Local Property Tax Exemptions for Veterans

Eligible veterans are entitled to a property tax exemption if their municipality has voted to accept the exemptions.

Eligibility Requirements

As a result of the passage of the HERO Act, certain municipalities are now eligible to double the property tax exemption and/or tie the exemption to inflation, or both. 

Please contact your local officials for information about your municipality’s current exemption rate.

To qualify, all veterans (and spouses where applicable) must:

• Be legal residents of Massachusetts
• Occupy the property as his/her domicile on July 1 in the year of application
• Have lived in Massachusetts for at least six months prior to entering the service (spouses exempted)

OR

• Have lived in Massachusetts for five consecutive years immediately prior to filing for a property tax exemption

Taxpayer's Guide to Local Property Tax Exemptions for Veterans 

Optional Property Tax Exemptions for Municipalities

$400 exemption for: 

• Veterans with a service-connected disability of 10% or more
• Veterans awarded the Purple Heart
• Surviving parents of military personnel who died in military service (Gold Star Parents)
• Surviving spouses of veterans who qualify for this exemption tier

$750 exemption for:

• Veterans who received the Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross or Air Force Cross
• Veterans who suffered permanent loss of one foot, hand, or eye in the line of duty
• Veterans who were prisoners of war
• Surviving spouses of veterans who qualify for this exemption tier

$1,000 exemption for:

• Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability
• Surviving spouses of veterans who qualify for this exemption tier

$1,250 exemption for:

• Veterans who suffered permanent loss of both feet, hands, or eyes in the line of duty
• Surviving spouses of veterans who qualify for this exemption tier

$1,500 exemption for:

• Veterans who suffered total disability in the line of duty and require ‘specially adapted housing’
• Surviving spouses of veterans who qualify for this exemption tier

Full exemption for:

• Surviving spouses (who have not remarried) of military personnel who went missing in action or died as a proximate result of injuries of illness sustained during active duty service
  • Eligibility: 
    • A surviving spouse must have lived in Massachusetts for at least 2 consecutive years before the tax year begins OR
    • The veteran must have lived in Massachusetts for at least 6 consecutive months before entering the service
• Surviving parents of military personnel who went missing in action or died as a proximate result of injuries of illness sustained during active duty service
  • Surviving parents must have lived in Massachusetts for at least 5 consecutive years before the tax year begins OR 
  • The veteran must have lived in Massachusetts for at least 6 consecutive months before entering the service
• Veterans who are paraplegics or have 100% disability for service-connected blindness