Principal Residence Exemption (PRE)
Who qualifies
- Ownership
- Must be a 'qualified owner' per MCL 211.7dd(a) with none of the disqualifying factors in MCL 211.7cc(3).
- Residency
- Property must be owned and occupied as the owner's principal residence. A married couple filing a joint Michigan income tax return is entitled to not more than one PRE.
How much it saves
Worked example — a $300,000 home at Michigan's median effective rate (~1.13%):
- • Applies to school district taxes only. Shown as an upper bound — your school taxes are a portion of your total bill.
Your county's rate differs — use the calculator for a figure tuned to where you live.
How to apply
- Application required: Yes
- Deadline: File Form 2368 on or before June 1 (to affect the summer levy) or November 1 (winter levy) of the year the exemption is claimed.
- Renewal: automatic — Remains in effect until the property is transferred or is no longer a principal residence. The owner must file a rescission (Form 2602) within 90 days after the property ceases to qualify.
- Official application form
Combining with other exemptions
Independent of and stackable with other exemptions; the Disabled Veterans Exemption supersedes the need for the PRE because it fully exempts the property from all property taxes.
Amount cross-checked against a second official artifact: michigan.gov/taxes/property/principal/principal-residence-exemption-pre-guidelines-and-faqs/principal-residence-exemption-background.
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.