The Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Application is the City of Chesapeake form, issued by the Commissioner of the Revenue, for asking for a real estate tax exemption on the home of a disabled veteran's surviving spouse. It is one of the Chesapeake property tax forms handled by that office, and it must be accompanied by the required documentation listed on its instruction page. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the city publishes the original at the official URL below.
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What is Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Application – Chesapeake, VA?
The Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Application is the City of Chesapeake, Virginia form, issued by the Commissioner of the Revenue, that a surviving spouse completes to apply for a real estate tax exemption on the principal residence tied to a deceased disabled veteran.
The printed revision is rv 04/2025. The first page is an instruction page headed "Please read all the information before completing the Application Form" and lists the documentation that must accompany the application. The second page is the application itself. It asks for details of the surviving spouse and the deceased veteran, the applicant's marital status, the property address, legal ownership of the residence, whether the applicant lives there as a principal residence, whether the surviving spouse has remarried, and whether the veteran or spouse owns other residential or land property.
The page ends with an affidavit made under penalty of perjury and a notary block. An "Office Use Only" area, with boxes such as the parcel number, DIC effective date and new or continued status, is for the city and is left blank by the applicant.
The city's forms page lists this document with other applications for disabled veterans and surviving spouses, and links to more information on Disabled Veterans Tax Benefits. It is a different document from the Military Spouse Residency Affidavit for Tax Exemption, which the same page lists separately.
Who needs to file Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Application – Chesapeake, VA?
The main group is the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who is seeking a real estate tax exemption from the City of Chesapeake for the residence. The form sets two date conditions: you must have been married to the veteran on or after January 1, 2011, and the veteran's death must have occurred on or after January 1, 2011. The required documentation includes Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) paperwork, so the form is built for spouses who have been granted DIC or whose veteran met the eligibility requirements at the time of death.
Some situations carry extra conditions:
- If the property is held in a trust, a copy of the trust document is required.
- If two or more people own the residence, not all of whom qualify (the qualified spouse excluded), additional documentation may be required; the Commissioner of the Revenue's Office gives details.
- If the deceased veteran or spouse owns other residential property or land, documentation from the taxing locality about any real estate tax relief or deferral is required.
The applicant signs the affidavit personally, in the presence of an employee of the Commissioner of the Revenue. The form does not describe anyone signing on the applicant's behalf.
When to file Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Application – Chesapeake, VA
The form prints no due date. The practical trigger is having every item of the required documentation in hand, because the instruction page says you must provide it with the application, and then signing the affidavit in the presence of an employee of the Commissioner of the Revenue.
Eligibility is tied to two dates printed on the form: the marriage and the veteran's death must both be on or after January 1, 2011.
Filing is not the end of your obligations. In the affidavit you affirm a duty to report to the Commissioner of the Revenue any change in principal residence, disability status, ownership of property, marital status, the death of any person with legal ownership in the property, or any other information relating to the exemption. The city may also ask for more documentation to decide initial or continuing eligibility.
Documents you need
- Current (most recent) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) letter rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or its successor agency).
- Alternatively, verification from the VA that the veteran met the eligibility requirements at the time of death, listed on the form together with the federal income tax return filed jointly by the veteran and spouse for the tax year before the veteran's death.
- The original letter granting the surviving spouse DIC, showing the beginning effective date.
- Marriage certificate.
- A certified copy of the veteran's death certificate confirming the date of death was on or after January 1, 2011.
- A copy of a Virginia driver's license showing the correct and current address.
- A valid military ID, if applicable.
- Proof of residence: a recent gas or electricity bill in the applicant's name for the principal residence.
- A copy of the trust document, if the property is owned by a trust.
- Additional documentation, if two or more people own the principal residence and not all of them qualify (the qualified spouse excluded); the Commissioner of the Revenue's Office gives details.
- Documentation from the taxing locality showing whether any real estate tax relief or deferral was granted, if the deceased veteran or spouse owns other residential property or land.
- Other documentation, if the Commissioner of the Revenue requests it to determine the level of exemption.
How to fill out Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Application – Chesapeake, VA
Gather the required documentation
Read the instruction page first and collect the DIC letters, marriage certificate, certified death certificate, Virginia driver's license copy and proof of residence it lists. Add trust, ownership or other-property documents only if they apply.
Enter the surviving spouse's details
Print or type the applicant's name (Last, First, Middle Initial), date of birth and Social Security Number in the first row.
Enter the deceased veteran's details
Give the veteran's name (Last, First, Middle Initial), date of birth, date of death and Social Security Number.
Mark the applicant's marital status
Check one: Widow(er), Married or Divorced. For Married or Divorced, enter the effective date.
Enter the property and ownership
Write the street address, city, state and ZIP code of the property for which the exemption is claimed. Check one for legal ownership: Deceased Veteran and Spouse, Veteran Only, Spouse Only, or Other, listing names and relationships.
Answer the residence questions
Say whether you occupy the property as your principal place of residence and give the effective move-in date. If married, answer the same for your spouse.
Answer the remarriage question
Check Yes or No for whether the surviving spouse has remarried. If Yes, enter the effective date of remarriage.
List other property owned
Check Yes or No for other residential or land property in Virginia or elsewhere. If Yes, list up to three properties with address, rental Y/N, start and end dates and any relief, and attach a separate page if needed.
Add mailing address and contact details
If different from the property address, enter your mailing address. Add your phone number and email address.
Sign the affidavit with the employee
Sign and print your name only in the presence of an employee of the Commissioner of the Revenue. The notary completes the notary block; leave the Office Use Only boxes blank.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every answer against your documents, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and take it, unsigned, to be signed as described under How to submit.
How to submit Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Application – Chesapeake, VA
The form names one required step rather than a list of channels: the application must be signed in the presence of an employee of the Commissioner of the Revenue. Its letterhead gives the office as City of Chesapeake, Commissioner of the Revenue, Post Office Box 15285, Chesapeake, Virginia 23328.
- Signing: do not sign ahead of time. The affidavit is signed in front of a Commissioner of the Revenue employee, and the page includes a notary block for the oath.
- Documents: bring or include the required documentation listed on the instruction page, including certified or original items where the form says so.
- Questions: call the Commissioner of the Revenue's Office at 757-382-6455, option 5, to ask about the signing appointment, the delivery method or the level of exemption. The form does not name a mailing or online channel.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing the affidavit before meeting an employee of the Commissioner of the Revenue; the form says it must be signed in that employee's presence.
- Submitting the application without the required documentation; the application page says you MUST provide it.
- Providing a plain copy of the death certificate when the form asks for a certified copy confirming a date of death on or after January 1, 2011.
- Using an older DIC letter instead of the current (most recent) one, or omitting the original letter granting DIC with its beginning effective date.
- Giving a driver's license that is not a Virginia license or does not show the correct, current address.
- Leaving out other residential or land property owned by the veteran or spouse, or the locality documentation about tax relief or deferral for it.
- Filling in the Office Use Only boxes, such as the parcel number or DIC effective date.
- Forgetting the duty to report later changes in residence, disability status, property ownership, marital status or an owner's death to the Commissioner of the Revenue.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Application?
It is the City of Chesapeake form, issued by the Commissioner of the Revenue, used by a surviving spouse to apply for a real estate tax exemption linked to a deceased disabled veteran. It comes with an instruction page listing required documentation and ends with a sworn affidavit.
Who qualifies to use this Chesapeake exemption form?
The form is for surviving spouses who were married to the veteran on or after January 1, 2011, where the veteran's death also occurred on or after January 1, 2011. It also asks for DIC or VA eligibility paperwork, so the application is built around that documentation.
What documents do I need with the application?
The form lists a current DIC letter (or VA verification plus the joint tax return), the original DIC grant letter, marriage certificate, certified death certificate, Virginia driver's license copy, and a recent gas or electric bill. Other documents apply for trusts, shared ownership or other property.
Do I have to sign in front of someone?
Yes. The form states the affidavit must be signed in the presence of an employee of the Commissioner of the Revenue, and it includes a notary block. Bring the completed form unsigned and sign it at that office rather than beforehand.
Can I fill out this Chesapeake form online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the application to the city; the signing and delivery follow the Commissioner of the Revenue's office.
Who do I call with questions about the exemption?
Call the Commissioner of the Revenue's Office at 757-382-6455, option 5. The form gives that number for questions, and it also directs you there for details when ownership is shared or other documentation is needed to set the level of exemption.
What changes must I report after I apply?
In the affidavit you affirm a duty to tell the Commissioner of the Revenue about any change in principal residence, disability status, ownership of the property, marital status, the death of an owner, or any other information relating to the exemption.
Which Chesapeake property tax form is this one?
It is the real estate tax exemption application for surviving spouses of a disabled veteran. The city's forms page lists it among disabled veterans and surviving spouses applications, separate from the Military Spouse Residency Affidavit for Tax Exemption.
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