Do I have an Arkansas homestead exemption?
Arkansas does have a homestead-based property tax benefit, but the official term is usually Homestead Tax Credit or homestead property tax credit.
This matters because Arkansas is not mainly reducing the taxable value of your home the way some states do with a standard homestead exemption. Arkansas applies a credit to the real property tax bill for a qualifying homestead.
If this is your main home in Arkansas, start with your county assessor. The assessor handles the homestead credit record. The county collector usually handles the tax bill and payment.
As of this review, Arkansas has recently increased the homestead credit amount. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration says the credit increased to up to $600 beginning with 2026 tax bills, and the Arkansas Legislature later enacted Act 174 of 2026 to raise the credit to $675 for assessment years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. Because the timing can depend on the assessment year and county billing cycle, confirm the active amount on your parcel with your county assessor or collector before relying on a number.
Independent guide: HomesteadExemption.org is not a government agency, county assessor, property appraiser, tax collector, law firm, or filing service. This page explains the Arkansas homestead credit in plain English and points you to official offices.
Best first step: Use the Arkansas county officials list to find your county assessor, then ask whether the homestead credit is active on your parcel.
What Arkansas means by “homestead”
For this Arkansas property tax credit, a homestead is generally the dwelling used as the homeowner’s principal place of residence. In plain English, that means the home you actually live in as your main home.
The Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division describes the credit as applying to the homestead and says the homestead is the dwelling used as the person’s principal place of residence. The state’s homestead tax credit page also says homeowners must apply for the credit with the county assessor’s office.
Do not assume every property you own qualifies. A lake house, rental house, vacant land parcel, inherited property you do not live in, or second home usually needs a different answer from the county assessor.
Arkansas homestead terminology
Many homeowners search for “Arkansas homestead exemption.” The safer Arkansas term is Homestead Tax Credit. County offices may still use phrases like “homestead exemption” in casual language, but the official benefit is a credit against the real estate tax bill for a qualifying homestead.
How much is the Arkansas homestead credit?
The amount has changed recently, so this is a place where homeowners should be careful.
The Arkansas DFA page says homeowners may receive a homestead property tax credit of up to $500 per year and that, beginning with 2026 tax bills, the General Assembly authorized an increase up to $600. After that, the Arkansas Legislature’s HB1103 bill page shows HB1103 became Act 174 on May 1, 2026. The bill text for Act 174 raises the amount from $600 to $675 for assessment years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
The DFA fiscal impact statement for HB1103 states that the homestead property tax credit reduces the amount of real property taxes due on a property owner’s qualified homestead and that a homeowner who receives the credit will receive a $675 credit against real property tax liability. You can review the official DFA fiscal impact statement for that change.
Do not guess from an old article or old county form. Some county pages may still show older amounts. For a current bill, check the actual parcel record or tax bill and ask your county office which credit amount applies for that assessment year.
Who may qualify for the Arkansas homestead credit?
The basic idea is simple: the property must be your Arkansas homestead, and you must be connected to the title or ownership record in a way the county can recognize.
The state DFA page describes a homeowner as someone who is the record owner of the property, a buyer under a recorded sales contract, or a person holding a recorded life estate in the property. The same page says a homestead property may be owned by a revocable or irrevocable trust.
| Situation | What to check |
|---|---|
| You own and live in the home | Ask the county assessor whether the homestead credit is already active on that parcel. |
| You recently bought the home | Do not rely on the seller’s old homestead status. Contact the assessor after the deed is recorded. |
| You are buying under a recorded contract | Ask the assessor what recorded documents prove your eligibility. |
| You transferred the home but kept a life estate | Ask whether the recorded life estate keeps the parcel eligible. |
| The home is in a trust | Ask the assessor what trust or ownership documents are needed. |
| You moved to a different Arkansas home | File or update the homestead record for the new home. The old credit does not simply follow you automatically. |
Arkansas law also limits the homestead credit to one homestead property tax credit per year. County forms often ask whether you receive the credit on any other property. Do not try to keep the credit on an old address after you move.
Where to apply in Arkansas
In Arkansas, the county assessor is usually the office that handles the homestead credit application or registration. The state Assessment Coordination Division says most questions about an assessment, property record, or notice can best be answered by the local county assessor because that office has the records and local knowledge.
Use the official county assessor contact list if you are not sure which office to call. You can also start from the main Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division page.
Call the right office
County assessor: homestead credit application, ownership record, parcel status, property details, assessment questions.
County collector: tax bill, payment, receipt, delinquent balance, whether the credit appears on the bill after the assessor has marked the parcel eligible.
Arkansas homestead credit deadline
The Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division lists October 15 as the deadline to file the Homestead Credit Application. County assessor pages and forms also commonly use October 15 for the current taxes payable.
For example, the Sebastian County Assessor says the homestead filing deadline is October 15 for the current taxes payable and that once you have filed, you do not have to re-file as long as you live in the same residence. A Garland County homestead credit form says the form must be completed and returned before October 15 for any credit to be applied.
Deadline reminder: Treat October 15 as the date to verify with your county assessor. If October 15 is close, call the assessor instead of waiting for a mailed form or online response.
What you may need before you contact the assessor
County forms vary. You do not need to panic if you do not have every document in front of you, but it helps to gather basic facts before you call or visit.
- Your property address.
- Your parcel number, if you can find it on a tax bill, deed, or county search page.
- Your full legal name and the names of other owner-occupants.
- The month and year you moved into the home.
- Your previous address, especially if you recently moved.
- Proof that your deed, contract, life estate, or other ownership document has been recorded, if the county asks for it.
- Trust documents or a contact person if the home is titled in a trust.
- Age or disability documentation only if you are also asking about the age 65 or disability assessed-value freeze.
Some county forms ask for dates of birth, phone numbers, whether the property is your principal residence, whether you receive the credit elsewhere, and whether an owner lives in a nursing home. Answer carefully. If a question does not fit your situation, ask the assessor how to complete it.
If you are 65 or disabled
Arkansas has an additional homestead-related rule for some homeowners who are age 65 or disabled. This is often discussed with the homestead credit because both are tied to the owner’s principal residence.
The state DFA page says homeowners who qualify for the homestead tax credit and who are age 65 or older or disabled may be eligible for an assessed-value “freeze” on the taxable assessed value of the homestead, with limits. That is not the same thing as the basic homestead credit. It does not mean the total tax bill can never change, and it does not erase taxes.
If you are asking about the freeze, tell the assessor directly. Ask what proof is needed and whether the freeze is active on your parcel. Do not assume the freeze appears just because you reached age 65.
Important distinction: The basic Arkansas homestead credit may apply regardless of age if the parcel qualifies as your homestead. The age 65 or disability freeze is a separate homestead-related protection with its own requirements.
Recently moved, bought a home, or changed title?
Many homestead problems happen after a move, closing, family transfer, divorce, death, trust transfer, or life estate deed.
If you bought a home, the seller may have had the credit before closing. That does not mean the county record is correct for you. Contact the assessor after your deed is recorded and ask whether you need to file a homestead credit application for your name and your occupancy.
If you moved out of a home, tell the assessor. Arkansas forms and statutes warn against claiming more than one homestead credit. Keeping the credit on the wrong parcel can create repayment or penalty issues.
If the home was transferred into a trust, inherited after death, awarded in a divorce, or deeded to children while a parent kept a life estate, ask the assessor before assuming the credit remains in place. The recorded documents matter. The person living in the home matters. The county’s parcel record matters.
If the home is inherited or a spouse died
Do not wait until the tax bill arrives if the owner on record has died. Contact the county assessor and explain what happened.
Ask the assessor what the county needs to keep, add, or correct the homestead credit. The answer may depend on the deed, probate status, surviving spouse rights, life estate language, trust language, or whether the person asking for the credit actually lives in the home as a principal residence.
If the property is still titled only in the name of someone who died, the assessor may need documents before changing the homestead record. If there is a dispute among heirs, the assessor may not be able to solve that dispute for you. You may need legal help for the ownership issue before the homestead record can be fixed.
If your Arkansas homestead credit is missing from the bill
First, make sure you are looking at the correct parcel and tax year. Then check whether the tax bill or county parcel record shows a homestead credit, Amendment 79 credit, or similar homestead notation.
If the credit is missing, contact the assessor first. Ask these questions:
- Is this parcel currently marked as my homestead?
- What tax year or assessment year does the current bill cover?
- Did the county receive a homestead credit application for this property?
- Is there a problem with the owner name, mailing address, deed, trust, contract, or life estate?
- Can the credit still be applied for this bill, or did I miss the filing deadline?
- What form or proof should I send today?
After the assessor confirms the parcel is eligible, you may also need to check with the collector to see how and when the credit appears on the tax bill.
If you missed the deadline
If you believe you missed the Arkansas homestead credit deadline, call your county assessor anyway. Do not assume nothing can be fixed.
Be honest about when you moved in, when your deed was recorded, whether you previously received a credit on another property, and why the filing was missed. Ask whether the county can apply the credit for the current bill or only for a future year. Ask what written proof is needed.
Do not rely on a paid filing service to solve a late filing problem. The official county assessor is the office that can tell you whether the parcel can still receive the Arkansas homestead credit for the year involved.
If the assessor says no
A denial does not always mean the county is wrong. It may mean the parcel does not meet the homestead rules, the owner of record does not match the person applying, the home is not your principal residence, the deadline passed, or the county needs recorded documents.
Ask the assessor for the exact reason. Then ask what would be needed to correct the problem, if it can be corrected.
If your issue is really about the assessed value of the property or an error in the property record, that is a different process from the homestead credit. The state’s residential real estate guidance says homeowners should first check with the county assessor and notes that the County Board of Equalization has a deadline for more substantial assessment appeals. Ask your county which process applies to your problem.
Keep the issues separate: “My value is too high” and “my homestead credit is missing” are not the same question. The assessor can help you sort out which office or deadline applies.
Arkansas homestead credit vs. bankruptcy homestead exemption
This page is about the Arkansas homestead property tax credit for a principal residence. It is not about bankruptcy protection, creditor protection, or how much home equity may be protected in a court case.
If you are dealing with bankruptcy, lawsuits, debt collection, Medicaid estate recovery, divorce, probate, or a title dispute, do not use this property tax guide as legal advice. Ask a qualified Arkansas attorney or legal aid organization about that separate issue.
Safe steps for Arkansas homeowners
1. Find your county assessor
Use the official Arkansas county officials list. Search for your county and the assessor contact information.
2. Ask whether the parcel is marked homestead
Give the property address and parcel number. Ask whether the homestead credit is active for the current assessment year and tax bill.
3. Confirm the current credit amount
Because Arkansas recently changed the credit amount, ask what amount applies to the bill you are looking at and what amount applies to the next assessment year.
4. File the county form if needed
Ask whether you can file online, by mail, by email, or in person. Keep a copy or note the date you submitted it.
5. Recheck the tax bill
After the assessor processes the record, confirm that the collector’s bill shows the credit correctly.
Watch for filing-service confusion
Arkansas homeowners should be cautious with any website or mailer that makes the homestead credit sound like a special paid service. The normal path is through the county assessor.
A filing service cannot decide whether your parcel qualifies. It cannot change the county record unless the county accepts the proper application or documentation. It also cannot promise a lower tax bill.
Be careful with urgent mailers: If a notice asks for payment to “secure” your homestead credit, check with your county assessor first. Use official county contact information, not a phone number from a sales letter.
Official sources to check
Editorial note
This guide was last reviewed on May 18, 2026. It uses official Arkansas state sources, county assessor materials, and high-trust public records where they help explain the homestead credit. Arkansas rules, credit amounts, forms, and county procedures can change. Before you act, confirm the current rule with your county assessor or another official Arkansas source.