Berks County homestead exclusion: who qualifies
The homestead exclusion lowers the school property tax on your Berks County home. Who qualifies, how to apply by March 1, and where to file.
By The Berks Beat staff · Published July 11, 2026 · Updated July 11, 2026 · Facts last verified July 11, 2026
The homestead exclusion lowers the school property tax on a home you own and live in as your main residence. If you qualify and your application is approved by the March 1 deadline, the county subtracts a set dollar amount from your school real estate tax bill. It costs nothing to apply, and once you are approved you do not apply again.
The program comes from Pennsylvania’s Taxpayer Relief Act, funded by state gaming revenue that the Commonwealth sends to each school district. It reduces the school tax only. It does not change your county or municipal property tax.
Who qualifies
You qualify for the homestead exclusion if you own the property and it is your primary residence, the place you live most of the year. A vacation home, a rental you own but do not live in, and a business property do not qualify. Only one property per owner counts, the one that is your domicile.
If your property is a farm of at least 10 contiguous acres with agricultural buildings, you may also qualify for the farmstead exclusion, a related benefit on the same application and the same school tax bill.
What it saves you
The exclusion works by lowering the taxable value of your home for the school tax calculation. That shows up as a dollar credit on your school real estate tax bill. The exact amount is the same for every approved home in a given school district, but it differs from district to district and can change year to year, because it depends on how much state gaming money that district receives. The county and the school district set and apply the figure; you do not calculate it.
Because the benefit is tied to your school district, two neighbors in different districts can receive different amounts. The exclusion never reduces your county tax or your municipal (city, borough, or township) tax.
How to apply
You apply once, through the county, using the state homestead and farmstead application.
- Get the form. The Berks County Assessment Office does not hand out this form. Request it from your school district, or download it from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development at dced.pa.gov. One form covers both the homestead and the farmstead exclusion.
- Fill it in. You will need the property owner’s name, the property address, and the parcel number. If you do not know your parcel number, look it up on the county parcel search. Confirm on the form that the property is your primary residence.
- File it by March 1. Mail or deliver the completed application to the Homestead Office, 400 E. Wyomissing Ave., Mailbox 6, Mohnton, PA 19540. March 1 is the deadline set by state law. The county cannot accept or process an application after that date, so file in the weeks before it, not on the day.
- Wait for the decision. If your application is not approved, your school district must notify you by December 31. If you are approved, the credit appears on the next school tax bill.
For help with the form, call the Berks County Homestead Office at 610-478-6262.
Once you are approved
You do not reapply each year. The relief stays on your school tax bill until the ownership of the property changes or the mailing address on record changes. If you sell the home or move, the exclusion ends, and the new owner has to file their own application. If you buy a home that had the exclusion under the previous owner, do not assume it carries over; submit a new application before the March 1 that follows your purchase.
How this fits with your other tax breaks
The homestead exclusion is one of two main ways to lower what you owe on your home, and they work on different bills. This exclusion cuts the school tax for owner-occupants. Lowering your assessed value through an assessment appeal cuts all three property taxes, county, municipal, and school, because every bill is calculated from that value. You can hold the homestead exclusion and appeal your assessment at the same time.
For how the county, municipal, and school taxes fit together, see how your property tax bill is split. For the county tax deadlines and discount, see when Berks County property taxes are due.
FAQ
Does the Berks County homestead exclusion lower my whole tax bill?
No. It reduces the school district portion of your property tax only. Your county tax and your municipal tax are not affected. The savings show up as a credit on the school real estate tax bill.
What is the deadline to apply for the homestead exclusion in Berks County?
March 1. This deadline is set by Pennsylvania law, and the county cannot process applications received after it. File in the weeks before March 1 so a mail delay does not cost you the year.
Do I have to reapply for the homestead exclusion every year?
No. Once the county approves your application, the exclusion stays on your school tax bill until the property’s ownership or mailing address changes. You only reapply if you move, buy a different home, or the county asks you to confirm your status.
Where do I get the homestead application in Berks County?
The Assessment Office does not provide the form. Get it from your school district or download it from the Pennsylvania DCED website, then mail or deliver it to the Homestead Office at 400 E. Wyomissing Ave., Mailbox 6, Mohnton, PA 19540.
What is the difference between the homestead and farmstead exclusion?
The homestead exclusion applies to an owner-occupied home. The farmstead exclusion applies to the buildings on a farm of at least 10 contiguous acres that is also your primary residence. Both are claimed on the same application and both reduce the school tax bill.