Idaho Property Tax Calculator

How this calculator works

Idaho property tax is governed by Idaho Code Title 63, Chapter 2 (the Property Tax Code), administered locally by county assessors and overseen by the Idaho State Tax Commission. Three structural features make Idaho's framework distinct from its neighbors: a 100% market-value assessment standard (§ 63-205), a Homeowner's Exemption that exempts the lesser of 50% of value or a statutory dollar cap (§ 63-602G), and a Property Tax Reduction sliding-scale refund (§ 63-602AA) layered on top.

The math:

• market value × 1.00 = assessed value (no ratio reduction, § 63-205)
• if owner-occupied: assessed − min(50% of assessed, $125,000) = taxable value
• taxable × combined levy rate = gross tax
• gross tax − Property Tax Reduction refund (if eligible) = net tax

Everything else is determining the right levy rate, whether the property qualifies as owner-occupied, and whether the owner falls into one of the Property Tax Reduction categories.

Idaho's 100% assessment standard — § 63-205

Idaho assesses all real property at market value as of January 1 of the tax year. The statute requires the county assessor to value at "the amount of United States dollars or equivalent for which, in all probability, the property would exchange hands between a willing seller and a willing buyer" — full fair-market value. No statutory ratio reduction sits between market value and the levy rate.

This is the same framework North Carolina uses (also 100%, § 105-283) and the same Florida uses (100%, with separate exemption and assessment-cap layers). It contrasts with Georgia (40% statewide), Tennessee (25% residential), South Carolina (4% owner-occupied), or Cook County, Illinois (10% Class 2 residential before the equalization multiplier). The arithmetic is clean: the county assessor's market-value figure on the assessment notice IS the assessed value before exemptions.

The Homeowner's Exemption — § 63-602G

This is Idaho's most distinctive property-tax feature, and the single biggest factor in any owner-occupied tax bill. The exemption exempts from taxation the LESSER of:

• 50% of the total taxable value of the home (including up to one acre of contiguous land), OR
• A statutory dollar cap indexed annually to the Idaho House Price Index — $125,000 in 2025

The "lesser of" structure is the inverse of North Carolina's "greater of $31,500 or 50%" Elderly/Disabled Exclusion. Idaho's structure caps the absolute benefit on higher-value homes and protects lower-value homes more strongly in relative terms.

The crossover sits at $250,000 of assessed value:

• Homes assessed below $250,000: the 50% cap binds. A $200,000 home gets a $100,000 exemption (50% off).
• Homes assessed above $250,000: the $125,000 dollar cap binds. A $600,000 home gets the same $125,000 exemption (about 21% off).
• Homes assessed at $250,000: 50% × $250K = $125K — both caps produce the same figure.

The exemption covers the dwelling AND up to one acre of contiguous land. Additional acreage is taxed at full market value. Owner-occupancy is required — the property must be the owner's primary residence on January 1. Rentals, second homes, vacation properties, and vacant land do not qualify.

Apply on Form ID-PTE with the county assessor by April 15 of the tax year. One-time application; the exemption persists across years so long as ownership and occupancy are unchanged. The assessor removes the exemption if the property is sold, becomes a rental, or otherwise ceases to be the owner-occupied primary residence; the new owner must reapply.

What HB 389 (2021) changed

HB 389 was the largest restructuring of Idaho property tax in a generation. Three changes drive the current framework:

1. Homeowner's Exemption indexing. The dollar cap was raised from $100,000 to $125,000 and indexed annually to the Idaho House Price Index. Previously the cap was fixed by statute and required legislative action to adjust; HB 389 made the indexing automatic, so the cap rises with statewide home-price appreciation.

2. Property Tax Reduction restructuring. The maximum refund was raised to $1,500 and the income brackets were re-tiered. The sliding-scale schedule under § 63-602AA tapers from $1,500 at the lowest income bracket down to $250 near the income ceiling.

3. Truth in Taxation — the 3% revenue rollback (§ 63-803). Taxing districts cannot increase their non-foregone property-tax budget more than 3% per year without voter approval. The constraint operates at the district level, not the parcel level: if assessed values across the district rise faster than 3%, the levy rate must fall proportionally to keep total revenue within the cap. Bond and override levies approved by voters are exempt.

The combined effect was a substantial shift of the tax burden away from owner-occupied primary residences (via the larger, indexed Homeowner's Exemption) and a structural slowdown in district-level levy growth (via the 3% rollback).

Common combined levy rates by county

Combined levy rates (county + city + school + special districts) for 2024–2025 on owner-occupied residential parcels. Note these apply to value AFTER the Homeowner's Exemption.

| County | Combined levy | $450K home gross tax (post-exemption $325K) | | --- | --- | --- | | Kootenai (Coeur d'Alene) | 0.55% | $1,788 | | Ada (Boise) | 0.68% | $2,210 | | Other / rural (typical) | 0.70% | $2,275 | | Bonneville (Idaho Falls) | 0.78% | $2,535 | | Twin Falls | 0.82% | $2,665 | | Canyon (Nampa) | 0.85% | $2,763 |

Pull the binding combined levy for the specific parcel from the county assessor or treasurer. Idaho levy rates are unusually LOW by national standards — well below Texas (1.6%–2.0%), Illinois (2.0%–2.5%), or New Jersey (~2.5%) — but this reflects the structural effect of the Homeowner's Exemption removing half (or $125K) of the base, not low underlying levies. For non-owner-occupied parcels the effective rate equals the nominal levy.

The Property Tax Reduction — § 63-602AA

The Property Tax Reduction (Circuit Breaker) is a refund, not an exemption. The owner pays the full bill; the Idaho State Tax Commission then issues a refund of up to $1,500 in 2025 based on a sliding income scale.

Eligibility requires ALL of:

• The property is the owner-occupied primary residence
• The owner falls into one of seven categories: age 65+, widow/widower, permanently disabled (any age), 10%+ service-connected disabled veteran, blind, fatherless minor under 18, or former POW
• Household income for the prior year is at or below the statutory ceiling ($37,000 in 2025, indexed annually)

The 2025 sliding-scale refund schedule:

| Income bracket | Refund | | --- | --- | | Up to $14,200 | $1,500 | | $14,201 – $18,900 | $1,250 | | $18,901 – $22,000 | $1,000 | | $22,001 – $25,400 | $750 | | $25,401 – $28,800 | $500 | | $28,801 – $32,200 | $350 | | $32,201 – $37,000 | $250 | | Above $37,000 | $0 |

Apply on Form PTR-CB with the county assessor by April 15 of the tax year. Annual reapplication is required (the income test resets each year). The refund cannot exceed the gross tax owed — § 63-602AA is a refund of tax paid, not a cash transfer beyond the bill.

Property Tax Deferral — § 63-602BB

A separate program. Instead of reducing or refunding the bill, the state PAYS the owner's property tax to the county and records a lien against the property for the deferred amount plus interest. Repayable when the property is sold, transferred, or no longer the owner-occupied primary residence.

Eligibility: age 65+ OR disabled, owner-occupied primary residence, household income at or below the PTR ceiling, at least 5 years of Idaho residency, equity of at least 40% in the home after the deferred lien. The PTR refund and Deferral are NOT mutually exclusive — an owner can take the refund and then defer the remaining net.

For most owners the PTR refund alone is preferable. Deferral helps owners who cannot pay even the post-refund net. This calculator surfaces eligibility but does not project accumulated deferral balances.

A worked example — $450,000 Boise home, age 40

A $450,000 home in Boise (Ada County). Owner is 40, owner-occupied primary residence, household income $95,000. Ada County's combined levy is 0.68%.

• Assessed value: $450,000 (100% under § 63-205)
• Homeowner's Exemption: lesser of (50% × $450K = $225K) or ($125K dollar cap) = $125,000 — dollar cap binds
• Taxable value: $450,000 − $125,000 = $325,000
• Gross tax: $325,000 × 0.0068 = $2,210
• PTR refund: not eligible (under 65, no qualifying status, income too high anyway)
• Net tax: $2,210
• Effective rate on market value: 0.49%

The Homeowner's Exemption alone produces a 28% reduction from the nominal levy rate ($3,060 → $2,210). For non-owner-occupied parcels the same home would pay the full $3,060.

A worked example — same home, age 70, income $25,000

Same $450,000 Boise home. Owner is now 70 years old, household income $25,000 (qualifies for both the Homeowner's Exemption and Property Tax Reduction).

• Assessed value: $450,000
• Homeowner's Exemption: $125,000 (dollar cap)
• Taxable value: $325,000
• Gross tax: $2,210
• PTR refund: income $25,000 → bracket $22,001–$25,400 → $750 refund
• Net tax: $2,210 − $750 = $1,460
• Effective rate: 0.32%

The Property Tax Reduction is the largest annual benefit available to Idaho retirees with modest income. A senior owner with income at the bottom of the schedule (under $14,200) on this same home would receive the full $1,500 refund and net $710.

A worked example — $200K Coeur d'Alene home, 50% cap binds

A $200,000 home in Coeur d'Alene (Kootenai County). Owner age 40, owner-occupied primary residence, household income $80,000. Kootenai's combined levy is 0.55%.

• Assessed value: $200,000
• Homeowner's Exemption: lesser of (50% × $200K = $100K) or ($125K dollar cap) = $100,000 — 50% cap binds
• Taxable value: $200,000 − $100,000 = $100,000
• Gross tax: $100,000 × 0.0055 = $550
• Net tax: $550
• Effective rate: 0.275%

The 50% cap binds because $100K (50%) is less than the $125K dollar cap. On a $200K home the exemption produces a 50% reduction — the maximum relative benefit available under § 63-602G. As home values rise past $250K the dollar cap binds and the relative benefit shrinks.

A worked example — $600K Boise home, dollar cap binds

A $600,000 home in Boise. Owner age 45, owner-occupied, household income $130,000.

• Assessed value: $600,000
• Homeowner's Exemption: lesser of (50% × $600K = $300K) or ($125K cap) = $125,000 — dollar cap binds
• Taxable value: $475,000
• Gross tax: $475,000 × 0.0068 = $3,230

On the $600K home the exemption is the same $125,000 a $250K home receives. The relative benefit drops from 50% on the low-end home to 21% here, and to 6% on a $2M home. The "lesser of" structure deliberately tilts the exemption toward lower-value homes.

A worked example — $450K rental in Boise

Same $450,000 Boise property as the first example, but held as a rental rather than owner-occupied. Owner age 45, household income $200,000 (irrelevant because no exemption or refund applies).

• Assessed value: $450,000
• Homeowner's Exemption: not applicable (not owner-occupied)
• Taxable value: $450,000
• Gross tax: $450,000 × 0.0068 = $3,060
• PTR refund: not applicable (owner-occupancy is gated)
• Net tax: $3,060
• Effective rate: 0.68% — equals the nominal levy

The rental version of the same home pays $850 more in annual property tax than the owner-occupied version. Over a 10-year hold that's $8,500 of additional carrying cost on a $450K rental in Ada County. This gap — by design — is one of the structural reasons Idaho non-owner-occupied real estate carries higher effective property-tax cost than owner-occupied.

A worked example — $350K Nampa home, age 75, full PTR refund

A $350,000 home in Nampa (Canyon County). Owner age 75, owner-occupied, household income $15,000. Canyon County's combined levy is 0.85%.

• Assessed value: $350,000
• Homeowner's Exemption: lesser of (50% × $350K = $175K) or ($125K cap) = $125,000 — dollar cap binds
• Taxable value: $225,000
• Gross tax: $225,000 × 0.0085 = $1,913
• PTR refund: income $15,000 → bracket $14,201–$18,900 → $1,250 refund
• Net tax: $1,913 − $1,250 = $663
• Effective rate: 0.19% of market value

The combined effect of the Homeowner's Exemption and the Property Tax Reduction reduces this retiree's bill from a nominal $2,975 (full market × 0.85%) to $663 — a 78% reduction. This is the typical experience for Idaho low-income seniors in higher-rate counties like Canyon.

Comparing Idaho to surrounding states

Effective property-tax rates on residential primary residences across the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest:

| State | Effective rate (typical) | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Wyoming | ~0.55% | Mineral-tax-funded; lowest in region | | Utah | ~0.55% | 55% residential primary-residence ratio | | Nevada | ~0.55% | Indirect funding via gaming taxes | | Idaho (owner-occupied) | ~0.45%–0.55% | § 63-602G removes 50% or $125K of base | | Idaho (non-owner-occupied) | ~0.55%–0.85% | Full nominal levy on market value | | Montana | ~0.80% | No general sales tax; property does more work | | Washington | ~0.85% | No income tax; property tax fills the gap | | Oregon | ~0.85% | Measure 5 cap; assessed value can lag market |

Idaho sits at the low end for owner-occupied homes (the Homeowner's Exemption is doing the work) and middle-tier for non-owner-occupied parcels. The state's framework deliberately concentrates the property-tax benefit on owner-occupiers. Rental property, second homes, and commercial property bear the full nominal levy rate on market value.

Common errors to avoid

• Assuming the Homeowner's Exemption applies automatically. It does not. Form ID-PTE must be filed with the county assessor by April 15. Newly purchased homes lose the prior owner's exemption — the new owner must reapply.
• Forgetting that the Homeowner's Exemption requires owner-occupancy. Rentals, second homes, vacation properties, and vacant land do not qualify. Converting an owner-occupied home to a rental requires notifying the assessor; failing to do so can result in back-tax recovery plus penalties.
• Confusing the Homeowner's Exemption (no income test) with the Property Tax Reduction (strict income test). The Homeowner's Exemption applies to every owner-occupied primary residence regardless of income or age. The Property Tax Reduction adds a refund on top but requires the $37,000 income ceiling and one of the seven category statuses.
• Comparing Idaho's nominal levy rates to other states without adjusting for the exemption. Idaho's 0.68% Ada County rate is not directly comparable to a state with no exemption. The effective rate on an owner-occupied $450K home in Ada is roughly 0.49%, not 0.68%.
• Missing the Property Tax Reduction reapplication deadline. Unlike the Homeowner's Exemption (one-time), the PTR refund requires annual reapplication on Form PTR-CB by April 15. Missing the deadline forfeits that year's refund.
• Ignoring the 3% revenue rollback when projecting future bills. § 63-803 caps district-level revenue growth at 3% (plus voter-approved bonds/overrides and new construction). Bill growth on a stable parcel will track the rollback, not the underlying market-value appreciation.

Tools, not advice. Confirm the binding county levy rate with the county assessor or treasurer; confirm Homeowner's Exemption status and the current Property Tax Reduction schedule with the Idaho State Tax Commission before relying on any result for planning purposes. Last reviewed against Idaho Code Title 63 on 2026-05-16.