Exemption for Wartime Veterans and 30-Year Retirees (Basic Veterans' Exemption)
Who qualifies
- Income
- The basic $1,000 exemption has no income limit. An additional income-based exemption applies under Sec. 12-81g: veterans with income at or below the OPM-set thresholds (for 2024, based on 2023 income: $43,800 unmarried / $53,400 married) receive an income-based exemption equal to twice the basic exemption ($2,000); those above the thresholds receive 50% of the basic exemption ($500).
- Ownership
- Owns qualifying property (real or personal) in the municipality.
- Residency
- Connecticut resident; the veteran's honorable-discharge record (e.g., DD-214) must be recorded with the town.
How much it saves
Worked example — a $300,000 home at Connecticut's median effective rate (~1.80%):
Your county's rate differs — use the calculator for a figure tuned to where you live.
How to apply
- Application required: Yes
- Deadline: File proof of qualifying service (honorable discharge) with the municipal assessor or town clerk.
- Renewal: automatic — Once the discharge is recorded with the town, the basic exemption continues automatically.
Combining with other exemptions
An individual entitled to the veterans' exemption under Sec. 12-81(19) and also to a surviving-spouse exemption may receive both (Sec. 12-90); otherwise generally only one service-related exemption may be claimed.
Amount cross-checked against a second official artifact: cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_203.htm.
Informational only — not legal or tax advice. Exemption rules and amounts are summarized from official statutes and state tax-agency sources as of each program's verified date and can change by legislative session. Dollar figures are estimates derived from Census ACS county tax data, not actual bills. Confirm your eligibility and current amounts with your county assessor before relying on anything here.