Revised 06/2020
Applying for the owner occupied homestead classification
Who is Eligible for
Homestead?
If you own and occupy your own
property, you may be eligible for
homestead treatment.
Classification as a residential or
agricultural homestead may make
your property eligible for a reduced
classification rate and/or a reduced
taxable value, or may make you
eligible for special program
enrollment and the Property Tax
Refund program.
You must have owned the property
and occupied it as your primary
residence by no later than December
1 of the current year to be eligible for
homestead for taxes payable next
year.
How to Apply
Complete the entire application
fully and legibly. Mail the
application to your county
assessor within 30 days of
establishing homestead, but no
later than December 15 of the
current year to be eligible for
homestead in the next payable tax
year.
Applications do not need be
submitted annually in order to
continue receiving homestead;
however, the assessor may ask for
an updated application at any time.
All owner-occupants and spouses
who occupy the property must
provide Social Security numbers
and sign the form.
If your property is owned by a trust,
the grantor, grantor's surviving
spouse, grantor's relative, or grantor's
surviving relative must sign the
application (depending on who is
seeking homestead).
Required information
If any owners do not occupy the
property, you must furnish the
assessor with the names and
addresses of the owners on the
non-occupant owner form.
If any spouses do not occupy the
property, you must furnish the
assessor with the names and
addresses of the spouses on the
non-occupant spouse form.
If more than two owners occupy
the property, please attach another
form with the Owner/Occupant
Information section completed.
Use of information
The information on this form is re-
quired by Minnesota Statutes, section
273.124 to properly identify you and
determine if you qualify for home-
stead. Your Social Security number is
required. If you do not provide the
required information, your application
will be denied. If you provide your
Social Security number thereafter,
the effective date of the homestead
classification may be delayed. Your
Social Security number is considered
private data for purposes of
establishing homestead.
The Social Security number(s) you
provide on this form will not be
disclosed to the public, but may be
shared among government officials
for tax collection and administration
purposes.
You can refuse to provide the
information on this form. However,
failure to provide this information may
result in a fractional homestead or
denial of the homestead
classification.
SSN/ITIN
An ITIN can only be used in
situations where one spouse has a
Social Security number and the other
spouse does not. ITINs are not an
acceptable alternative to Social
Security numbers in any other
case.
The Social Security number(s) you
provide on this form will not be
disclosed to the public, but may be
shared among government officials
for tax collection and administration
purposes.
Penalties
Making false statements on
this application is against the
law.
Minnesota Statutes, section
609.41, states that anyone giving
false information in order to avoid
or reduce their tax obligations is
subject to a fine of up to $3,000
and/or up to one year in prison.
If you falsely claim homestead,
penalties may also be assessed in
the amount of the tax that would
have applied to your property had
it not been considered homestead.
(Minnesota Statutes, section 273.124,
subdivision 13, paragraph h)
If you sell, move or change
your marital status
If this property is sold, you or your
spouse changes your primary
residence, or you change your
marital status, state law requires you
to notify the county assessor within
30 days.
If you fail to notify the county
assessor within 30 days of the
change, the property may be
assessed the tax that is due on the
property based on its correct property
class plus a penalty equal to the
same amount.
Please return this application to: Ramsey County Assessor – Homestead Unit
P.O. Box 64097
Saint Paul, MN 55164-0097
Ramsey County Assessor – Homestead Unit
(651) 266-2040
www.ramseycounty.us
Email: AskHomesteads@co.ramsey.mn.us
Please include a copy of
your deed and the
Certificate of Real Estate
Value.