primary residence was destroyed or otherwise rendered uninhabitable by a natural disaster.
Ownership transferred solely for estate-planning purposes can be addressed through the Long Form rather than treated automatically as a disqualifying sale.
If one of these situations applies, do not try to force your facts into the Short Form. Use the Long Form and supply the specific dates, ownership information and documents requested for the relevant exception.
If the assessor says no
What Happens if Your Colorado Homestead Exemption Is Denied?
Determine whether the problem involves age, ownership, occupancy, disability documentation, primary residence, surviving-spouse eligibility or the filing deadline.
This matters because Colorado restricts appeal rights for authorized late applications.
A timely applicant who is entitled to challenge the denial should use the procedure and deadline stated in the assessor’s determination.
Challenging the home’s appraised value and challenging denial of an exemption are different issues.
The ability to submit an application during a statutory late period does not mean the applicant receives the same administrative appeal rights as someone who filed by the regular deadline.
If you do not qualify
Other Colorado Property Tax Relief Programs
Failing the homestead exemption test does not necessarily mean there is no other property-tax assistance available.
Property Tax / Rent / Heat Credit
Colorado’s PTC rebate is administered by the Department of Revenue and has its own age, disability, residency and income requirements.
Colorado PTC RebateProperty Tax Deferral
Eligible seniors and certain qualifying military-service applicants may be able to defer property taxes. This is a loan/deferral program, not a tax exemption.
Typical application period:January 1 through April 1 through the county treasurer.
Property Tax Work-Off
Colorado law allows taxing entities to establish qualifying work-off programs for certain residents age 60+, eligible first responders with permanent occupational disabilities and other persons with disabilities.
Ask your county treasurer which local taxing authorities participate.
Colorado Department of Revenue materials about an income-qualified senior housing income-tax credit refer to a different tax-credit program. The county-administered senior homestead exemption is a property-tax program under Colorado property-tax law.
Completely different law
Colorado Homestead Exemption for Debt and Creditor Protection
If you searched for “Colorado homestead exemption” because of a judgment, creditor, lawsuit, execution, attachment or bankruptcy concern, you are probably looking for C.R.S. §§ 38-41-201 and following, not the senior/veteran property-tax program.
Current Colorado law generally protects this amount when the qualifying homestead is occupied as the home of an owner or the owner’s family.
The higher amount can apply where the statutory elderly or disability requirements involving an owner, spouse or dependent are satisfied.
This age threshold is completely separate from the age-65 requirement used for the senior property-tax exemption.
Colorado expanded what can count as a dwelling
SB22-086 broadened Colorado’s creditor homestead protection to include not only conventional housing but certain personal property actually used as a residence.
Protection can follow certain proceeds
Colorado’s 2022 legislation also extended protection for qualifying proceeds from a homestead sale and certain insurance proceeds to three years when the statutory conditions are met and the protected proceeds remain identifiable.
Homestead protection contains statutory limits and exceptions, and bankruptcy adds federal-law issues. Anyone dealing with an actual judgment, foreclosure, bankruptcy filing or creditor levy should review the current statutes and obtain advice appropriate to the specific case.
Do not reuse old guidance
Colorado Homestead Exemption Changes for 2027
Veteran deadlines align with senior deadlines
Beginning under the new statutory schedule, qualifying veteran-related exemption applications use the same regular July 15 and late August 15 dates as the senior exemption.
Certain deadline provisions of SB26-046 take effect January 1, 2027.
Temporary senior-mover classification ends
The Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification is repealed for property tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.
The 2026 forms, deadlines and temporary classification were created under a legal framework that has now changed. County assessor pages should be refreshed for the new cycle before relying on their instructions.
Statewide program questions
Colorado Division of Property Taxation Contact Information
Division of Property Taxation
1570 Grant Street, Suite 3001
Denver, CO 80203
Phone:
303-864-7777
General email:
dola_dpt_frontdesk@state.co.us
Senior / Veteran program:
dola_dpt_senior-veteran@state.co.us
Current DOLA bulletins state that the Division of Property Taxation moved from its former Sherman Street location to 1570 Grant Street effective July 6, 2026. Older PDFs or cached pages may still display the old address.
Senior, veteran and Gold Star property-tax exemption applications go to the county assessor for the property.
Before the next filing cycle
Colorado Homestead Exemption Preparation Checklist
Senior, veteran, surviving spouse or Gold Star spouse.
Age, ownership, occupancy and primary-residence facts matter.
Applications are local even though forms are statewide.
Use the assessor property search or current property notice.
Especially important for senior Long Form situations.
VA letter, trust papers or exception evidence where applicable.
Do not rely on a previous year’s date.
Preserve normal appeal rights rather than relying on late filing.
Retain a copy, receipt, timestamp or mailing record.
Colorado taxes are paid in arrears.
Common questions
Colorado Homestead Exemption FAQs
Does Colorado have a homestead exemption?
Yes, but the term has two meanings. Colorado has a property-tax exemption for qualifying seniors, veterans with qualifying disabilities and certain surviving spouses, and it also has a separate Title 38 homestead law that protects a qualifying amount of home equity from certain creditor collection actions.
Does every Colorado homeowner qualify for the property-tax homestead exemption?
No. Colorado’s statewide homestead property-tax exemption is targeted to qualifying seniors, qualifying veterans with disabilities, certain surviving spouses and qualifying Gold Star spouses. Simply owning and occupying a home does not create the property-tax exemption.
How much is the Colorado senior homestead exemption?
For the ordinary qualifying senior exemption, 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value of the primary residence is exempt from property taxation. The maximum reduction in actual value is therefore normally $100,000.
Does Colorado give seniors a $100,000 tax credit?
No. The $100,000 figure is the maximum actual property value removed from taxation under the standard 50%-of-the-first-$200,000 formula. The actual dollar tax reduction depends on the property’s assessment and tax levies.
How old do you have to be for the Colorado senior property-tax exemption?
A senior applicant must generally be at least 65 years old as of January 1 of the application tax year. For tax year 2026, that meant being born on or before January 1, 1961.
How long must a senior live in the Colorado home?
The normal senior rule requires the qualifying homeowner to have owned and occupied the property as the primary residence for at least 10 consecutive years before January 1 of the application year. Limited statutory exceptions exist.
Can a younger spouse prevent an eligible senior from applying?
No. Colorado DPT says only the applicant must meet the senior age requirement.
Can a Colorado home held in a trust qualify?
Potentially. DPT says property held through an estate-planning trust or LLC may still qualify. Senior applicants in these situations should use the Long Form and disclose the ownership arrangement.
Can a senior qualify after moving to a new Colorado home?
The regular exemption generally requires 10 years of ownership and occupancy. Colorado created a temporary Qualified Senior Primary Residence Classification for certain seniors who previously received the exemption for tax year 2020 or later and then moved, but that temporary program applies only through property tax year 2026 and ends for 2027.
Is the Colorado senior-mover exemption permanent?
No. SB26-116 ends the Qualified Senior Primary Residence real-property classification for property tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.
Who qualifies for the Colorado disabled veteran property-tax exemption?
Colorado’s published requirements generally include active-duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces, honorable discharge, qualifying service-connected VA disability status, qualifying ownership and occupation of the home as the primary residence as of January 1 of the application year.
Does TDIU qualify for Colorado’s veteran homestead exemption?
Yes, when the veteran meets Colorado’s other requirements and has the qualifying VA individual-unemployability status. Voters approved this expansion through Amendment G, effective beginning with property tax year 2025.
Can a surviving spouse receive the Colorado property-tax exemption?
Certain surviving spouses can qualify. Colorado has separate procedures for a surviving spouse of a previously qualified senior, a surviving spouse of a previously qualifying veteran with a disability and a qualifying Gold Star spouse.
Where do I file a Colorado homestead exemption application?
File the property-tax exemption application with the county assessor in the county where the property is located. Colorado DPT publishes forms and statewide guidance but is not the normal filing office for an individual homeowner application.
Can I still apply for the Colorado homestead exemption for 2026?
As of August 23, 2026, the regular and late filing windows for the 2026 senior, veteran/Gold Star and Qualified Senior Primary Residence programs have passed. Check with the county assessor for the next applicable application cycle rather than assuming an expired 2026 form will be held for 2027.
Do I have to apply for the Colorado senior exemption every year?
Usually no. Once approved, an applicant generally does not reapply every year while the qualifying circumstances remain unchanged. Changes to ownership, occupancy, primary residence or relevant residents must be reported through an updated application to the county assessor within 60 days.
When will the exemption appear on my Colorado property-tax bill?
Colorado property taxes are paid one year in arrears. An exemption approved for property tax year 2026 is reflected on the 2026 tax bill received and paid in 2027.
What is the Colorado creditor homestead exemption amount?
Colorado’s separate Title 38 homestead law generally protects up to $250,000, with a higher $350,000 amount in qualifying elderly or disability situations. This is creditor protection, not a property-tax exemption.
What age counts as elderly for Colorado creditor homestead protection?
Under the Title 38 creditor-protection provisions, the statutory elderly threshold is generally age 60 or older. That is different from the age-65 requirement for Colorado’s senior property-tax exemption.
Does Colorado homestead creditor protection apply only to a traditional house?
No. Colorado expanded the statutory dwelling definition to include conventional housing and certain personal property actually used as a residence, including examples such as a vehicle, trailer, vessel, camper, shipping container, yurt or tiny home.
Are proceeds from selling a Colorado homestead protected?
Colorado’s creditor homestead law can protect qualifying sale proceeds and certain insurance proceeds for up to three years when the statutory requirements are met and the protected proceeds remain identifiable.
What other Colorado property-tax relief is available if I do not qualify?
Depending on the homeowner’s circumstances, other programs can include Colorado’s Property Tax/Rent/Heat rebate, property-tax deferral and locally adopted property-tax work-off programs. Each program has separate eligibility rules.
Primary-source research
Official Sources Used for This Colorado Homestead Exemption Guide
This guide prioritizes Colorado government, Colorado General Assembly, county assessor and other primary public sources rather than commercial tax-relief summaries.
The property-tax exemption and creditor homestead law are treated as separate legal concepts. The article distinguishes ordinary senior eligibility, veteran eligibility, Gold Star eligibility, surviving-spouse rules and the temporary senior-primary-residence classification rather than presenting them as one universal program.
Application deadlines, state funding, forms and property-tax procedures can change by tax year. The 2027 rules should be rechecked before filing because Colorado enacted significant administrative and senior-mover changes during 2026.
Independent Colorado Property Tax Guide: This website is an independent educational resource. It is not operated by, affiliated with or endorsed by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Colorado Division of Property Taxation, Colorado Department of Revenue, Colorado General Assembly, any Colorado county assessor, county treasurer or other government agency.
This page explains publicly available property-tax exemption and homestead protection information. It does not determine whether a particular homeowner qualifies, calculate an official tax bill, provide legal or bankruptcy advice, or guarantee that an exemption will be approved. Verify property-specific eligibility and filing instructions with the responsible county assessor and obtain appropriate professional advice for creditor, foreclosure or bankruptcy questions.