How do I file for the homestead deduction in Indiana?

File State Form 5473, Form HC10, the Claim for Homestead Property Tax Standard / Supplemental Deduction, with the auditor of the county where the home sits, in person or by mail, or online where the county offers it. A sales disclosure form filed at a purchase can also serve as the application if its homestead section is completed. One filing covers both the standard and the supplemental deduction.

What is the deadline to file the homestead deduction after buying a house in 2026?

January 15, 2027. Indiana Code 6-1.1-12-37(f) requires the statement to be completed, dated and filed on or before January 15 of the year the taxes are first due and payable, and a home bought and lived in during 2026 is claimed for the January 1, 2026 assessment date, which produces the bill payable in 2027. A mailed form must be postmarked by that day.

Can I file the homestead deduction online in Hamilton County?

Yes. The Hamilton County Auditor says applicants can apply in person or online, and its Standard Homestead page links an online Homestead Claim Form. In person, go to the Historic Courthouse, 33 N 9th Street, Noblesville.

Where do I file the homestead deduction in Boone County?

With the Boone County Auditor, on the second floor in the southeast corner of the Boone County Courthouse, 201 Courthouse Square, Lebanon, phone 765-482-2940. We found no online filing option on the Auditor's pages. Boone's pages still show an older January 5 date; state law says January 15, so confirm with the office.

Does the title company file my homestead deduction at closing?

Do not assume it. No state or county source we read says a title company handles it. The sales disclosure form signed at closing can serve as your homestead application if its homestead section is completed and it is filed on your behalf, so ask whether that box was checked and confirm with the county auditor.

Do I need to file separately for the supplemental deduction or the $300 credit?

No. Both ride on the standard deduction. The credit statute requires no application, and the state benefits form (State Form 51781) and both county auditors say one filing covers the supplemental deduction.

Do I have to refile the homestead deduction every year?

No. Under Indiana Code 6-1.1-12-17.8, a person who received the deduction and remains eligible does not refile; the auditor carries it forward. Hamilton County says you reapply only after a change in deed, marital status or use of the property; Boone County suggests re-filing after a deed or title change.

What if I still have a homestead deduction on my previous Indiana home?

The deduction is not removed automatically when you file on the new home. If you moved after the January 1 assessment date, the old home can keep it for that tax cycle, but you must notify that county's auditor within 60 days of the change. Under the 2026 statute, a person who fails to and keeps claiming it shall owe the additional taxes plus a 10 percent civil penalty.

Can I get the homestead deduction on a new build that was not finished on January 1?

Yes, if you take title or contract to buy during the same calendar year. Indiana Code 6-1.1-12-37(n) allows it for that year's assessment date even if the lot was vacant or the house unfinished on January 1, if you file the certified statement by January 15 of the year the taxes are payable, or a qualifying sales disclosure form reaches the county assessor by December 31 of the purchase year.

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October 2, 2026

Indiana Homestead Deduction 2026: How to File After You Buy and What It Is Worth

Buy and move into an Indiana home in 2026? File the homestead deduction with the county auditor by January 15, 2027. It first shapes the bill payable in 2027.

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