Who qualifies for the Homeowners' Circuit Breaker in Connecticut?

You are 65 or older by the end of last calendar year (or your spouse is), or you are 50 or older and the surviving spouse of someone who was eligible, or you are permanently and totally disabled. You live in the home and have lived in Connecticut at least one year. Your 2025 income, taxable and nontaxable, is not over $46,300 if unmarried or $56,500 if married. A credit on the real-property tax on your home, based on a state percentage schedule. The most is $1,250 if married and $1,000 if unmarried. Minimums are as low as $150. It does not apply to motor vehicle tax. Deadline: Usually February 1 to May 15 in 2026 for the 2025 grand list. Confirm with your town.

Who qualifies for the Basic wartime veteran exemption in Connecticut?

A resident wartime veteran with qualifying service, or a surviving spouse. $1,000 off your assessed value. Because assessed value is 70% of market value, this is not $1,000 off your bill. Deadline: You must qualify as of October 1.

Who qualifies for the Additional veterans exemption in Connecticut?

Veterans who already get a state-required exemption, based on income. If your 2025 income is $46,300 or less (unmarried) or $56,500 or less (married), the add-on is twice the basic exemption ($2,000 on a $1,000 basic). Above those limits it is half the basic ($500). For a 100% VA disability rating, a lower test applies: $18,000 unmarried or $21,000 married, adjusted gross income only, with Social Security not counted. Deadline: Varies by town. Confirm with your assessor.

Who qualifies for the Disability-rating veteran exemption in Connecticut?

A veteran with a VA disability rating of at least 10%, or who lost a limb. The income add-on under the additional veterans exemption can also apply. Off your assessed value: $2,000 at 10 to 25%; $2,500 above 25% through 50%; $3,000 above 50% through 75%; $3,500 if over 75%, if you are 65, or at a 100% rating. The income add-on is 200% of the base below the income limit and 50% of the base above it. Deadline: You must qualify as of the October 1 assessment date.

Rules by state / Connecticut

Connecticut property tax, line by line.

Your town tax collector sends the bill, based on the October 1 grand list. It covers real-property tax and, in towns that tax them, motor vehicles. Sewer and fire-district charges may come as separate bills.

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At a glance

Who sends the bill: Your town tax collector. Some towns also have separate fire-district collectors.
When it comes: Bills are based on the October 1 grand list. Most towns bill twice. Some bill quarterly.
When it's due: Often July 1 and January 1, but confirm with your town.
If you pay late: Commonly 1.5% per month (18% a year), with a $2 minimum. Confirm with your town.
Value is set as of: October 1
Limits on increases: No statewide cap on your value or your tax bill. Whether a revaluation is phased in is a local choice.

Bill dates source · Assessment source

What may come off

4 programs homeowners can claim

None of these are applied for you automatically. Each one is free to apply for. If you upload your bill, we check which ones are already on it and which may fit you.

Homeowners' Circuit Breaker

Who: You are 65 or older by the end of last calendar year (or your spouse is), or you are 50 or older and the surviving spouse of someone who was eligible, or you are permanently and totally disabled. You live in the home and have lived in Connecticut at least one year. Your 2025 income, taxable and nontaxable, is not over $46,300 if unmarried or $56,500 if married.
What you get: A credit on the real-property tax on your home, based on a state percentage schedule. The most is $1,250 if married and $1,000 if unmarried. Minimums are as low as $150. It does not apply to motor vehicle tax.
How to apply: Apply with your town assessor. Bring your federal return and Social Security statement (SSA-1099). One example town takes applications February 1 through May 15.
Deadline: Usually February 1 to May 15 in 2026 for the 2025 grand list. Confirm with your town.
After that: Every year.

Source

Basic wartime veteran exemption

Who: A resident wartime veteran with qualifying service, or a surviving spouse.
What you get: $1,000 off your assessed value. Because assessed value is 70% of market value, this is not $1,000 off your bill.
How to apply: Apply with your town assessor and bring your discharge papers.
Deadline: You must qualify as of October 1.
After that: Generally continues. Confirm with your town.

Source

Additional veterans exemption

Who: Veterans who already get a state-required exemption, based on income.
What you get: If your 2025 income is $46,300 or less (unmarried) or $56,500 or less (married), the add-on is twice the basic exemption ($2,000 on a $1,000 basic). Above those limits it is half the basic ($500). For a 100% VA disability rating, a lower test applies: $18,000 unmarried or $21,000 married, adjusted gross income only, with Social Security not counted.
How to apply: Apply with your town assessor. One example town has qualified applicants apply every two years between February 1 and October 1.
Deadline: Varies by town. Confirm with your assessor.
After that: Every two years in at least some towns.

Source

Disability-rating veteran exemption

Who: A veteran with a VA disability rating of at least 10%, or who lost a limb. The income add-on under the additional veterans exemption can also apply.
What you get: Off your assessed value: $2,000 at 10 to 25%; $2,500 above 25% through 50%; $3,000 above 50% through 75%; $3,500 if over 75%, if you are 65, or at a 100% rating. The income add-on is 200% of the base below the income limit and 50% of the base above it.
How to apply: Apply with your town assessor and bring your VA rating.
Deadline: You must qualify as of the October 1 assessment date.
After that: Bring rating proof as your assessor requires.

Source

In some situations

If you moved, inherited, built or had a disaster

Local senior or disabled freeze, deferral or extra exemption

Who: Depends on your town. Towns may adopt extra relief for seniors or disabled owners. The old state freeze is closed to new applicants.
What you get: Whatever your town adopted. There is no statewide 2026 dollar amount.
How to apply: Ask your town assessor what your town offers.
Deadline: Set by your town.

Source

Think your value is too high?

Asking for a lower assessed value

Formal appeal: Your town's Board of Assessment Appeals, then Superior Court.
Deadline: Appeals are generally filed in February, often by February 20, for the October 1 grand list. Confirm with your town.
Good to know: There is no statewide informal program, but many owners talk to the assessor before the board hearing. Keep paying your bills on time while you appeal.

A formal appeal reopens your whole value: the board can raise it as well as lower it. Bring recent sales of similar homes.

Source · We never charge for help asking for a lower value.

What can't come off

Charges you can't remove

Motor vehicle tax, which the circuit breaker does not reduce
Special assessments, interest and lien fees, which the circuit breaker does not reduce
Fire-district or sewer charges that are not the town real-property tax
Any local-option exemption your town has not adopted

Your town bill includes real-property tax and, where the town taxes them, motor vehicles. Sewer use charges and fire-district taxes may come as separate bills. The circuit breaker applies only to the real-property tax on your home. Only the town or district that sets a charge can change it.

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Rules checked October 28, 2026 against official Connecticut sources. Rules change: check the deadline with your county before you rely on it. Not legal or tax advice.