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The First $20,000 of Assessed Value, Exempt — and Age 65 Is a Second Door

West Virginia exempts the FIRST $20,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE of an owner-occupied homestead used exclusively for residential purposes. The Department of Veterans Assistance lists veterans rated 100% PERMANENT AND TOTAL by the federal VA; the same exemption is available to ALL OWNERS AGED 65 OR OVER, so an older veteran who is not rated at 100% reaches it by the other door. Proof for the disability route includes a WRITTEN CERTIFICATION SIGNED BY THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION that the person is totally and permanently disabled. Claim with the county assessor.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

West Virginia exempts the FIRST $20,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE of an owner-occupied homestead used exclusively for residential purposes. The Department of Veterans Assistance lists veterans rated 100% PERMANENT AND TOTAL by the federal VA; the same exemption is available to ALL OWNERS AGED 65 OR OVER, so an older veteran who is not rated at 100% reaches it by the other door. Proof for the disability route includes a WRITTEN CERTIFICATION SIGNED BY THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION that the person is totally and permanently disabled. Claim with the county assessor.

What it's worth: The first $20,000 of assessed value exempt from ad valorem property tax

  • Exempts the FIRST $20,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE.
  • The homestead must be OWNER-OCCUPIED and used EXCLUSIVELY FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES.
  • TWO DOORS: PERMANENTLY AND TOTALLY DISABLED, OR AGE 65 OR OVER.
  • The Department of Veterans Assistance lists veterans rated 100% PERMANENT AND TOTAL by the federal VA on the disability route.
  • Proof on that route includes a WRITTEN CERTIFICATION SIGNED BY THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION that the person is totally and permanently disabled.
  • CLAIM WITH THE COUNTY ASSESSOR.
  • It is not a veterans-only exemption — the age route reaches every owner over 65.
  • The saving depends on your county's levy rate.

Who is entitled to it

  • You are in one of the groups this reaches.
  • This is the home you own and live in.
  • West Virginia property.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

Deadline: By your county's filing deadline
  1. 1Claim with the county assessor.
  2. 2If you are 65 or over, claim on that route regardless of any rating — it is the same exemption.
  3. 3On the disability route, get the written VA certification of total and permanent disability, not just a rating letter.
  4. 4The home must be used exclusively for residential purposes; a part-commercial property may not qualify in full.
  5. 5Ask whether West Virginia's separate veteran property tax credits also apply to you.
Form
Application to your county assessor
File with
Your county assessor
Documents you will need
va benefit summary letter
Annual
Claimed once a year.
Worth knowingThis is not a veterans-only exemption, which is why it is easy to miss on a veterans benefits page. A veteran over 65 with no rating at all still gets it.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.