The 2026 Homeowner's Application is the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration (DTA) form that homeowners use to apply for real estate and vehicle tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities. It is one of the Fairfax County property tax forms, and relief must be renewed with a new application every year. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the county publishes the original PDF and receives the application through its own channels.
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What is 2026 Homeowner's Application – Fairfax County, VA?
The 2026 Homeowner's Application is the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration (DTA) form, printed as the 2026 Real Estate & Vehicle Tax Relief Application for Seniors and People with Disabilities, that homeowners file each year to request real estate and vehicle tax relief.
The county grants Tax Relief for Seniors & People with Disabilities on an annual basis, so a renewal application must be filed every year. The relief covers real estate taxes, personal property (vehicle) taxes, and tax relief for renters. The same eight-page document also explains the qualifications for real estate tax relief, for real estate tax deferral (effective January 1, 2023) and for personal property tax relief, and then collects the applicant's information, household members, gross income, net financial worth, an optional appointment of a representative and a sworn affidavit.
Relief is based on age or disability, ownership and occupancy of the home, total combined income and net combined financial worth. The form states that you must meet all eligibility criteria to apply and should complete it with the same accuracy as an income tax return.
The county's forms page lists a separate 2026 Non-Homeowner's Application for the same program. Applicants who want to defer any remaining real estate tax after qualifying can contact the Tax Relief Office for a Real Estate Deferral Form, which this application does not replace.
Who needs to file 2026 Homeowner's Application – Fairfax County, VA?
Fairfax County residents who own and occupy their home and are at least 65 years of age or permanently and totally disabled use this application. For real estate tax relief, the age or disability test is measured as of December 31, 2025; people who turn 65 or are certified as permanently and totally disabled during 2026 may apply and receive prorated relief. For vehicle or mobile home relief, the owner must meet the age or disability test as of January 1, 2026.
Conditions printed on the form:
- You must own the home, solely or jointly with your spouse, or through a qualifying trust, and live in it year-round as your sole dwelling, except during a temporary stay in a hospital or nursing home.
- Total combined income and net combined financial worth must stay within the limits printed on the form (for real estate relief, $90,000 and $400,000).
- Vehicle relief covers only one vehicle or mobile home, which must not be leased or used for business.
- First-time applicants who apply as permanently and totally disabled must supply disability certification.
Tax relief is not available to the executor of an estate or to the heirs of an applicant. Renters are directed to the county's separate Non-Homeowner's Application. You may appoint a representative on page 8, but the form says this is not required.
When to file 2026 Homeowner's Application – Fairfax County, VA
Returning applicants must file the 2026 application no later than May 1, 2026; the form asks for it to be postmarked by that date. Because relief is granted annually, a new application is needed every year.
If hardship conditions, through no fault of the applicant, prevent filing by the due date, or if you are filing for the first time, the due date may be extended to December 31, 2027. A letter of hardship explaining the late filing must accompany every application that returning applicants submit after May 1.
The county mails a letter confirming receipt within three weeks of receiving the application. Until Fairfax County officially notifies you that you are no longer liable, you must keep paying your taxes. The form also says the application is subject to audit for up to three years after the year filed.
Documents you need
- Copies of supporting income and asset documentation as of the required dates, submitted with your initial filing; the form says incomplete applications will not be accepted.
- Complete copies of your 2025 Federal and State Income Tax Returns including all schedules, to verify gross income, if you filed returns.
- If you are not required to file income tax returns: the documentation listed on page 6 for each income source, such as W-2 or 1099 forms, SSA-1099 or RRB-1099-R, or a 2025 VA benefit notice.
- Disability certification for first-time applicants who are permanently and totally disabled, and for disabled relatives in the home: Veterans Administration or Railroad Retirement Board certification, an SSA Notice of Award, or an affidavit signed by two doctors.
- A copy of the death certificate for any deceased property co-owner, unless previously supplied with a prior application.
- A copy of the Divorce Decree or court order if you are divorced and receive alimony or child support, unless previously supplied; divorced applicants also provide the Divorce Decree and Settlement Agreement.
- A signed letter from a licensed Virginia medical doctor if you want a caregiving relative's income excluded.
- Account statements as of 12/31/2025 for checking, savings, certificates of deposit, stocks, investments, annuities, IRA/401(k) and similar accounts listed under net financial worth.
- A copy of the note, a business balance sheet, a copy of the trust, or the value of foreign assets, when you list those assets on lines 13 to 16.
- A letter of hardship explaining the late filing, for returning applicants who submit after May 1.
How to fill out 2026 Homeowner's Application – Fairfax County, VA
Read the qualifications first
Pages 3 and 4 list the age or disability, ownership, occupancy, income and net worth tests for real estate relief, deferral and personal property relief. Confirm you meet all criteria before you apply.
Mark your status on December 31, 2025
Under 2026 Applicant Information, check Single, Married, Divorced or Widowed. A separated person is still legally married; divorced applicants attach the Divorce Decree and Settlement Agreement.
Enter applicant and spouse details
Write names (first, middle initial, last), birth dates in MM/DD/YYYY, Social Security numbers, home address, phones and email. Then answer whether you and your spouse are required to file federal income tax returns.
Answer the returning applicant question
Returning applicants only: check Yes if you are filing before May 1, or No if you are applying after the deadline and will include a letter of hardship.
Complete the real estate relief questions
Answer questions 1 to 3 about year-round ownership and occupancy as your sole dwelling, a mortgage (with monthly payment and any help paying it) and a reverse mortgage.
List everyone living in the home
Enter the first and last name, relationship and birth date (MM/DD/YYYY) of each person except you and your spouse, such as a relative, renter or partner.
Complete the personal property section
For vehicle or mobile home relief, confirm you resided in Fairfax County and owned it on January 1, 2026, answer the lien and financial assistance questions, and enter the year, make and model.
Report 2025 gross income
On page 6, enter 2025 gross income on lines 1 to 15 for the applicant, spouse and co-owners or relatives, subtract any disability or relative exclusion on line 16, and total on lines 17 and 18. Use gross figures; losses and deductions do not apply.
Complete net financial worth Parts 1 to 3
Part 1 lists other real estate with December 2025 market value. Part 2 lists vehicles, boats and trailers with 2025 assessed value. Part 3 lists cash value of other assets as of December 31, 2025, totaled on line 17.
Add liabilities if assets exceed the limit
Part 4 is only for applicants whose total assets exceeded $400,000: list debts and mortgages other than the residence on lines 18 and 19, then figure lines 20 to 22. Leave Part 5 blank; it is for office use.
Appoint a representative if you wish
Page 8 lets you name a representative and additional points of contact. It is not required and applies only if you want the county to discuss the application with someone else.
Review, sign and download the PDF
Print your full name in the affidavit, then sign and date; a spouse or second owner signs on the second line. Check that every part and attachment is complete, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and keep a copy.
How to submit 2026 Homeowner's Application – Fairfax County, VA
The application may be submitted by email, mail, fax or in person to the Tax Relief and Exemptions Office of the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration.
- Email: [email protected]
- Mail: Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration, Tax Relief and Exemptions Office, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 243, Fairfax, Virginia 22035. Returning applicants' applications must be postmarked by May 1, 2026.
- Fax: 703-802-7595
- In person: the office lists its hours as 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday.
Phone: 703-222-8234 (TTY 711). Website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/taxes/relief. Send copies of your supporting documents with the first filing, not originals, and keep copies of everything you submit. The county's general forms page gives Suite 223 for other completed PDF forms; this application prints Suite 243. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the county channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing an incomplete application or leaving out supporting income and asset documents; the form says incomplete applications will not be accepted and will delay the process.
- Sending original documents when the form asks for copies of supporting income and asset documentation.
- Missing the May 1, 2026 postmark as a returning applicant without enclosing a letter of hardship.
- Skipping the disability certification as a first-time applicant who is not over 65, when SSA, VA or Railroad Retirement Board certification or a two-doctor affidavit is required.
- Assuming the application renews itself; relief is granted annually and a new application is required each year.
- Stopping tax payments before the county officially notifies you that you are no longer liable.
- Counting only your own income; total combined income includes the owner(s), spouse and all relatives living in the home, regardless of their contribution.
- Listing the form's net worth without account statements dated 12/31/2025 for the accounts you report.
- Mailing the application to Suite 223, the address on the forms page, instead of the Tax Relief and Exemptions Office, Suite 243.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 Homeowner's Application in Fairfax County?
It is the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration application for the Tax Relief Program for Seniors and People with Disabilities, printed as the 2026 Real Estate & Vehicle Tax Relief Application. Homeowners file it each year to request real estate and vehicle tax relief.
Who qualifies for Fairfax County property tax relief for seniors?
You must be a Fairfax County resident, at least 65 or permanently and totally disabled as of December 31, 2025, and own and occupy the home as your sole dwelling. For real estate relief, total combined income may not exceed $90,000 and net combined financial worth may not exceed $400,000, excluding the home.
What is the deadline for the 2026 tax relief application?
May 1, 2026 for returning applicants, with the application postmarked by that date. First-time filers, or applicants with a hardship through no fault of their own, may have until December 31, 2027; returning applicants filing late must include a letter of hardship.
Do I have to reapply for Fairfax County tax relief every year?
Yes. The form says tax relief is granted on an annual basis and a renewal application must be filed each year. Documents you already supplied, such as a death certificate or divorce decree, need not be sent again unless previously unsupplied.
How do I submit the Fairfax County tax relief application?
You can send it by email to [email protected], by fax to 703-802-7595, by mail to the Tax Relief and Exemptions Office, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 243, Fairfax, Virginia 22035, or deliver it in person. The county mails a receipt letter within three weeks.
What proof of disability do I need to apply?
First-time applicants who are permanently and totally disabled must provide certification showing the date the disability began: from the Veterans Administration or Railroad Retirement Board, an SSA Notice of Award, or an affidavit signed by two licensed doctors. Returning applicants who already supplied it need not repeat it.
Can I fill out the Fairfax County tax relief application online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not connected to Fairfax County, and does not file the application; you submit it to the county by email, mail, fax or in person.
Do I keep paying taxes while my application is pending?
Yes. The form says individuals must pay their taxes until Fairfax County officially notifies them that they are no longer liable. The county sends only a letter confirming receipt within three weeks of getting the application.
Can an heir or executor apply for tax relief?
No. The form states that tax relief is not available to the executor of an estate or to the heirs of an applicant. Eligibility depends on the applicant owning and occupying the home themselves.
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