Who qualifies for the Head-of-family exemption in New Mexico?

A New Mexico resident who is head of family and lives in the home as a primary residence. Head of family means one spouse in a household, a widow or widower, a person who pays more than half the support of a related person, or one single person in a household. Condo owners who pay tax through their association can also qualify. $2,000 off your taxable value, which is about $6,000 of market value. The amount has not changed since 1993. Deadline: File with the assessor so it is on your next notice of value.

Who qualifies for the Veteran exemption in New Mexico?

A New Mexico resident veteran with an honorable discharge, or the veteran's unmarried surviving spouse. Generally 90 continuous days of active duty, or an earlier discharge for a service-connected disability. Comes off your taxable value. It was $10,000 for tax year 2025. For 2026 and after it is $10,000 adjusted for inflation each year, and it is not reduced below the prior year. The 2026 dollar figure was not found. Deadline: File with the assessor. If you missed the notice-of-value window, ask the assessor whether it can still be entered for that tax year.

Who qualifies for the Disabled veteran exemption in New Mexico?

A veteran with a service-connected disability rating under federal law who lives in the home as a principal residence, or the veteran's unmarried surviving spouse. 2026 is the first year a rating below 100% qualifies. The exemption is prorated by your disability percentage. A 100% permanent and total rating is a full exemption of your principal residence. On a sale, you may keep the exemption on the old home for the rest of the year or move it to your new principal residence. Deadline: File the certificate with the assessor for tax year 2026.

Who qualifies for the Value freeze for age 65 or disabled in New Mexico?

You own and live in a single-family home, are 65 or older or disabled, and had prior-year modified gross income under the income cap. Grant County lists the 2026 cap as $44,200. Your value for tax purposes does not rise above the value in the year you qualify and apply. Tax rates can still go up. Deadline: No later than 30 days after the assessor mails your notice of value.

Who qualifies for the Low-income and elderly property tax rebate (PIT-RC) in New Mexico?

Low-income homeowners, and elderly homeowners whose property tax is above a set maximum. You claim it on your income tax return, not with the assessor. A refundable rebate claimed on your New Mexico income tax return. The 2026 maximum and income brackets were not confirmed. Deadline: The income tax due date for the year.

Rules by state / New Mexico

New Mexico property tax, line by line.

Your county treasurer sends one bill a year. It lists every property tax on your home: county, city, school, college, hospital and flood-control district taxes. You can pay in two halves.

Scan my bill free What may come off

At a glance

Who sends the bill: The county treasurer.
When it comes: By November 1. One bill with coupons for the first half, the second half, and payment in full. Not getting a bill does not extend the late date.
When it's due: If the tax is $10 or more, it is paid in two equal halves. The first half is due November 10 and is late after December 10. The second half is due April 10 and is late after May 10.
If you pay late: Penalty is 1% of the late tax per month or part of a month, up to 5%, with a $5 minimum. A county may waive the $5 minimum. Interest is 1% per month starting the 30th day after the due date, with no cap.
Value is set as of: January 1. The assessor mails a notice of value before the tax bill. Protests run off that notice, not off the November bill.
Limits on increases: Residential property that did not change hands has a limit on yearly value increases. It is widely described as 3%, but the exact rule was not confirmed.

Bill dates source · Assessment source

What may come off

5 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.

Head-of-family exemption

Who: A New Mexico resident who is head of family and lives in the home as a primary residence. Head of family means one spouse in a household, a widow or widower, a person who pays more than half the support of a related person, or one single person in a household. Condo owners who pay tax through their association can also qualify.
What you get: $2,000 off your taxable value, which is about $6,000 of market value. The amount has not changed since 1993.
How to apply: File the head-of-family form with your county assessor. You claim it only once. Form: Head-of-family form.
Deadline: File with the assessor so it is on your next notice of value.
If you're late: No multi-year refund is given in the rules reviewed. File so it is on the next notice of value.
After that: One time. It continues once allowed. A sale or a move to a new county needs a new claim.

Head-of-family form: the form

Veteran exemption

Who: A New Mexico resident veteran with an honorable discharge, or the veteran's unmarried surviving spouse. Generally 90 continuous days of active duty, or an earlier discharge for a service-connected disability.
What you get: Comes off your taxable value. It was $10,000 for tax year 2025. For 2026 and after it is $10,000 adjusted for inflation each year, and it is not reduced below the prior year. The 2026 dollar figure was not found.
How to apply: Get a certificate of eligibility from the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, then file it with your county assessor. Form: Certificate of eligibility.
Deadline: File with the assessor. If you missed the notice-of-value window, ask the assessor whether it can still be entered for that tax year.
After that: It continues once granted. A move to another property or county needs a new filing.

Source

Disabled veteran exemption

Who: A veteran with a service-connected disability rating under federal law who lives in the home as a principal residence, or the veteran's unmarried surviving spouse. 2026 is the first year a rating below 100% qualifies.
What you get: The exemption is prorated by your disability percentage. A 100% permanent and total rating is a full exemption of your principal residence. On a sale, you may keep the exemption on the old home for the rest of the year or move it to your new principal residence.
How to apply: Get a certificate from the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, then file it with your county assessor. Form: Certificate of eligibility.
Deadline: File the certificate with the assessor for tax year 2026.
After that: It continues while you live in the home and your rating stays the same. Report a rating change.

Certificate of eligibility: the form

Value freeze for age 65 or disabled

Who: You own and live in a single-family home, are 65 or older or disabled, and had prior-year modified gross income under the income cap. Grant County lists the 2026 cap as $44,200.
What you get: Your value for tax purposes does not rise above the value in the year you qualify and apply. Tax rates can still go up.
How to apply: Get the application from your county assessor. Bring proof of age or disability, that you live in the home, and your income. Form: County assessor application.
Deadline: No later than 30 days after the assessor mails your notice of value.

County assessor application: the form

Low-income and elderly property tax rebate (PIT-RC)

Who: Low-income homeowners, and elderly homeowners whose property tax is above a set maximum. You claim it on your income tax return, not with the assessor.
What you get: A refundable rebate claimed on your New Mexico income tax return. The 2026 maximum and income brackets were not confirmed.
How to apply: File Schedule PIT-RC with your New Mexico personal income tax return.
Deadline: The income tax due date for the year.
After that: Every year.

PIT-RC: the form

Think your value is too high?

Asking for a lower assessor's value

Free review: You can talk to your county assessor after you get the notice of value. You still need a formal protest to keep your appeal rights.
Formal appeal: The county valuation protests board, then district court.
Deadline: File a protest within 30 days after the assessor mails the notice of value. The November tax bill is not the protest deadline.
Good to know: It is not confirmed whether the board can raise your value, so be ready for that. Protest off the notice of value, not the bill.

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

Special benefit assessments.
Tax on the taxable value left after your exemptions.
Rate increases. The value freeze does not stop them.
School and district bond and debt rates, which still apply to your net taxable value.
The value freeze if your income is over the cap.

The bill includes every property tax from the county, city, school, college, hospital and flood-control districts. The head-of-family and veteran exemptions lower your taxable value before those rates apply. The veteran exemption also applies to hospital, college and flood-control district taxes, but not to special benefit assessments.

Ask a question

Ask about New Mexico property tax

Answers come only from the checked rules on this page, with sources. For questions about your own bill, upload it.

See your own bill, line by line.

Upload your New Mexico property tax bill. Free: every charge explained and tagged, what's already applied, and what may come off for you.

Scan my bill free

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