Orange County
Orange County Disabled Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption.
Rated 100% by the VA and buying or living in Orange County? The County Assessor can take $180,671 off your home’s assessed value in 2026, or $271,009 if your household income qualifies. Here’s how to file in Orange County and the deadline that catches new buyers.
Written by Luis, Military and VA Realtor serving North County San Diego
Updated October 2026
Orange County at a Glance
Amounts come off assessed value. Source: California State Board of Equalization. Savings estimated at the 1% base rate, compared with the $7,000 homeowners’ exemption.
How to file hereThe Numbers
What It Saves in Orange County
Every Orange County tax bill starts with the 1% base rate, and voter-approved school and water bonds add a little on top, depending on the neighborhood. At the 1% base alone, the basic exemption saves about $1,740 a year compared with the $7,000 homeowners’ exemption, and the low-income exemption saves roughly $900 more. I run the exact number for the home you’re looking at.
Your tax bill shows your exact rate. Savings compare the 2026 basic exemption with the $7,000 homeowners’ exemption.
How to File
How to File in Orange County
Orange County uses the state form, BOE-261-G. Here’s the order I’d follow.
Gather your documents
Form BOE-261-G, plus proof of your 100% rating and its effective date. Bring your DD214 too, since the exemption depends on your discharge.
Get a preliminary answer before you buy
California lets the County Assessor give a written preliminary eligibility determination, so you know where you stand before you write an offer.
File with the County Assessor
Send the claim and your documents to the Orange County Assessor as soon as you close and move in.
Call with questions
Orange County Assessor’s veterans line: (714) 834-5945.
Deadlines
When to File
Orange County lists the due date as February 15, or within 30 days of a supplemental tax notice, whichever comes first.
You just bought
After a purchase, the county sends a Notice of Supplemental Assessment. File within 30 days of that notice for the full exemption.
You already own and just got your 100% rating
File as soon as the rating letter comes. California gives you until January 1 of the next year, or 90 days from the rating, whichever is later, for the full amount.
Late still pays
Orange County says late claims filed by December 10 can still get part of the exemption. After that, 85% still applies, going back up to eight years.
Low-income refiles every year
The low-income exemption needs a new claim each year: by February 15 for the full amount, or by December 10 for 90%. VA benefits count toward household income.
Your Tax Bill
Mello-Roos and Your Monthly Payment
Plenty of newer neighborhoods in Orange County carry Mello-Roos and other special taxes, and the exemption doesn’t lower those. It only lowers the taxes based on your home’s assessed value. When you’re comparing homes, I pull the special taxes on each one so you see the real bill.
If your lender pays your taxes through escrow, call them once the exemption shows up on your tax bill so they can recalculate. That’s when your monthly payment drops.
Not rated 100%? File the $7,000 homeowners’ exemption instead. If your rating goes to 100% later, you file for the disabled veterans’ exemption then.
Questions
Orange County Questions, Answered
The questions veterans ask me most about filing in Orange County. If yours isn’t on the list, call or text me.
Ask Me a QuestionHow do I apply for the disabled veterans’ exemption in Orange County?
File form BOE-261-G with the Orange County Assessor, with proof of your 100% rating and its effective date. Questions go to (714) 834-5945.
What’s the deadline in Orange County?
February 15, or within 30 days of a Notice of Supplemental Assessment, whichever comes first. Late claims filed by December 10 can still get part of the exemption.
Can I find out if I qualify before I buy?
Yes. California lets the County Assessor give a written preliminary eligibility determination for the disabled veterans’ exemption.
Why does the Orange County page say $100,000?
That’s the original base amount in the law, and it’s adjusted every year. For 2026 it’s $180,671 basic and $271,009 low-income, per the State Board of Equalization.
Does the exemption lower my Mello-Roos?
No. It lowers the taxes based on your home’s assessed value. Mello-Roos, other special taxes and fixed charges stay the same.
Can I get the exemption for past years?
Yes. A late claim still gets 85% of the exemption, and it can reach back up to eight years.
Buying in Orange County?
Tell me where you’re looking, and I’ll run what the exemption saves on that home and help you file once you close. If you’re not sure I cover your area, call me anyway.
Prefer to call? (619) 485-8293
